Measurement

Earlier this month we asked questions of communicators who were honored as PR Professionals of the Year during 2018’s PRNEWS Platinum Awards luncheon in NY. We asked about improving relations with journalists, how brands can maintain a human touch in a tech-driven world and several other topics.

Social marketers often know what tools and resources are worth spending money on, but advocating for that budget, and working with the C-suite to allocate said budget, proves the greater challenge. We spoke with Rajesh Kari, Vice President and Business Leader at Infovision Social, about this exact matter ahead of his appearance at next week’s Social Shake-Up Show in Atlanta.

What can AI do for communications measurement? Plenty, is the short answer. The larger question, of course, is whether or not AI will replace humans or augment them. Edelman Intelligence’s global measurement lead Pauline Draper-Watts weighs in on this important discussion.

Our regular roundtable feature includes honorees from the 2018 PRNEWS Platinum PR awards and speakers from The Social Shake-Up. Among the questions we put to them: What qualities does a successful communicator need? With the onslaught of technology, how can brands ensure customers have a human experience? And what social media trends are you eager to learn more about during the Social Shake-Up?

Measurement guru Katie Paine provides her take on Boeing’s (737 Max 8) and Samsung’s (Fold phone) crisis-management strategies. Her verdict is that neither company did a good job, though the negative implications seem to be lighter for Samsung.

Diversity is both good to do and good for business. That concept should apply to media in its use of sources. Unfortunately, data show media sourcing in western media favoring men 3 to 1 over women. Preliminary findings indicate media with a more representative source base may reap financial and other benefits. PR pros can help media by curating and promoting a diverse source base.

Go big or go home does’t necessarily apply to innovation, says Scott Steinberg, author and business consultant. Armed with knowledge about their customers, communicators can advocate for brands to make small, tactical changes to products and services that can yield significant results. Steinberg discussed his ideas about thinking small to go big during PRNEWS’ Measurement Conference in Washington, DC.

One of the most difficult pieces for public relations professionals to measure is the return on investment of earned media and relevance. How much is the CEO’s picture worth on the cover of Wall Street Journal? Did that influencer wearing a brand’s jeans increase mentions on social? Is it about sales or leads or growing community? Or is it about sentiment and reputation? What goals should an organization shoot for?

There’s no question that measuring the value of PR is one of a communicator’s biggest challenges. Whether you’re charged with handling your brand’s media relations, social media campaigns or both, a pointed question from the C-suite lingers: “How does this tie to our bottom line?” At the Measurement Conference later this week, experts will explain how to get senior leaders to see the value of your PR efforts. Here are some tips to get you started.

As the boundary between marketing and PR continues to blur, two surveys provide perspective into building a sound media relations strategy. They also remind us that marketing and PR must not be operating with siloed measurement strategies. Ahead of PRNEWS’ Measurement Conference, April 17-18 in D.C., these surveys emphasize that correctly measuring influencer ROI and communicating up are greatly unrealized opportunities for PR and marketing to be on the same page.