Measurement and Evaluation in public relations

1. Measurement/Eval
uation
28 April 2022
1
Brad Belote, APR
@bradbelote

2. Questions we hope to answer today
• Who am I?
• Why do we measure public relations?
• What do we measure in communications and when?
• What should I think about when evaluating?
• Why is this so hard?
• Where can I learn more?
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7. Wordle 313 4/6
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9. “I’m just a simple man trying to make my way
in the universe.” – Jango Fett
9
Bachelor of Journalism
Master of Science
Digital Marketing
2020
• Tri-Cities TN/VA Chapter
• Southeast District
• District Council
• Nominating Committee

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13. Question
Time
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14. Scenario-Based Question
You are running communications for a non-profit during its annual
fundraising campaign. You want to raise awareness for the organization
to generate donations. You will use a variety of channels in your
campaign including news releases and social media.
Which is the most effective measurement of the campaign?
A. Advertising Value Equivalency (AVE)
B. Number of Likes on Facebook Posts
C. Number of additional dollars donated
D. Number of earned media appearances
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15. Scenario-Based Question
You are running communications for a non-profit during its annual
fundraising campaign. You want to raise awareness for the organization
to generate donations. You will use a variety of channels in your
campaign including news releases and social media.
Which is the most effective measurement of the campaign?
A. Advertising Value Equivalency (AVE)
B. Number of Likes on Facebook Posts
C. Number of additional dollars donated
D. Number of earned media appearances
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16. Question for discussion
Where do you struggle with
measurement/evaluation in your
day-to-day job ?
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17. Why do we measure?
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Source: Guidelines for Setting Measurable Public Relations Objective: An Update. Forrest W. Anderson, Linda Hadley,
David Rockland and Mark Weiner. 2009.
1. Objectives create a structure for prioritization
2. Objectives reduce the potential for disputes before, during an d after the program
3. Objectives focus resources to drive performance and efficiency
4. Objectives create successful programs by identifying areas for prescriptive change
and continual improvement
5. Objectives set the stage of evaluation by making it easier for sponsors and team
members to determine if the PR program met or exceeded expectations
6. Objectives link the PR objective to the business objective
BONUS: It’s the right thing to do

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“Evaluation is not simply a
postmortem exercise but an ongoing
process and a means for managing
continual improvement in public
relations.”
Mark Weiner
Chief Insights Officer, PublicRelay

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“The desire to do a better
job next time in a major
reason for evaluating
public relations efforts.”

20. Why do we measure?
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Research
Planning
Implementation
Evaluation
Research
Planning
Implementation
Evaluation

21. An important distinction
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DON’T measure to prove the value of the function.
DO measure to make sure your communication decisions
deliver value.
Source: Building Measurement into your Communication Plans. Gartner. 2018.

22. When do we measure?
22
Source: Building Measurement into your Communication Plans. Gartner. 2018.
Measure when:
• The communications initiative is clearly linked to an important
organizational outcome
• Uncertainty exists as to how the target audience will respond to the
communications
• There were numerous potential communication options that could
seemingly work

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24. What should we measure?
• Production (outputs)
• Blog written
• Bloggers briefed
• Content assets created
• Corporate e-mails created
• Events/speeches
• Executive interactions
• Interviews
• Meetings with key stakeholders (e.g., regulators)
• Outreach (e.g., social media, stakeholder)
• Podcasts/videos created
• Public service activities conducted
• Town halls
• Translations
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Source: Public Relations Strategies & Tactics. 10th edition. Dennis Wilcox and Glen Cameron. 2012.
Source: Building Measurement into your Communication Plans. Gartner. 2018.

25. What should we measure?
• Production (outputs)
• Message Exposure (outtakes)
• Comments
• Content posts (e.g., blogs, Facebook,
• Twitter, videos, podcasts)
• Coverage by segment/region
• Coverage tone
• Downloads
• Earned media site visitors/day
• Event/meeting attendance
• Frequency of mentions
• Impressions (online or offline)
• Inquires (e.g., media, RFIs, quotes)
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Likes
Links/link backs
Placements (e.g., articles)
Prominence
Reach by audience/demographics
Readership (e.g., newsletter, intranet)
Recruitment/registrations
Retweets
Share of conversation
Supporters (e.g., fans, followers)
Time spent on site/channel
Video views
Visitors (e.g., to intranet,
Source: Public Relations Strategies & Tactics. 10th edition. Dennis Wilcox and Glen Cameron. 2012.
Source: Building Measurement into your Communication Plans. Gartner. 2018.

26. What should we measure?
• Production (outputs)
• Message Exposure (outtakes)
• Outcomes
• Audience Awareness (Know)
• Audience Attitudes (Feel)
• Audience Action (Do)
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Source: Public Relations Strategies & Tactics. 10th edition. Dennis Wilcox and Glen Cameron. 2012.
Source: Building Measurement into your Communication Plans. Gartner. 2018.
Attitude change (e.g., towards issue)
Awareness
Brand association and differentiation
Employee commitment
Employee engagement
Knowledge of CEO vision
Knowledge of company profile and
offer
Knowledge of company strategy/
values/policies
Knowledge of facts of the situation
Knowledge of product attributes and
features
Preference
Satisfaction
Stated intention
Unaided awareness

27. What should we measure?
• Production (outputs)
• Message Exposure (outtakes)
• Outcomes
• Judgmental Assessments
• Process objectives
• Business/organizational objectives
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Source: Public Relations Strategies & Tactics. 10th edition. Dennis Wilcox and Glen Cameron. 2012.
Source: Building Measurement into your Communication Plans. Gartner. 2018.
Source: Strategic Planning for Public Relations. 2nd edition. Ronald D. Smith. 2005.

28. Gartner’s Outcomes-Focused Communications
Planning Process
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Source: Building Measurement into your Communication Plans. Gartner. 2018.
Establish target business
outcomes & metrics
Identify associated stakeholder
behaviors and metrics
Diagnose barriers to those
behaviors
Determine communication
activities and metrics

29. What should we measure?
29
David Michaelson
Don W. Stacks Source: “Standardization in Public Relation Measurement and Evaluation.” Public Relations Journal. Vol. 5, No. 2. Spring 2011
Impact of communication activities on the
target audience
Delivery of those messages through the media
• Awareness
• Recall
• Knowledge
• Interest
• Relevance
• Intent
• Preference
• Advocacy
• Message accuracy
• Presence of key messages
• Presence of errors
• Absence of key messages

30. Scenario-Based Question
You are the PR director for a regional transportation district. You
recently completed a campaign to reduce congestion on roads during
peak travel hours.
Which outcome documents the impact the program had on its key
publics?
A. The quality of the messages and activities implemented
B. The number who change attitudes and opinions about driving
C. The number who responded to social media posts during the
campaign
D. The number of news releases sent to local and state media contacts
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31. Scenario-Based Question
You are the PR director for a regional transportation district. You
recently completed a campaign to reduce congestion on roads during
peak travel hours.
Which outcome documents the impact the program had on its key
publics?
A. The quality of the messages and activities implemented
B. The number who change attitudes and opinions about driving
C. The number who responded to social media posts during the
campaign
D. The number of news releases sent to local and state media contacts
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32. How do we measure?
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Control Group Approach Before Versus After Actual Versus Goal
Source: Building Measurement into your Communication Plans. Gartner. 2018.
Did people who saw the
message behave differently
than people who didn’t?
Did people behave
differently after they
received the message
versus before?
Did we meet our targets?

33. Other things to think about
• Sample size
• Reliability and validity of your data
• Measurement scales
• Context
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Source: Primer of Public Relations Research. 1st edition. Don Stacks. 2002.

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35. Barcelona Principles
“..the Principles now reflect a broader standard of
measurement, focused heavily on measuring what
matters to drive continuous improvement within an
organization rather than solely attempting to prove the
value of public relations and communications.
And, with social and digital measurement now a table-
stake in the sector, the Principles reflect a more holistic
approach that standardizes measurement across all
channels, with an eye toward allowing choice in where to
invest in public relations and communications to drive
optimal organizational performance.”
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Source: International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communication

36. Barcelona Principles
1. Setting measurable goals is an
absolute prerequisite to
communication planning,
measurement, and evaluation
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Source: International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communication

37. Barcelona Principles
2. Measurement and evaluation
should identify outputs,
outcomes, and potential impact.
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Source: International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communication

38. Barcelona Principles
3. Outcomes and impact should
be identified for stakeholders,
society & the organization.
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Source: International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communication

39. Barcelona Principles
4. Communication measurement
and evaluation should include
both quantitative and qualitative
analysis
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Source: International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communication

40. Barcelona Principles
5. AVEs are not the value of
communication
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Source: International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communication

41. Barcelona Principles
6. Holistic communication
measurement and evaluation
includes all the relevant online
and offline channels
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Source: International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communication

42. Barcelona Principles
7. Communication measurement
and evaluation are rooted in
integrity and transparency to drive
learning and insights
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Source: International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communication

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44. There are no simple solutions.
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Source: “Standardization in Public Relation Measurement and Evaluation.” Public Relations Journal. Vol. 5, No. 2. Spring 2011 `
David Michaelson
Don W. Stacks
“The concept of standard measures is increasingly debated
within the public relations universe but attempts to develop
these measures primitive and possibly misunderstood by
significant proportions of public relations professionals and
academics, as well as by the measurement and evaluation
community itself.”

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“In reality, there are no
perfect or even ‘right’ metrics
to measure any given
phenomenon, only metrics
people agree are sufficient for
their purposes.”
Jennifer Sigler, Ph.D.
Gartner

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Source: Building Measurement into your Communication Plans. Gartner. 2018.

47. Learn more
• International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of
Communication (amecorg.com)
• Katie Paine (painepublishing.com)
• Institute for Public Relations Measurement Commission
(instituteforpr.org)
• Excel/Pivot Tables
• PowerBI
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48. Scenario-Based Question
You are a responsible for creating a communication program that will
increase the number of incoming freshman on scholarship at the
university where you work.
Which is a good first step toward successfully evaluating the success of
the program?
A. Setting targets for the number kids on scholarship
B. Gathering your team to brainstorm creative ideas for the campaign
C. Drawing up an estimated budget for the campaign
D. Conducting a pre-campaign survey of seniors measuring awareness of
your school’s scholarship program
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49. Scenario-Based Question
You are a responsible for creating a communication program that will
increase the number of incoming freshman on scholarship at the
university where you work.
Which is a good first step toward successfully evaluating the success of
the program?
A. Setting targets for the number kids on scholarship
B. Gathering your team to brainstorm creative ideas for the campaign
C. Drawing up an estimated budget for the campaign
D. Conducting a pre-campaign survey of seniors measuring awareness of
your school’s scholarship program
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51. Thank You!
51
Brad Belote, APR
@bradbelote

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