Analytics may not be new, but they are the future for PR, says Ketchum’s David Rockland

Last month’s PRmoment conference offered an important glimpse into the future of PR measurement – analytics. But, is analytics new? No, in fact it is the application of a number of statistical approaches that have been used by many marketing and other disciplines for decades. Yet, it is now becoming the forefront for the PR world as we seek to demonstrate the value from earned media and other types of communications.

Why is it “new” to PR? In part, because in the last 15 years we have evolved from making clip books with scissors and scotch tape to building detailed datasets about the quality and quantity of the media we generate. So, we now have the data at our fingertips that allow us to play in the world of ROI measurement where others have played for a long time.

In fact, in our firm we see this field as so critical to a “prove-everything-or-die” future, that we have renamed our research function to include the term analytics. And we have entered into a partnership with a statistical modelling company to give us the analytical horsepower to meet today’s client needs.

Here are a few case studies to show the results analytics allows you to generate:

1. For the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, it was possible to isolate the effects on volunteer fund-raising from various channels such as radio advertising, direct mail, point-of-sale promotions, and online earned media. We found that the society would raise more money for blood cancers research if it began to shift money toward online earned media and point-of-sale. And, within point-of-sale, we found a specific approach that would work best.

2. For a manufacturer of a healthy frozen food entre, we determined how social media was driving sales. As it turned out, there was no observable direct effect on sales, but Twitter activity is driving potential consumers to its website, and website visits in turn is driving sales.

3. With a global chemical company, it was possible to determine how different messages and channels of communication are affecting its reputation. And, as a chemical company, it is often the subject of environmental criticism. So, analytics ascertained the types of facts and information that are most important to encouraging influential citizens to speak more positively on its behalf when engaged in conversations that are critical of the company.

4. As the Anti-Defamation League reaches its centennial anniversary, it is seeking the best way to continue to be effective in battling hate around the world. Should it focus its communications on civil liberties in general, cyber-bullying, religious freedoms, or law-enforcement training to recognise hate crimes, as examples? Daunting and important questions, but ones that are answerable using analytics to not necessarily reshape its message or mission, but to ensure relevance to its donors as well as raising awareness of these important issues among the general public.