The Power of PR Measurement

Author: Robert Fogarty

Public relation is a field that is constantly striving to keep up with the ever changing trends in society. PR is how information is exchanged and made public for all to learn about. The public relations field requires individuals to have knowledge of what captures the attention of a particular group. PR executives also have to have an understanding of what constitutes good and bad public relations. With public relations comes the need for media monitoring and measurement. This is done in order the gauge the effectiveness of public relations. There are many types of monitoring. Some include television monitoring, radio monitoring, and web and social media tracking.

Television and Radio Monitoring

TV and radio monitoring allows clients to have the best access to any news he or she may need. Many PR companies are able to up the ante in broadcast services by offering various types of services. Some of those services include being able to access millions of downloads and real time streams. TV and radio monitoring can also include content delivery from 210 United States DMAs. This means clients can access national and international coverage ultimately anywhere they choose to do so. There are even some Smartphone applications that enable clients to maximize their TV and radio monitoring. Some PR companies allow their users to receive e-mail updates when their stories are being broadcast on the network. This service typically includes access to integral tools such as transcripts and digital files.

Web and Social Media Tracking

The World Wide Web and social media are one of the top sources of information in today’s technologically savvy society. People turn to the Internet for just about everything imaginable. PR firms have been able to gain a hold on this new market and have introduced different ways of monitoring the web and social media. PR monitoring allows clients gain greater insight into the web and social media sources of his or her choosing. Some systems give users the opportunity to file away certain Internet articles and stories. This allows the client to pick and choose what information from the Internet he or she wishes to save for later reference. Services are often offered on every level with this type of monitoring, as well as including regional and national tracking. There are dashboards specialized for web media tracking that enable clients to keep track of words and ideas and have their media analysis delivered immediately or in a planned time frame. Reports can be delivered whenever the client chooses to be fit.

What’s the Benefit of Media Monitoring?

Media monitoring has to be used in a way that is easily understood. If its users do not know how to maximize their products, they will not reap the benefits of media monitoring. This is where PR measurement and analysis comes in the picture. The evaluation of monitoring gives an in-depth look on how PR tactics are working and who is viewing/benefiting from them. Analysts are able to see data presented in both qualitative and quantitative forms in order to determine how successful a campaign has been. PR measurement is one of the most important tools in a world where the level of PR success can make or break a company.