Managing Public Relations:  International PR Study finds communication metrics relate strongly to reporting lines

Produced February - March 2007

Results of the fourth annual Public Relations Generally Accepted Practices Study (GAP IV) were released recently. The study, published by the USC Annenberg Strategic Public Relations Centre (SPRC) provides the pr profession with information on evaluation, budgeting, emerging trends and other related topics.

An interesting outcome was the significance of reporting lines in relation to the type of metrics used. For example marketing reporting lines ensured metrics were more publicity and sales related while corporate reporting lines delivered more strategic and organizational metrics.

 Key Measurement Findings included:

• Respondents spent only 4% of their total pr budgets on evalution
• Ability to quantify results (12%) ranked low on the reasons a company would choose to use an outside agency
• Influences on corporate reputation and content analysis of clips were given high scores for usage for $6B (Fortune 500 companies)
• Media related metrics scored the highest for $31.M-$6B (Fortune 501 - 1000 companies)
• There is a trend away from ‘total impressions’, ‘total circulations’ and ‘total number of clips’.
• If PR departments reported to marketing, the dominant metrics for evaluation were: contribution to sales,  total circulation of clips,  total number of clips and  number of clips in top tier media.
• If PR departments reported to C-Suite (also known as C-level for example, CEO, CFO and COO) it was more likely that the evaluation metrics used would include: crisis avoidance/mitigation, influence on corporate culture and influence on corporate reputation.
• The ’ability to quantify results’ ranked 7^th out of 9 reasons for companies choosing to work with an agency.
• Companies with larger pr budgets were significantly more likely to use a combination of four metrics including: content analysis, influences on corporate reputation, share of voice and influence on employee attitudes

In summary, measurement is still an underfunded and underutlised area within the pr profession.  Allocation of resources still concentrates on the execution of pr activities rather than evaluation, yet the pr professional today increasingly needs to demonstrate its value.  Interested in how to make the most of your research budget? Download a free publication from Bacons called Measurement on a Budget

For further information on the study view http://annenberg.usc.edu/Home/CentersandPrograms/ResearchCenters/SPRC.aspx

View some of our previous articles on measurement:

Measurement - Assessing Media Coverage

10 Things you need to know about share of voice discussion

Network PR, a Sydney based pr agency is one of the only pr agencies in Australia to employ a Research Manager to oversee all evaluative public relations reports. Network PR places a large emphasis on the 'outcomes' rather than 'outputs' in a project. Do you need 'measurable' outcomes? talk to us.