Of course, social change and social media is not 'all about the numbers'. One of the defining qualities of the web2.0 world is its power to break free from the dehumanizing numbers game of one-way communications and embrace a genuine dialogue between you and your audience.
That aside, anyone who has fought the hard battle of culture change that's often necessary with open communications knows that the process can be much easier when you can show that the numbers work in your favour.