The metrics of the past don't always make sense in today's changing media landscape. Travel Oregon shares the latest thinking behind their point-based qualitative measurement system for working with bloggers, influencers and traditional media.

1. Proving the Value of
Public Relations Activities
How to Measure and Communicate What Matters
Oregon Governor’s Conference on Tourism
April 28, 2014

2. #ORGC @LANEPR @TravelOregon
Agenda
 Why Measure?
 What to Measure
 Travel Oregon’s Media and Blogger Methodology
 Q&A
 Workshop
 The Next Evolution: Influencers
 Q&A

3. #ORGC @LANEPR @TravelOregon
Why Measure?
 Demonstrate your efforts are worthwhile
 Ensure your programs/departments get funded
 Show ongoing improvement in performance
 Garner support for increased PR investment

4. #ORGC @LANEPR @TravelOregon
What Matters to Your Boss?

5. #ORGC @LANEPR @TravelOregon
Current Measurement
Shortcomings
Measurement Type Problem
Ad Equivalency Values Almost all advertising buys are
negotiated with different rates and
discounts based on frequency
Number of Articles/Placements Fewer stories in more targeted places can
be more effective in generating business
results than more stories in less targeted
places
Circulation/Impressions Circulation or reach doesn’t fully reflect
the outlet’s influence over your target
audience

6. #ORGC @LANEPR @TravelOregon
Today’s Media
Landscape
 Circulation less important, influence
becoming more important
• Print readership declining
• Newsroom/publication staff shrinking
• Declining opportunities with travel
publications
• Increase in online media, bloggers
and freelancers
• Lifestyle and niche publications, blogs
becoming more influential

7. #ORGC @LANEPR @TravelOregon
What that Means
for PR
 It’s about the quality of the stories,
not just the quantity
 Focus time, resources on placing the
right stories in the right places
 Stories that will drive business,
visits
 Can no longer rely on quantitative
measurement alone

8. #ORGC @LANEPR @TravelOregon
The Barcelona Principles
1. Importance of goal setting first
2. Measuring the effect on outcomes is preferred to measuring outputs
3. The effect on business results can and should be measured where
possible
4. Media measurement requires quantity and quality
5. AVEs are not the value of public relations
6. Social media can and should be measured
7. Transparency and replicability are paramount to sound
measurement

9. #ORGC @LANEPR @TravelOregon
Travel Oregon’s Methodology
 Tie objectives to Travel Oregon’s strategic goals
 Measure only what we directly touch
 Utilize combination of qualitative and quantitative measurement
# Stories
Influenced
Total
Circulation
Average
Score by
Sector
Quantitative + Qualitative
(Derived from qualitative evaluation of coverage)
QuantitativeQuantitative

10. #ORGC @LANEPR @TravelOregon
The Point System
Is this good coverage?
 System for evaluating the quality of media, blogger coverage
 Different criteria for each media category/sector
Points 0 1 2 3 4
Story Type ------------ Mention Brief/Roundup
Featured
Roundup
Oregon
Feature Story
Media Tier ------------ Tier 3 ------------ Tier 2 Tier 1
Visuals No Yes ------------ ------------ ------------
Link to
Website
No Yes ------------ ------------ ------------
TOTAL LOW = 2 ------------ ------------ ------------ HIGH = 10

11. #ORGC @LANEPR @TravelOregon
Reporting the Results
April 2014 Issue, Sunset
Magazine, “A Perfect
Day in Eugene”
An article featuring a list
of some of the best
activities, restaurants,
breweries and hikes to
explore in Eugene.
Region: WV
Initiative: TO: Pitch
Score: 9

12. #ORGC @LANEPR @TravelOregon
Reporting the Results
April Issue, Saveur, “From
Western Waters”
A story highlighting Pacific
NW seafood experiences
and restaurants to try.
Region: OC
Initiative: TO: Pitch
Score: 10

13. #ORGC @LANEPR @TravelOregon
Why it Works
 Follows industry best practices,
models used by large corporations
including FedEx, Philips and Clorox
 Taps into how people are finding,
consuming information today
 Helps focus and prioritize our media,
blogger relations efforts
 More accurate, better demonstration
of the value of our efforts
 Places emphasis on stories that drive
visits, business

14. #ORGC @LANEPR @TravelOregon
How it Was Developed
 Objectives
• Tied to strategic goals
 Attributes by media sector
• Determined which attributes were most important for each media
sector
 Benchmark year
• Tracked, measured but did not report out first year
• Tested, refined system before launching externally
Which media drive
the most visitors?
What types of
stories drive more
bookings?
What specific markets
are we targeting? What
media are people in that
market consuming?

15. #ORGC @LANEPR @TravelOregon
Q&A

16. Workshop
Practice exercise

17. #ORGC @LANEPR @TravelOregon
How Would You Score this Clip?

18. What’s Next?
Vetting and evaluating influencers

19. #ORGC @LANEPR @TravelOregon
7 Wonders of Oregon
 How the influencers were chosen
• Social influence: # of Instagram
followers, blog readership, Twitter
followers, Facebook fans,
engagement, etc.
• Relevance: Represent target
consumer, live in key markets,
hobbies align with activities around
the Wonders, etc.
• Earned media potential: Either via
personal blogs or contributions to
editorial outlets

20. #ORGC @LANEPR @TravelOregon
7 Wonders of Oregon
 How we are measuring success
• # Posts
• Fan/follower growth
• Audience engagement
• Website visits
• # Blog posts/features

21. #ORGC @LANEPR @TravelOregon
Final Recommendations
 Continue quantitative reporting (e.g. circulation, number of stories)
 Begin qualitative measurement
 Benchmark and refine over time
 Be focused and targeted on where you spend your time
 Use measurement to improve your programs
 Communicate the TRUE VALUE of your efforts!

22. #ORGC @LANEPR @TravelOregon
Q&A

23. Thank you.
Judiaann Woo Kristin Heilman-Long
Judiaann@traveloregon.com Kristin@lanepr.com

24. Proving the Value of Public Relations Activities
How to Measure and Communicate What Matters
Workshop Excercise
Qualitiative Measurement System Overview
Every piece of influenced coverage is reviewed for target attributes – visuals, URL
inclusions, key message penetration and more – which are assigned a numeric value.
Because of their differences, distinct point systems apply to consumer travel coverage,
industry coverage and blogs. Coverage items can earn points in four or five categories
(depending on whether it’s a consumer, industry or blog item) toward a potential high score
of 10 points. Coverage scores are then averaged for quarterly and annual comparison. The
consumer and industry measurement grids are outlined below.
Consumer Travel Coverage Criteria (Print, Online, Broadcast)
Points 0 1 2 3 4
Media Tier ---------------- Tier 3 --------------- Tier 2 Tier 1
Website Link No Yes --------------- ---------------- ----------------
Visuals No Yes ---------------- ---------------- ---------------
Story Type ----------------- Mention Brief/Roundup
Featured
Roundup
Oregon
Feature Story
Total LOW = 2 ---------------- ----------------- ---------------- HIGH = 10
Travel Oregon Industry Coverage (Print, Online, Broadcast)
Points 0 1 2
Story Type ---------------- Mention/Brief
Feature/Dedicated
Segment
Messaging No TO Message Key Messages Interview/Quote
Tone Negative Neutral/Balanced Positive
Media Tier ----------------- Tier 2 Tier 1
Visuals No One photo Multiple photos/videos
Total LOW = 3 ---------------- HIGH = 10
1 | P a g e

25. Proving the Value of Public Relations Activities
How to Measure and Communicate What Matters
Workshop Excercise
Score this Coverage
Full article copy provided on next page.
Score Tally
Media Tier TO/DMO Link Visuals Story Type TOTAL
2 | P a g e

26. http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/06/travel/natural-records-united-states/index.html?hpt=hp_c3
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10 record-setting natural wonders in the United States
By Helyn Trickey Bradley , Special to CNN
updated 12:05 PM EST, Fri March 7, 2014 CNN.com
Please tell us about the natural wonders in your state. Share your suggestions in theEditor's note:
comments section below.
(CNN) -- Maybe we've been cooped up too much this winter, but now more than ever, the natural wonders
of our world are beckoning to us from behind gray computer monitors, buzzing cell phones and the million
red brake lights ahead of us on the long commute home.
We yearn to leave the laundry, the dishes and the bills behind and swap them out for something bigger,
deeper and taller than we could ever be; something that will, at once, make us feel insignificant and
perfectly in place.
Pack your bags and wear comfortable shoes, because we've compiled a list of nature's record setters in
the United States that will make for great vacation memories.
29 beach photos that'll make you drool
Deepest lake in the U.S.
Looking to be gobsmacked by nature? Visit Crater Lake in south-central Oregon. Created by the eruption
and ultimate collapse of Mount Mazama more than 7,000 years ago, water filled the caldera, or ring-like
indentation left after the explosion, creating the deepest lake (592 meters; 1,943 feet) in the United States.
In winter, snowshoeing expeditions give a peek into the wilds of this natural wonder. But make sure to visit
this beauty in the summertime, too, when more of the is accessible. A two-hourCrater Lake National Park
trolley tour circles the rim of the lake and allows visitors four scheduled stops. Hop aboard a summer lake
cruise, weather permitting, and catch a glimpse of the famed "Old Man of the Lake," a large tree stump
that has been floating vertically in the cold water for nearly a century. Bicyclists rave about the 33-mile
loop around the rim of Crater Lake, but be warned that the route features steep climbs and brilliant views
in equal portion.
Crater Lake Lodge first opened its doors in 1915 and is a rustic, sweeping homage to the 1920s, complete
with a Great Hall and oversized fireplace. It is open seasonally, usually May to October.
10 of the world's coolest underground wonders
Largest living tree in the world
You're going to need a very long set of arms to hug the . Dubbed Generallargest living tree in the world
Sherman after the Civil War general, this behemoth lives in the north end of Giant Forrest in Sequoia
National Park, California, and towers about 84 meters (275 feet) high. At its base, this giant is about 31
meters (103 feet) around, roughly equal to fourteen and a half Shaquille O'Neals lying head-to-foot around
the base of the tree.

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Despite its impressive height and width, it is not the tallest or widest tree around. Instead, its distinction as
the largest living tree is judged by the volume of its huge trunk -- 52,500 cubic feet .
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks lie adjacent to each other in the southern Sierra Nevada and
make a wonderful playground, no matter the season. In May, Crystal Cave, a large, naturally-forged
underground cave with stream-polished rock formations and large marble rooms, opens to the public. In
the winter, book a room at the rustic , located just minutes from General Sherman, andJohn Muir Lodge
take a cross-country ski trip into the snow-draped forests.
Lowest and hottest spot in the U.S.
If you've had it up to your hairline with ice storms and snow days, plan a getaway to the hottest, lowest
place in the United States: . It may sound like a depressing destination, but this place boastsDeath Valley
some of the most adaptable plant and animal life on the planet.
Death Valley is 86 meters (282 feet) below sea level and was formed when movement in the earth's crust
along a fault line caused the land to sink. From Telescope Peak, the highest mountain in the national park
at 11,049 feet, to the Badwater Basin floor is nearly a two-mile drop, twice the depth of the Grand Canyon.
The average rainfall for the area is less than 2 inches per year. A record high of 134°F (57°C) was
recorded in Death Valley on July 10, 1913.
The park is open year-round, but guided ranger tours are available only in the cooler months from
November to April, and they are a great way to learn more about the geology and history of this
fascinating desert. Full Moon festivals, available in the cooler months of the year, give visitors the
opportunity to see how this desolate landscape changes at night.
After a long, hot day of exploring the desert, check into the elegant , a well-appointedInn at Furnace Creek
resort with spa amenities, spring-fed swimming pools, an 18-hole golf course and stone patios with sunset
views.
Most affordable Caribbean islands
World's tallest mountain (measured from the ocean floor)
If stargazing is your passion, you can't get much better than , a dormant volcano in HawaiiMauna Kea
that, when measured from the ocean floor, is taller than Mount Everest, the world's highest mountain by
altitude. From its ocean-floor base, Mauna Kea measures more than 10,000 meters (about 33,000 feet) or
a little more than six miles.
Historically, the summit of Mauna Kea has been considered a spiritual place to native Hawaiians and only
royalty and tribal chiefs were allowed to visit. Today, the summit is still spiritually relevant for many people,
but thousands of visitors make the arduous trip each year to visit observatories perched at the summit.
Every night, regardless of weather, the Visitor Information Station at the Onizuka Center for International
Astronomy holds a free public stargazing program.
Book a room at the and relax in the sunny, privately owned VictorianShipman House Bed and Breakfast
mansion, complete with more than 20 tropical fruit tree varieties blooming in the garden.

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Highest mountain in North America
If the rugged, wild terrain of Alaska is what your wanderlusting heart needs, book a trip to Denali National
in Alaska. This mammoth park -- roughly half the size of Rhode Island -- is home to thePark and Preserve
highest mountain (as measured from its base) in North America: Mount McKinley. The mountain is 6,194
meters (20,320 feet) high.
At night, if you camp anytime from August through May, you might glimpse the Aurora Borealis or
Northern Lights. These vivid braids and streaks of light, sometimes red, sometimes green, can brighten
the deep dark skies over Denali and take your breath away. Explore slabs of rocks that geologists have
begun referring to as the dinosaur dance floors because of the high number of fossilized footprints they've
discovered.
There are no National Park Service accommodations in the park, but you can find stellar digs at Camp
, two privately owned full-service lodges that feature guided outings andDenali and North Face Lodge
flightseeing tours.
Tallest natural bridge in the U.S.
The amazing natural structure at in Utah is estimated to be moreRainbow Bridge National Monument
than 200 million years old, and it stands 88 meters (290 feet) tall. Rainbow Bridge is considered to be the
highest natural land bridge in the United States, and its name hints at the unique color striations formed
from layers of different types of sandstone which became hardened and fused together by wild
fluctuations in the climate through the Triassic and Jurassic periods.
Geologists estimate that several million years ago heavy rains and a rising river gradient swept through
the area, cutting wide swaths through the water-soluble sandstone and creating many interesting shapes
in the landscape.
Today, most visitors gawk at the bridge from a viewing platform, but some folks may backpack along the
Navajo Mountain trail once they've acquired the appropriate permit from the Navajo Nation.
Lake Powell, a reservoir of the Colorado River that straddles the border between Utah and Arizona, is
relatively nearby and provides access by boat to the famous land bridge. One of the best ways to
experience the spectacular landscape is to rent a houseboat and navigate Lake Powell via the more than
2,000 miles of shoreline.
The sunniest place in the world
If you're ready to trade in your parka and mittens for shorts and sunglasses, seek out a place where
sunshine beams down 90 percent of the year. Yuma, Arizona, is the nation's sunniest city and the least
humid place in the United States, according to the National Climatic Data Center. It's also the sunniest
place in the world, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Also, Yuma boasts the least
number of days of precipitation in the nation: on average, 16 days per year.
Several side trips outside of Yuma are worth taking. Bring your mountain bike and head out for an 11-mile
trek in the Laguna Mountains area. Thirty miles north of Yuma is a must-see for history buffs: Castle
Dome Landing is a ghost town and museum featuring 23 restored and recreated buildings, including a

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saloon and blacksmith.
Northernmost point in the continental U.S.
If the desert isn't calling your name, and ice fishing sounds alluring, head for an obscure little corner of
Minnesota called Northwest Angle Inlet. The locals call the township "the Angle," and at 49.22 north
latitude, it is the northernmost point in the contiguous United States. (Point Barrow, Alaska, is the
northernmost point in all U.S. territory).
The only way to get to "The Angle" is to drive through Canada or boat through Manitoba Bay. The Angle is
a fisherman's paradise with plenty of walleye and bass, depending on the time of year you visit. Go on an
ice fishing adventure with the and try out their heated fishing houses. TheyRed Fox Ice Fishing Company
also rent private, lakefront cabins complete with a cast iron skillet perfect for frying up your catch. A
nine-hole golf course offers a respite from fishing, and in the warmer months, berry picking is the activity
of choice.
By contrast, if you're hoping for warmer climes, try visiting the southernmost city in the continental United
States: Key West, Florida. Its laid-back reputation and independent culture woos artists of all stripes,
including authors Ernest Hemingway and Tennessee Williams, both of whom owned homes in the city.
Deepest canyon in North America
The Grand Canyon in Arizona may be immense, boasting nearly 277 river miles in length, but for sheer
depth, Hells Canyon in eastern Oregon, eastern Washington and western Idaho wins hands-down. At its
deepest, the canyon plunges 2,452 meters (8,043 feet) from the tip of He Devil Peak to the Snake River.
The deepest part of the Grand Canyon is a mere 1,829 meters (6,000 feet).
Hells Canyon was carved with the help of the Snake River which begins in western Wyoming, winds
through the Snake River Plains, descends into the rocky Hells Canyon and eventually empties into the
Columbia River. Make sure to view the Rush Creek Rapids from the majestic Hat Point lookout, the
highest point of Hells Canyon on the Oregon side.
Follow the , a 218-mile stretch of winding road that slips through much diverseHells Canyon Scenic Byway
landscape -- from the snow-tipped Wallowa Mountains to lush valleys. Book a night stay at the quiet,
rustic in Halfway, Oregon.Pine Valley Lodge
Longest river in the U.S.
At more than 2,500 miles, the Missouri River is the longest in the United States, beginning in the Rocky
Mountains of Montana, winding generally south and east before joining the mighty Mississippi River near
St. Louis, Missouri. "Big Muddy" passes through seven states -- Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, North and
South Dakota, Montana and Wyoming -- and explorers Lewis and Clark nearly followed its entire length
before realizing that the waterway stopped short of the Pacific Ocean.
Three Forks, Montana, where the "Big Muddy" originates, is a city worthy of exploration. Start your stay at
the , a recently renovated historic building, and get your waders ready because ThreeSacajawea Hotel
Forks is fly fishing country. Soak in the beauty of snowcapped mountains and cold, blue waters teeming
with trout.

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Go canoeing in the headwaters and watch great blue herons fish near the banks. It's not uncommon to
spot a moose lumbering along in the distance. Check out the intricate limestone caverns lined with
beautiful stalactites and stalagmites at the , just 17 miles from ThreeLewis and Clark Caverns State Park
Forks.
Tell us about the natural wonders in your state. Please share your picks in the comments section below.
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