To show the true business power of your PR campaigns, you want to be sure that your measurement dashboard tracks relevant data, and that you are collecting that data in a way that is meaningful and digestible to the C-suite.
Not all communicators measure the same things. Metrics that are relevant to a consumer brand may not be to a nonprofit, and vice versa. There are certain elements, however, that should be included in all measurement dashboards if you hope to properly collect and analyze data about your communications efforts.
Inga Starrett, senior VP of analytics at Weber Shandwick and featured speaker at PR News' PR Measurement Conference on April 20 in Washington, D.C., shares some thoughts on what every dashboard needs, regardless of the type of organization.
- Objectives: What is the point of your dashboard (basically, why should I care)? This can be as simple as a title or as detailed as a mission statement.
- Metrics that matter: Strategic data is not one size fits all, and different audiences will care about different things. Identify key performance indicators tailored to your audience and tell the story around that. Your dashboard should communicate with your audience.
- Executive Summary: Your dashboard should include content AND context. Numbers are important but so is the story around the numbers. Make sure you are telling both.
- What’s next: By including a section on “looking ahead” you are moving your dashboard from static report card to strategic tool.
To learn more about the importance of PR Measurement, join us for the PR Measurement Conference in Washington, DC on April 20.
Follow Weber Shandwick on Twitter: @webershandwick
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