Hugh Anderson presented on PR measurement and the need to move beyond traditional metrics like AVEs. He outlined a new framework using a three-tiered approach measuring program outputs, outcomes, and business outcomes. New metrics could include social media engagement, website traffic and conversions. Tools like Google Analytics, Inkybee and research from organizations like the Coalition for PR Research Standards were highlighted to help practitioners more effectively measure PR impact.

1. CIPR Social in the City #sitc, 25 October 2012
PR Measurement
Hugh Anderson
Forth Metrics

2. Agenda
• Why measure?
• Our changing world
• Old-school metrics
• What’s wrong with AVE’s?
• New metrics & framework
• Tools & resources
• Conclusion

3. Why Measure?
• Institute for Public Relations (IPR) paper,
1999 (Katie Payne, James Grunig et al)
Measurable objectives in public relations do two things:
1. They facilitate and support business objectives, thus
demonstrating that PR activities support the business or
performance goals and are thereby “strategic”.
2. They enable PR practitioners to show they have
achieved what they set out to achieve, and thereby
demonstrate accountability.

4. Why Measure?
• Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)
Without appropriate measurement, you can’t
truly gauge success, focus resources on what
works, adjust plans if they don’t work, get
more budget or engage executives.
It will be difficult for PR to get a larger share
of the total communications expenditure
without quantitative means that go well
beyond measurement of media outputs.

5. Why Measure?
• CIPR, PR2020 report : “The Future of
Public Relations”, key recommendation #4
There is a need for clearer thinking
and guidance on measurement and
evaluation.

6. Why Measure?
• to your Client
• To Prove VALUE • to your Manager
• to your Board
• Share of Budget (own & client)
• Delivery against objectives
• To learn and improve

7. And yet ...
• It doesn’t come naturally
IPRA South
% members
USA Australia
Africa
Evaluation recognised as
necessary
89 76 90 89
Frequently undertake
evaluation
19 16 14 25
• IPRA (International PR Association) study, 1994

8. Why? (the myths)
• Too expensive
• Too labour intensive
• Lack of knowledge
• Lack of standards/methodology
• Lack of demand
• Simply not a core skill

9. The changing world:
from this ...
• Traditional “paid” media
• Media relations
• Journalists
• Press clippings
• Control of the message and who
distributes it

10. The changing world:
to this ...
• Digital media
• Social media
• Mobile
• Bloggers, influencers
• NO control of the message and who
distributes it

11. The changing
world:
consumer
consumption

12. The changing world:
new media models
Source: previewnetworks.com

13. Old-school metrics
• There are lots ... potential viewership
opportunities to see (OTS)
# of cuttings/clips
article count
single column centimeters (scc)
gross rating points (GRP’s) column inches
# of impressions broadcast run-time
• And, of course : AVE’s

14. Old-school metrics
• The consequences :
• No comparability
• No consistency
• Confusion
• Lack of tangible value

15. AVE’s : definition
• Advertising Value Equivalency (AVE) is
what your editorial coverage would cost
if it were advertising space (or time).
• To calculate the AVE for one month,
measure the space (column inches)
occupied by a clip (for radio and
television coverage, you measure time).
Then multiply the column inches (time)
by the ad rate for that page (time slot).

16. What’s wrong with AVE’s
• Not real value (cost)
• PR is not Advertising
• Not applicable in new world media
• Encourage wrong behaviours
• Can be manipulated
• Inconsistent
• Industry denounced

17. But in the real world ...
• Clients still want AVE’s
• There’s nothing better out there
= old world mentality that is limiting progress
• There is no silver bullet
• Real, tangible ROI is challenging, BUT
• There are new frameworks and metrics

18. New principles 1
• A Three Tiered Approach
From To To
Programme Programme Business
Outputs Outcomes Outcomes

19. New principles 2

20. New framework
• The Barcelona Principles:
• 1. Importance of goal setting and measurement
• 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.

21. New framework
• Valid Metrics:

22. New framework
• Valid Metrics example:

23. New metrics in practice
• Programme outputs
audience reach, level of engagement
(likes, shares, retweets, etc)
• Programme outcomes
number of visitors, downloads, views,
calls, event attendance, etc
• Business outcomes
actual sales, market share, cost savings,
leads generated, etc

24. Social media metrics
Metric Use vs. Usefulness
45%
Increase in foot
traffic
Increase in
revenue/sales
39% # of new customers
(mentioning social media)
Usefulness
(% rated 5)
Increased traffic to
website
33% # of
conversions # of comments/
# of
posts compared # of comments/ LIkes
to competitors posts
mentioning org.
26%
# of shares/
retweets Secondary audience
Avg. # of size
interactions w/
20% follower
40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
Current Use
• Source: Vocus study of social media and SME’s

25. But remember ...
• The difference between monitoring (the
buzz/chatter/conversation) and
measuring.
• Get beyond clip counts and audience
impressions (CPM, print circulation,
etc.)
• Don’t get fixated on one metric or ROI.
• Qualitative analysis is still valid
(awareness, opinion, attitude, brand
preference, purchase intent, advocacy,
perceptions, reputation, etc.)

26. More help on the way
• Coalition for PR Research Standards
• Mission: to provide a broad platform of standards
for research and measurement
• 2012 Deliverables:
• Social media measurement
• Traditional media analysis
• Ethical standards for research
• Return on investment
• Communications lifecycle

27. More help on the way
• Coalition for PR Research Standards
• Mission: to provide a broad platform of standards
for research and measurement
• 2012 Deliverables:
• Social media measurement
• Traditional media analysis
• Ethical standards for research
• Return on investment
• Communications lifecycle

28. Tools 1
Monitoring/Listening
• Challenge = so what?

29. Tools 2
Own site(s)
• Google Analytics is your friend:
• Visitor data (new, returning, sources, etc)
• Engagement data (time on site, pages per visit, etc)
• Outcome data (via Goals: videos watched, ebooks
downloaded, sales made)
• + lots more (including social sources, multi-channel
funnels, keywords)
• Similar with Facebook Insights

30. Tools 3: Inkybee

31. Tools 4: Bigger Budget

32. Resources 1
• AMEC Valid Metrics
http://amecorg.com/downloads/dublin2012/Valid-Metrics-
Framework-Mike-Daniels.pdf
• CIPR measurement toolkit
http://www.cipr.co.uk/content/policy-resources/for-practitioners/
research-planning-and-measurement/toolkit
• Hotwire PR eBook
http://hotwirepr.com/knowledge
• Katie Paine measurement blog
http://kdpaine.blogs.com/
• Forth Metrics blog
http://blog.forthmetrics.com/2012/08/10/setting-objectives-for-
blogger-outreach/

33. Resources 2
• IPR measurement commission
http://www.instituteforpr.org/research/commissions/measurement/
• Google Analytics ‘how-to’
http://mashable.com/2012/01/04/google-analytics-guide/
• Facebook Insights ‘how-to’
http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/29064/Facebook-
Launches-Revamped-Insights-Tool-for-Business-Pages.aspx
• AMEC
http://amecorg.com/
• IAB social media measurement framework
http://www.iabuk.net/sites/default/files/research-docs/IAB
%20measurement%20framework%20for%20social
%20media_FINAL4_0.pdf

34. Resources 3
• Coalition to establish standards for PR
research and measurement
http://www.instituteforpr.org/topics/reaching-a-consensus-
standards-for-public-relations-research-and-measurement/
• CIPR “4 Steps to Unlocking Online Success”
conference, 30 January 2013
http://ciprscotland.wordpress.com/conference-scotland-unlocking-
online-success/
• Vocus study of social media and SME’s
(http://www.slideshare.net/Vocus/vocus-study-of-sm-bs-and-social-
media-final)
• PRSA/Tim Marklein presentation
http://www.slideshare.net/tmarklein/best-practices-new-ideas-in-pr-
measurement

35. Conclusions
• Measurement is important
• Try to consign AVE’s to the bin!
• It can be affordable using simple, low cost tools
• Digital media opens up opportunities and makes
it easier
• Try to get beyond monitoring to actual measuring
of outcomes
• It’s going to get easier, better, more standardised
and more consistent

36. Thank You!
Hugh Anderson
hugh@forthmetrics.com
@hughforth
blog.forthmetrics.com www.inkybee.com