Top Public Relations Measurement Tools For 2015

Public relations (PR) measurement involves undertaking research and data analysis with statistical rigor like any sounds plan should and the outcome is of particular importance so that the value and contribution of PR can guide the organizational goals. Some of the elements involved with PR programs include inputs, outputs, outtakes, and outcomes. Monitoring the achievements in which the results of a specific PR campaign was begun requires that the organization first have a perception or goal in mind, a plan, and expectation with reporting of results from media coverage and analysis.

PR typically involves analyzing the results gleaned from well-defined metrics and mature tools and developing a comparison with predetermined and measured objectives including identification of criteria that was used in forming the conclusion and recommendations. The PR effort is not one of a single event or limited time period but one which is a continuum of efforts necessary to gauge, monitor, and adequately assess the progress throughout the program. The end goal is to report on the success of PR activities and make recommendations based on insight to improve the value of ongoing activities.

The lines are blurring between advertising, PR, marketing, and communications and it is becoming increasingly important to demonstrate and differentiate the outcomes of their efforts and the value for their clients. The PR campaign must be able to keep abreast of instantaneous changes and sentiments which the public conveys while simultaneously gleaning data and performing analysis. Having the right tools in which to perform the data collection and monitoring should be a priority among PR professionals. Your reporting products are only as good as the tools which you have to employ. Someone once said that research measurement and evaluation methods must deliver great insights and, in turn, create a valid understanding in which a high value is placed upon it to senior management.

Along with having the right tools, a caveat must be understood in this day of socio-economic turmoil and market volatility - there are adversaries to capitalism who seek to upset the status quo and distort truths so that they can achieve their own personal goals and objectives. One of the more recent and publicized online perception campaigns involved the twisted use of social medical to spin the July 2014 crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 - it was discovered that Russia’s troll army, with the intent on making all open source media-based intelligence difficult to analyze, had twisted public opinion. For example, the numbers of Facebook likes were statistically retweeted and favorite tweets had been used on social media analytics to tell yet another story. It is the autocracies of the world that use trolls or robotic feeds or paid commentators to dissuade public opinion - sway social media trends. There are five ‘must-have’ tools for any PR team or organization.

Google Analytics - without a doubt, this is the ultimate tool that everyone should know and use including marketing experts. With a well refined and mature tool, you’ll become more productive when you are able to access and automate your analysis using vital information about the performance of your website and the content with which your audience engages. GA gives comprehensive demographic data about your audience. It measures engagement, identifies the most liked topics, identifies where the traffic originates, time spent on webpage, aggregates data metrics for a much clearer situational awareness picture, measures referral traffic, and measures downloads and volume.

Facebook Insights - this tool tracks the user experience and interaction on the organization’s Facebook Fan Page. The analysis will provide details on which type of content was accessed, the best day of the week to post, the most popular posts, and visitor patterns. The most important aspect to this tool is the dashboard where you have complete visibility - view the total number of likes and how it’s trending, number of friends or fans, and how many visitors are actively talking about your page and the total weekly reach.

Universal-Info PR Measurement - need a team of experts? They offer a wide range of PR Measurement Services where they deliver quantitative and qualitative results which are par excellence above and beyond what the industry standards offer. They will do what it takes necessary to measure your PR efforts and metrics and do so with professional and realistic results. Avoid the costly mistakes and PR sins of the industry and don’t sacrifice your organizations’ reputation without a leader on your side - choose a team that has been in the business for well over 100 years and brings a wealth of experience. Their team thrives on a culture of innovation and agility as the impetus to exceed client expectations.

Scoop.it - this tool is free for personal use and offers a premium service for their upgraded version. The functionality automates the process of collecting, organizing, and creating a dashboard for visual data to be displayed based on the particular topic of interest by balancing utility and virality in content marketing. Scoop is a tool and social network rolled into one. You can create boards of curated content on any topic of your choosing and share your thoughts on that content, and then connect with others who have similar interests. They measure your views, visitors, content, socialization, and integrate the data with Google Analytics.

Quintly - this tools offers just straightforward and no frills professional social medical data analytics with meaningful insights and clarity. You have the option of viewing simplistic and easy to understand data metrics as well as a more thorough and deep perspective. There is the ability to compare and contrast other pages and include graphical representations on their own metrics too. If your organization is a small or medium size enterprise, this tool will be ideal and well within budget. Sometimes simpler is best - you can track, benchmark, and optimize your social media performance all with one tool. The benchmarks are useful to mash up against your competitors' and derive an optimal social media strategy with tailored reporting.