Measuring Public Relations: Social Media

"Diggs...Tweets...Delicious!"

Social Media. (aka Cyber Affairs = - > )

Google Analytics
This is an absolute. Google analytics tracks web traffic levels (among other things) and identifies where traffic is directed from
· Overall traffic increases
· Where your traffic is from such as Digg, twitter, etc.
· Most trafficked key word(s) or phrase(s)

Feedburner
Feed burner allows a subscribion to blogs via RSS or email
· RSS subscribers
· Email subscribers
· The Tool

Blog comment
The comments/feedback on Web site
· Amount of comments (don’t count spam or non-quality comments)

Twitter Search/Tweetbeep
Twitter search allows a search for keyword(s) or phrase(s) in real time, tweetbeep sends alerts when someone mentions a particular keyword/phrase/product/etc.
· How many times a product/company/article/service is mentioned
· Track over time

Google Alerts
Google alerts send email notifications of online mentions if keyword(s) or phrases
· Number of times a product/company/service is mentioned daily, weekly, monthly
· Trend over time

VITRUE
The Vitrue social media index is an easy-to-use tool designed to provide a snap shot in time of a keyword(s) compared to other keyword(s) and measures online conversations
· Track this over time
· Trend this over time

Yahoo Site Explorer
Yahoo site explorer is a Yahoo tool that tracks links
· Number of incoming links over time
· Trend over time
· Make correlations between social media efforts and the amount of incoming links
· Exclude your domain from the results

Backtype
Backtype allows a search of comments across the net for particular mention(s) or keyword(s) and can be set up to alert every use
· How many times a company/product/service is mentioned online in comments
· Opinion of comment: negative, positive, neutral

Tweetburner
Tweetburner tracks number of times people click on the links shared via twitter
· Number of times links are clicked that are sent out via twitter
· Use most popular categories/types of links people click the most
· Keep in mind activity of twitter followers to specific content

Delicious
Delicious is a bookmarking utility to share, organize and save web bookmarks
· How many times content is bookmarked by searching for keywords/phrases that return relevant bookmarks
· Trend over time

Keyword rank checker
Checks rankings for a domain for a particular set of keywords or phrases
· Progress and rankings for keyword(s) or phrases
· Monitor bi-weekly or monthly

Measuring Public Relations: Quantifiable Picture

"1, 2, 3, say cheese."

In a public relations plan, goals must be measurable. There are plenty of things to measure that cannot specifically be quantified by a number such as the tone of a story (positive or negative), accuracy of the story (yes or no ;- ) and timing (pushed out by a pitch or release). The best way to get a picture of any long-term public relation effort is to assign quantifiable numbers to each story, reporter and media outlet.

By monitoring news clips and identifying measurables, efforts can be measured over the long-haul. The numbers can then be translated into charts or graphs to visually measure goals.

Measurement identifies trends and helps target specific tactics with reporters or outlets. The function ensures tactics meet goals. As well, trends in the report may flag a need for a change in messaging and tactics without waiting to the end of the year or the campaign to see if goals will be met.

Measuring is fairly easy though it takes commitment to monitor the media if a service is not contracted. So how do you do it?

• It can be as simple as creating an excel spreadsheet and setting benchmarks from 1-10 with 1 being low and 10 being high (or 1-5 or 1-100);
• Identify what the numbers mean as a teacher would when grading a test;
• Just as different teachers might assign grades a bit differently, for consistency, it is best for one person or team members to assign the quantifiable numbers;
• The spreadsheet should list the media outlets and the reporters and align them with the story, pitch or product; and
• As clips come in, assign quantifiable numbers to the different categories of measurement.

Even monitoring the length of a story, over time, you can see if a reporter or media outlet increases or decreases the length and which news releases resulted in what lenght of story. By monitoring and measuring, the reasearch accumulated can identify whether you are on target to meet goals, as well as serve as a flag if there is a need to alter the plan.

Yep, this is all a bit of a science. And, an art too. For sure though, numbers don't lie! Quantifiable measurements can certainly prove to be very valuable.

If you need someone to help set up a clip service, monitor or measure media, contact me at mmonte@hotmail.com or at 407-964-1667!

Measuring Public Relations: Seen and Heard

"Seen and heard...looking great and saying all the right things."

Spokespersons.

By analyzing spokespersons mentioned in a story, it allows for whether a point of view is communicated by the person "authorized" to speak to the media.

Status, respect and effectiveness of the spokesperson can be tied to media exposure and can play an important role in image and branding.

Things that may be measured for spokespersons include:

• Key message (s) on target;
• Appropriate tone and body language for the topic; (i.e. smiling when giving good news)
• Believability;
• Concise answers;
• Number of quotes attributed in each story;
• Note repeated message (s) used by a number of media outlets;
• Influence on positive or negative coverage with a particular outlet or reporter; and
• Confidence.

By tracking spokespeople, their role in effectively communicating the message and brand can be measured. No one is ever gives a perfect interview...most people can improve upon something...so "measurable" feedback can help a spokesperson for the next interview.

The spokesperson is the "expert" for the interview and they should be as comfortable as possible when speaking to the media. It is OK for everyone to be a bit nervous, but consider including annual media training as part of any marketing plan.

And always...always...always...provide key messages, along with talking points for even the most interview savvy person.

In photo above, B.B. King and Tommy Peters (owner of club) were interviewed at a media conference before the opening of B.B. King's Blues Club Orlando. (Patricia James of WLOQ is doing the interview. Dave and Leslie of Magic 107.7 wait in the wings)

Mr. King is certainly an expert when it comes to "working" the reporters! He didn't need any talking points and he had a lot to say. In fact...he could have talked all night.

He loves telling stories and even more, enjoys hugging female reporters and PR ladies ; - )

The media, B.B. King staff, PR event volunteers and I probably could have stayed in the "green room" and listened to him all night! Unfortunately, after 30 minutes, we had to remind him that he had a concert to play. An appointment to play Lucille before a crowd of 800+ was the only way we got him to end the press conference!