Understanding and Applying Valid Metrics Guidelines February, 2011

Understanding and Applying Valid Metrics Guidelines

February, 2011

The Valid Metrics Guidelines

• The Valid Metrics guidelines were developed by an AMEC taskforce following the launch of the Barcelona Principles. The initial draft of the guidelines were previewed at the IPR Measurement Summit in Portsmouth USA, in October 2010 and made available for public comment. Input was received from a number of international industry bodies, including the CIPR, PRCA, PRSA and IPR. The final guidelines were then presented at the London Measurement Conference run by AMEC and PRSA in November 2010, supported by CIPR and PRCA.

• These guidelines should serve as a framework for indentifying possible metrics for individual PR programs. They are not intended to be the definitive rules of measurement and therefore do not include every possible metric. As all PR programs need customized measurement, the user should feel free to consider other metrics which demonstrate progress against objectives and combine metrics as needed to suit the details of the communications program under consideration.

Understanding the Valid Metrics Guidelines

Philosophy Behind the Guidelines

• The AMEC AVE taskforce faced two primary challenges as it developed the structure for the guidelines:

1. The industry has become used to AVEs, even though there is no single perfect metric to measure the entire breadth of PR. PR addresses multiple publics and has multiple forms of impact. Recognizing the many achievements of PR requires more than one metric.

2. To truly demonstrate the value of PR, metrics need to be linked to the business objective of the program. The guidelines are therefore based on the philosophy that PR measurement has to move beyond measuring outputs to measuring outcomes.

3. As a result, the taskforce came to the conclusion that PR measurement needs to be shown as a continuum of metrics – starting with outputs, but including outcomes and ultimately business results – with the desired business results corresponding to the campaign objective.

Understanding the Matrix

• The matrix was constructed to reflect the simplified process of how PR works:

1. Public Relations Activity – metrics reflecting the process of producing or disseminating the desired messages

2. Intermediary Effect – metrics reflecting the third party dissemination of the messages to the target audience

3. Target Audience Effect – metrics showing that the target audience has received the communications and any resulting action-driven outcomes

A (Very) Simplified View of How PR Works

Business Results

What about Outputs, Outtakes, Outcomes?

Business Results

Understanding the Matrix, cont.

• The matrix was then applied to a series of grids, recognizing that the desired business result for different types of campaigns varies according to the objective. Each grid pertains to a different function of PR/Public Affairs. While each grid outlines specific metrics for its campaign objectives, there is some overlap. The desired business result for each type of campaign is captured in the final box on the grid.

• The continuum concept was also applied to how communications are received by the target audience. The horizontal axis is based on the Communication or Marketing Funnel. Metrics have been grouped under these stages to help PR practitioners demonstrate how communications are absorbed in nomenclature that marketers understand.

Aligning with the Communication Funnel

AWARENESS

INTEREST

PREFERENCE

ACTION

KNOWLEDGE

Applying the Matrix

• There are five simple steps to applying the matrix:1. Choose the grid that is relevant to the campaign being measured.

2. In the “Public Relations Activities” row, determine the activities being conducted for the campaign and identify metrics for each.

3. In the “Intermediary Effect” row, review the suggested metrics and determine which are appropriate to collect, given the resources available. Try to apply as many of these metrics as possible.

4. In the “Target Audience Effect” row, review the suggested metrics and again determine which are appropriate given the resources available. Some require a survey, which can be done cost-effectively through online polls. Others can be gathered through web analytics and from online communities.

5. In the “Action” box, determine which of the business or organizational outcomes are relevant to the client and are feasible to track. Identify at least one as the ultimate objective of the campaign.

Points to Note

• Once selected, the metrics should be tracked over time to identify trends.

• Consider plotting outcome metrics from the “Target Audience Effect” row against metrics from the “Intermediary Effect” row to show correlations.

• Consider applying cost per thousand (CPM) calculations against the “Intermediary Effect” and “Target Audience Effect” metrics. CPM is calculated by dividing the total cost by the relevant number to get cost per message, cost per article, etc.

• Approaches using gross rating points (GRP), which measure reach against percent of total population, and target rating points (TRP), which measure reach against percent of targeted population, can also be applied to “Intermediary Effect” metrics if relevant population numbers are available.

• The grids are not exhaustive and there may be other metrics that are appropriate to the campaign being measured.

Awareness Knowledge/Understanding

Interest/Consideration

Preference/Support

Action

Public Relation Activity

Intermediary Effect

Target Audience Effect

COMMUNICATION / MARKETING FUNNEL

The Valid Metrics Matrix

PHASES

Org/Biz

Result

Org/Biz

Result

Brand / Product Marketing

Awareness Knowledge Consideration Preference Action

Public RelationsActivity

• Media engagement

• Blogger engagement

• Influencer engagement

• Events/ speaking opportunities

• Content creation

• Site/social media posts

Intermediary Effect

(Media, Bloggers)


(Customers and Consumers)




Intermediary Effect

(Media, Bloggers)

• Number of articles

• Frequency• Prominence• Target

audience reach/ impressions

• Earned media site visitors

• Social network site/channel visitors

• Video views• Cost per

thousand reached

• SOV in target media/online discussion

• Key message alignment

• Accuracy of facts


• Expressed opinions

• Frequency of (positive) mentions

• SOV in target media/online discussion

• Social network fans and followers

• Retweets/likes/linkbacks

• Online comments

• Endorsement by journalists and/or influencers

• Expressed recommend-ations

• Rankings on industry lists


• Retweets/likes/linkbacks

• Online comments





Intermediary Effect

(Media, Bloggers)



• Unaided awareness

• Aided awareness

• Knowledge of company, product attributes and features

• Brand association and differentiation

• Expressed opinions in online communities

• Brand/product relevance to consumer/ customer

• Visitors to site• Click-thru to

site• Time spent on

site• Site downloads• Calls to infoline• Event/meeting

attendance

• Attitude uplift• Purchase

consideration• Brand

preference/ loyalty/trust

• Expressed advocacy

• Links to site• Requests for

quote• RFPs/RFQs

(B2B)• Product trials

• Leads generated

• Sales• Market share• Cost per

thousand sold• Cost savings• Customer

loyalty

Awareness Knowledge/Understanding

Interest/Consideration

Preference/Support

Action

Public Relation Activity

Intermediary Effect


COMMUNICATION / MARKETING FUNNEL

Applying the Approach to Other Objectives

PHASES

Org/Biz

Result

Org/Biz

Result




• Media engagement• Blogger engagement• Influencer

engagement• Events/ speaking

opportunities• Content creation• Site/social media

posts

Intermediary Effect

(Media, Bloggers)

• Number of articles• Frequency• Prominence• Target audience

reach/ impressions• Earned media site

visitors• Social network

site/channel visitors• Video views• Cost per thousand

reached• SOV in target

media/online discussion




• Expressed opinions • Frequency of

(positive) mentions• SOV in target



• Retweets/likes/ linkbacks

• Online comments


• Expressed recommendations




• Online comments



• Unaided awareness• Aided awareness

• Knowledge of company, product attributes and features

• Brand association and differentiation


• Brand/product relevance to consumer/ customer

• Visitors to site• Click-thru to site• Time spent on site• Site downloads• Calls to infoline• Event/meeting

attendance

• Attitude uplift• Purchase

consideration• Brand preference/

loyalty/trust• Expressed advocacy• Links to site• Requests for quote• RFPs/RFQs (B2B)• Product trials

• Leads generated• Sales• Market share• Cost per thousand

sold• Cost savings• Customer loyalty

Reputation Building

Awareness Knowledge Interest Preference Action





posts

Intermediary Effect

(Media, Bloggers)















• Online comments






• Online comments


(Multiple Stakeholders)


• Knowledge of company profile and offer


• Acknowledge-ment of relevance of company by stakeholders


attendance

• Attitude uplift• Uplift in reputation

drivers (e.g. Trust, Admiration)

• Belief in corporate brand

• Expressed advocacy• Links to site• Relationships with

key stakeholders

• Sales• Market share• Cost savings• Customer loyalty• Share price• Talent retention and

recruitment• Legislation change• Regulation change

Issue Advocacy /Support

Awareness Understanding Interest Support Action





posts

Intermediary Effect

(Media, Bloggers)















• Online comments






• Online comments


(General Public)


• Knowledge of issue• Knowledge of client

POV• Expressed opinions

in online communities

• Acknowledge-ment of relevance of issue by target audience


attendance

• Attitude uplift• Expressed advocacy• Links to site

• Letters of support (to Congressmen, MPs, etc.)

• Registrations to join support group

• Donations • Sponsorship• Legislation change• Regulation change• Cost savings

Public Education/ Not-for-Profit






posts

Intermediary Effect

(Media, Bloggers)















• Online comments






• Online comments


(General Public)


• Knowledge of facts• Expressed opinions

in online communities

• Acknowledge-ment of relevance of issue by target audience


attendance

• Expressed advocacy• Links to site

• Progress against target (e.g. reduction in teen pregnancies)

• Cost savings

Crisis & Issues Management

Awareness Knowledge Interest Support Action





posts

Intermediary Effect

(Media, Bloggers)

Balanced (not total) coverage measured through:•Number of articles•Frequency•Prominence•Target audience reach/ impressions•Earned media site visitors•Social network site/channel visitors•Video views•Cost per thousand reached•SOV in target media/online discussion





positive and neutral mentions vs. negative mentions

• Social network fans and followers (for client and supporters vs. adversaries)


• Online comments


• Social network fans and followers (for client and supporters vs. adversaries)


• Online comment


(Multiple Stakeholders)

• Increase or decrease (dependent on objective) in:

• Unaided awareness

• Aided awareness

• Knowledge of facts of the situation

• Knowledge of company POV



attendance

• Negativity towards company offset by neutral and positive opinion

• Minimal downward movement on reputation drivers

• Belief in company/ brand

• Expressed advocacy

• Minimal change in share price/ earnings multiple

• Minimal change in market share/ sales/ customer loyalty

• Cost savings

Investor Relations






posts

Intermediary Effect

(Media, Bloggers)















• Online comments






• Online comments


(Financial Community)

• Unaided awareness• Aided awareness• Coverage in analyst

reports

• Knowledge of company profile and offer

• Visitors to IR section of site

• Click-thru to IR section

• Time spent on IR section

• Site downloads• Calls for more

information• Event/meeting

attendance

• Attitude uplift• Endorsement

• Share price• Earnings multiple• Earnings per share• Successful

IPO/merger/ acquisition

Employee Engagement



• Town Halls/Events• Workshops • Content creation,

e.g. internal newsletters, memos, speeches

• Intranet/social media posts


(Employees)

• Reach of newsletters/ emails/intranet across all employee groups and levels

• Knowledge of CEO vision

• Knowledge of company strategy/ values/polices

• Expressed opinions in employee blogs and online communities

• Visitors to intranet• Click-thru to

intranet• Time spent on

intranet• Intranet downloads• Town hall/event/

meeting attendance

• Attitude uplift• Expressed

advocacy• Acceptance/

preparedness for change

• Participation in initiatives

• Reduced employee turnover

• Improved employee productivity

• Lower cost of recruitment

Conclusion

• The Valid Metrics guidelines are not intended to be a rulebook. Practitioners are free to select the metrics that fit their budget and, most importantly, their objectives. These grids are not intended to be all-encompassing. They simply represent a starting point on the journey to objectives-based measurement with a greater business focus and which will hopefully move the industry beyond AVEs.

For further information contact:

Barry Leggetter, Executive Director, AMEC

[email protected]

http://www.amecorg.com/amec/index.asp

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.amecorg.com/amec/index.asp

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Understanding and Applying Valid Metrics Guidelines February, 2011

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