The SCIENCE BENEATH the ART of PUBLIC RELATIONS ™
September 19, 2014
By Frank Ovaitt, Institute for PR

The public relations field has talked for decades about measuring and evaluating what we do - to help us do it better and win more resources. Before the new millennium, we largely used measures of basic output, especially for media relations: clips, coverage and potential audience.

By Forrest W. Anderson, Independent Consultant 

As a strategist in PR, I often develop the objectives for clients and then ask them to react to them. It's simply a matter of identifying business objectives and determining what communications objectives will support achieving them. 

The single most important thing people need to remember when measuring the impact of a communications program is their definition of impact, which should come from the initial, measurable objectives of the program. Read more.
By Pauline Draper Watts, Edelman Berland

Analytics tools abound for various social channels and owned properties with supporting metrics for those channels. We can assess the public digital footprint for an individual, brand or organization, we can track friends and foes, we can see how stories are amplified and travel, we can develop programs to increase engagement and drive sales and we can listen and look to protect reputation. 

Monitoring not only your own platforms but also the wider world is essential to understanding your audience and its digital interaction with you and your brands. Read more.
By Dr. David Geddes, Geddes Analytics LLC

Theory compels us to look broadly across the full communications process, and counteracts tendencies to focus measurement on outputs. A well-reasoned model provides a structure pushing us to identify specific metrics relevant to the client organization. 

By adopting standards, public relations professionals will be assured that they are measuring the right things. This theory-based model provides guidance on what to measure. The specific measurement standards provide step-by-step instructions about how to measure. Read more. 
By Molly McKenna Jandrain, McDonald's USA
 

When impressions become like wallpaper and blend in with no context, they're probably becoming wallpaper to everyone else as well.  So how can we tell a simple story in connecting how the stimulus we are putting out there (volume of coverage, tone, asset use, message penetration, etc.) is leading to our desired response and outcomes (awareness, purchase intent, advocacy)? 


If we can't tell this story, it's time to adjust the measurement methodology. Make it matter. Read more.

To hear from measurement experts such as those featured in this week's special edition research letter, register for this year's Measurement Summit and the 4th Annual Conclave meeting for social media measurement. This annual gathering on October 27-29, 2014 in Durham, NH, will have the best minds and thought leaders in research and measurement discussing big data and its implications. Read more.
Frank Ovaitt
Jenn Moyer
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