Dispel These Nine Measurement Myths in 2020 En Route to Success

Mark Weiner, IPR Measurement Commission/Chief Insights Officer, Cision

As 2019 winds down, we reflect on the past, look forward to the New Year and consider the many opportunities and challenges it will bring. Thoughts turn to beginnings, fresh starts and replenished budgets. To succeed, though, we must discard old notions, reject tired chestnuts and dispel the myths that stifle our profession.

1. PR Research is Too Complex and Expensive: Communications research is more accessible to more professionals than at any time in the history of PR. Some do-it-yourself platforms are even free.

Despite the limitations of free and low-cost tools, they provide simple ways to conduct an online survey and a media analysis. Based on the findings from such a survey, you can create an appetite for data and insights they enable.

As the interest in data and insights grows among internal clients and your team, resources for more evolved approaches will materialize. These will take you even further on your PR research and evaluation journey.

2. PR Measurement, Research and Evaluation Mean The Same Thing: As the wordsmiths representing our organizations and clients, we must strive for precision in every instance.