New PR 2.0 Measurement – Part I
One of my Twitter buddies, @welfeldpr, inspired me to write this blog post. However, before I can dig into the specifics tools to measure the tweets and conversations (which will be part II of this post) I want to set up some guidelines and introduce the new metrics for PR 2.0. Overall, how do we measure the effectiveness of PR today to include our social media activity? Social activity does affect a company’s strategic objectives and will contribute to the bottom line. In our book, “Putting the Public Back in Public Relations
There are new ROI metrics that PR 2.0 introduces to make us reset our expectations. An excerpt from our book discusses this very point:
To measure success, we must determine what success looks like in this new environment. For example, expecting PR 2.0 to result in direct sales (and thus pay for itself) is unrealistic. To gauge PR 2.0 success, we want to focus on momentum, in real time, and demonstrate what’s working. By actively listening and continually “taking the temperature” of our various engagements, we can learn how to do things better in both the short and long terms. Interactive marketing and Web marketers have often experimented with new methodologies and practices to measure the success of their work. We can learn much from these disciplines while also applying real-world experience that we gain through personal engagement. With PR 2.0, we can analyze, measure, and amend campaigns and long-term PR and relationship-building programs in real time. Using the same tools for measuring as we do for listening, we can track and record progress-real-world effects on market behavior. We can also respond to misperceptions or negative feedback immediately to reduce the likelihood of criticism based flare-ups.”
In our book, we review the Conversation Index, which is a part of the measurement discussion as conversations are pervasive and take many forms from videos and podcasts to blog posts and tweets. It is the Conversation Index that indicates your “…placement, status, ranking, perception, and participation in the Social Media sphere.” Because Social Media is rooted in conversations, participation, and engagement, these are the new trackable elements for determining ROI and success:
- Conversations or threads by keyword
- Traffic
- Leads or sales
- Calls to action
- Engagement
- Relationships
- Authority
- Education and participation
- Perception
- Registrations, membership, and community activity
The Conversation Index goes well beyond Public Relations. It touches everything from communications to sales, branding, customer service and product development. Because of the new trackable metrics, we can measure both success (and failure) of our PR strategies in ways that were not possible before. Through proactive and attentive listening and measurement, PR will be effectively measured. The new metrics will justify PR’s role in social marketing as it enhances relationships, builds trust, cultivates communities and helps to increase sales, ultimately proving to business leaders the value of investing in PR 2.0 strategies.
pitchengine (Jason Kintzler)
February 17, 2009 @ 10:18 pm
New PR Measurement Part I http://bit.ly/Jdulr (from @dbreakenridge)
fogfish (Roderick)
February 17, 2009 @ 10:20 pm
New PR Measurement Part I http://bit.ly/Jdulr (from @dbreakenridge via @pitchengine)
apowerpoint (Anthony Power)
February 17, 2009 @ 10:25 pm
RT @pitchengine: New PR Measurement Part I http://bit.ly/Jdulr (from @dbreakenridge) The Conversation Index mirrors CDI/BDI ideas in CPG
JDEbberly (J D Ebberly)
February 17, 2009 @ 10:34 pm
RETWEET! @pitchengine New PR Measurement Part I http://bit.ly/Jdulr (from @dbreakenridge) (GREAT read!!)
mcolacurcio (Maria Colacurcio)
February 17, 2009 @ 10:36 pm
RT @pitchengine: New PR Measurement Part I http://bit.ly/Jdulr (from @dbreakenridge)
MonkeyHouseMama (Claudia RenchyMorton)
February 17, 2009 @ 10:38 pm
RT New PR Measurement Part I http://bit.ly/Jdulr (from @dbreakenridge)
carok7 (carok7)
February 17, 2009 @ 11:15 pm
RT @pitchengine: New PR Measurement Part I http://bit.ly/Jdulr (from @dbreakenridge)
February 18, 2009 @ 1:55 am
Very timely post. Measurement has been quite the topic lately for me. This is a nice list as a primer for what to consider ROI with social media. With so many tools out there to measure with, especially with twitter I sometimes find myself asking which tools are the ‘must measure with’s’, and how to mash each tool into one cohesive dashboard.
February 18, 2009 @ 2:15 am
Hi Adam, thanks for your feedback on my post. I could write a book on measurement alone. It is a very hot topic and yes, there are so many tools to measure. My next post will pull another excerpt from my book that addresses the tools.
Hope you are doing well. Last time we corresponded I think you had a new position. Let me know how it’s going 🙂
erikbratt (Erik Bratt)
February 19, 2009 @ 9:37 pm
New PR 2.0 Measurement Strategies — Part I http://is.gd/jSm3
February 20, 2009 @ 10:46 pm
Good stuff, I would disagree in the slightest bit though in that I do believe there is the potential to track social media back to impact on sales. I certainly do not think it can be done today but given the huge amount of data the web provides plus the expanding use of social media there is a chance some very cool modeling could get close. The real question that holds it all up is “if someone is talking about your brand, or likes your brand, does that affect their purchasing?” I’d say this has been a big question for marketing in general for a long time, but now with social media we may have the data to answer it… someday soon!
February 21, 2009 @ 1:06 am
Hi Tony, I think that social media can play a big part in that sale. Of course, if there is a direct link or promotion that a customer takes advatage of, i.e., when Southwest Airlines had a link to a discount fare program in its social media release then yes, you can see the direct correlation. Great comment!
mcolacurcio (Maria Colacurcio)
February 24, 2009 @ 2:37 am
I thought this was a great post on PR measurement. It’s one post of a two-part series: http://is.gd/jSm3 #journchat
garzag (Garza Girl)
February 24, 2009 @ 2:38 am
RT @mcolacurcio I thought this was a great post on PR measurement. It’s one post of a two-part series: http://is.gd/jSm3 #journchat