Understanding P R Measurement & Evaluation (M&E)

Friends, Thank you very much for taking out time from your busy schedule to read my blog(s). Sharing knowledge with you has become my passion now. I feel encouraged after reading your feedback in the comments column. Today I’m happy to present my 96th Blog “Understanding P R Measurement & Evaluation” .

Friends, PR measurement & evaluation, in short term,  involves assessing the success or failure of specific PR programs, strategies, activities or tactics by measuring the out-puts, out-takes and or out-comes of those programs against a predetermined set of objectives and in long term, involves assessing the success or failure of much broader PR efforts that have aim to improve and enhance the relationships that organizations maintain with its key constituents.

PR measurement is a way of giving a result a precise dimension, usually by comparison to some standard or baseline and generally is done in a quantifiable or numerical manner. That is, when we measure out-puts, out-takes and out-comes, we usually come up with a precise measure - a number e.g. , 1,000 brochures distributed, 60,000 hits on a website, 50% message recall, an 80% increase in awareness levels, etc..

PR evaluation determines the value or importance of a PR program or effort, usually through appraisal or comparison with a predetermined set of organization goals and objectives. PR evaluation is somewhat more subjective in nature, or softer, than PR measurement, involving a greater amount of interpretation and judgment calls. Those who supervise or manage an organization's entire communications activities are increasingly asking themselves, their staff members, their agencies and consulting firms, and their research suppliers questions such as the following….

1.    Whether the planned PR activities would create the desired effect and whether the same can be documented from research perspective?

2.   Whether the planned PR activities can change the perspective of organization’s target audience as regard to what they know, think, feel, and act?

3.  Whether the public relations activities do contribute in changing consumer’s awareness, understanding, retention, attitude and behavior levels?

Following are the key factors that are to be kept in mind while focusing on PR measurement and evaluation of a PR campaign or activity:-   

1.  PR campaigns should be directly linked to the goals and objectives of the organization. Effectiveness of a PR campaign can be measured if an organization's important messages, key target audience groups, and desired channels of communication are clearly identified prior to the launch of a PR campaign. .

2.  PR campaign and related activities, desired out-puts, out-takes and out-comes should be established prior to the beginning of a PR campaign, to provide a basis for measurement of results.

3.    Separate short term PR out-puts i.e. press coverage or exposure of a particular message from long term PR out-takes i.e. determining the exposure the activity received, paid attention to, comprehended and retained particular messages and PR out-comes i.e. whether the PR activity was successful in changing the opinion, attitude, and behavior of its target audience?

4.  Combinations of different measurement techniques are required to measure and evaluate effectiveness of a PR campaign e.g. media content analysis, cyberspace i.e. online analysis, audience response to the trade show and corporate events, opinion polls and surveys, and focus group’s feedback.

5.    The PR measurement and evaluation process should always be linked to what was planned to be accomplished through PR campaign with the objectives and goals of the organization as a whole. 

Measurement and evaluation are still an evolving component of public relations. Most of the organizations have emphasized on measurement and evaluation of a PR campaign. Different authors developed evaluation models for PR and had applied different research methods in those models (McNamara, 2006; Cutlip et al., 2000; Watson, 1999; Lindenmann, 1993). Not only do these models serve for the better understanding of public relations value but they also meant to be used in PR practice. From the perspective of strategic communication, methodology for measurement is often grounded on management by objectives (Drucker, 1954).

Every measure should be taken with regard to the objectives of the PR campaign because success of a PR campaign is determined through measurement of PR campaign results and achievement of organization’s objectives. Nevertheless, evaluation is made to be consistent and to be a part of every step on the way. Today, most of the clients want to measure their PR activities in order to gain insights that will enable them to refine and improve an ongoing PR activity, to assess cost effectiveness of different approaches, and to assure a good return on their investments on PR and its related activities.

To conclude; basic purpose of PR is to either build or enhance the reputation of an individual or an organization or building long-term relationships of an organization with its key target audiences internally as well as externally. PR out-put is typically the instant result of a particular PR activity and stand for what is visible to an eye. PR out-put measure how well an organization presents itself to others, the amount of attention or exposure that the organization receives because of a PR activity. PR out-come measures whether target audience groups actually received the message directed to them, paid attention to the message, understood the message and retained the message in any shape or form. It also measure whether the message that was disseminated have resulted in an opinion formation, attitude building and or behavior change on the part of the target audience to whom the message was directed.

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