October 28, 2008
Communication Can Drive Business Results
While this paper is from January, I'd highly suggest it for any PR practitioner looking to setup an appropriate measurement program. Katie Paine, Angie Jeffrey and Pauline Draper do an excellent job of outlining the process, but also making the case for how measurement can help to demonstrate how communication can drive business results. Check it out...
Posted by chemann on October 28, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
October 17, 2008
We aren't measuring social media...NEWS AT 11!
You'll have to forgive me. I've been the worst kind of blogger lately...the kind who has a blog but never posts! It isn't for a lack of content. Enough with the excuses. Let's get on with the show!
I am getting caught up on my PR trade publication reading and stumbled upon this story from PR News. It reveals some really fascinating findings from a recent study conducted by BurrellesLuce and PR News about social media measurement. Not surprisingly, the incorporation of social media into evaluation is lagging behind. Only 6.6% of respondents measure coverage on blogs, and even fewer--4%--incorporate social media into measurement and analysis efforts. I say this isn't surprising because the measurement of traditional media isn't being fully adopted by PR professionals. Why should we expect that social media would be any different? Contrary to popular belief, it CAN BE measured. It seems to me that showing an ability to lay out a coherent social media strategy is important. However, it seems almost as important for professionals to be able to demonstrate what, if anything, was achieved from that campaign.
Measuring blogs and other media should be part of any campaign. If it isn't, you are missing a golden opportunity to demonstrate your worth, open up oppurtinities to expand your program and most importantly demonstrate that you are a seasoned professional concerned with the bottom-line.
Posted by chemann on October 17, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
September 23, 2008
Is this the end of consumer surveys?
As I've said many times, never underestimate the ability of professionals to utilize technology like social media for new and interesting purposes. This story from Advertising Age mentions that Proctor & Gamble and Unilever are linking with the Advertising Research Foundation to gather consumer feedback in a more real-time fashion than the traditional consumer survey can accomplish.
Obviously, if this effort proves to be successful (and more cost-effective) more companies will adopt this method of gathering consumer feedback. Will that happen anytime soon? I doubt it. There are always late adopters to any new technique. However, if the technology exists why not use it?
Posted by chemann on September 23, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
September 08, 2008
I started a blog. So what?
It is no secret that social media is gaining in stature. There seems to be a new blog or social networking site popping up everyday. Even traditional media outlets are trying to take advantage of this trend in an effort to gain new readership (see David Hert'z blog for even more conversation on this topic).
That's what makes articles like this from Adweek so interesting. According to Forrester Research, Tactics involving social networks, podcasts and user-generated content all showed 100 percent increases in marketer use compared to a similar survey conducted by Forrester last year. However, 68 percent of respondents said they only adopt new techniques "only after they're proven." Additionally, over half said they struggle to properly gauge search marketing, and 58 percent said measuring effectiveness was the top challenge.
It is not surprising that with so many companies making the jump (or thinking of making the jump) into social media techniques that senior executives are starting to ask what they are getting for their money.
If you are measuring what other people are saying about you in the blogosphere, it is not all that dissimilar to traditional media analysis where you are reading content and trying to determine trends and tendencies. Even at a more basic level, counting the number of visitors to your site or even the cost per click-through can be helpful data points.
To be fair, one of the primary goals of a social media campaign is to develop a relationship with your customers, employees or your marketplace. The only way to really glean insight into this sort of relationship is through a survey, which can be difficult when the end-users are not always known.
There are more techniques to measuring social media than what I have outlined here. Companies shouldn't be dissuaded from engaging in a social media campaign just because there is not a 100 percent fool-proof technique. There are plenty of techniques that are highly credible, even for the most skeptical of senior executive.
Posted by chemann on September 08, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
August 21, 2008
Impressions Aren't the Best. But What Else is there?
The idea that impressions are not the best form of measurement isn't new. In fact, I think everybody understands that it isn't the best metric to use when measuring the impact of media coverage. For that reason, I was surprised to read this story from Erica Iacono at PR Week.
Sure, there are other metrics that should be used like increase in Web traffic, message dissemination, mention prominence, tone, topic, etc... However, I see no harm in utilizing impressions as one part of a much larger measurement project. It certainly is not to be relied upon, however, showing those numbers can be helpful in demonstrating specific market/regional penetration.
Would I prefer to look at message dissemination, prominence and market penetration only? Sure! However, corporate communications professionals are still interested in impressions, and until there is a better measure, it is up to us to couch their overall value. They aren't a panacea, but they aren't the devil either.
Posted by chemann on August 21, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
August 12, 2008
Social Media Measurement Made Easy
As more companies move into the social media space, measuring the outcomes of those efforts is going to become increasingly important. Kami Huyse and Lauren Vargas have put together a really easy to follow strategy for social media measurement that even the novice can follow.
I really love blog posts like this. Taking an otherwise difficult concept for many to grasp, and turning it into a very simple process that almost everybody can follow. Hopefully posts like this will drive home how simple measurement can be - even with new media.
Posted by chemann on August 12, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
August 07, 2008
Benchmarking is the way to go
If you've read even one post from this blog, I think you will agree that it is my opinion that measurement is an integral part of any communications program. I think you also know that I feel it is often made more complicated than it really is, thought to be more expensive than it really is, and not done nearly often enough. So if measurement professionals are still battling to get a bigger piece of the pie for measurement on the back end, why am I about to make the argument for budget on the front end for benchmarking? Simple...benchmarking is just as important as measurement. There was a story in this week's PR News about the topic, but I am not sure why we would need a story in a PR trade publication to realize it. Before you embark on your media relations, advertising or marketing campaign wouldn't it be nice to have some idea if the message you are trying to convey has any chance of success? Seems logical doesn't it? Well, the fact that we are still battling for a piece of the pie at the back end suggests to me that few are doing any benchmarking at the start of their project.
I am quite fond of this quote from Don Stack's book, Primer of Public Relations Research:
"Research is essential to any public relations activity or campaign. [It] is the beginning of a process that seeks to bring out a specific objective.”
The keyword in that statement is "beginning." If we would take a step back at the beginning, we may save ourselves some stress at the end.
By the way, it is not just me talking about the value of research in public relations. Sir Martin Sorrell, Chief Executive Officer of WPP Group, was on CNBC's Squawk Box earlier this week talking about advertising in the Olympics, among many other topics. Towards the end of his interview he talked about how research is playing a much larger role in PR than he can ever remember. To dismiss it as a cost center, instead of something that adds great value, is a mistake.
Posted by chemann on August 07, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
July 30, 2008
See! It's not just me saying measurement can be cheap!
So it appears that I have violated the first rule of blogging - post often! My apologies for the momentary glitch in the system, but i'm back and scouring the world for notable news and insight.
No further do I begin my search when I stumble upon this great post from Don Bartholomew on the ways in which measurement can be more cost effective. This is something i've (we've) been pushing for a long time. Measurement need not be expensive if it is done properly.
Posted by chemann on July 30, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
