Experts predict an eventful year for PR measurement. Photo credit: David Shankbone
2015 will likely be a tumultuous year for PR and social media measurement.
Consolidation was big news in measurement services in 2014. GTCR, a private equity firm, acquired Cision, Vocus, Visible Technologies and Gorkana and started the process of integrating the companies under the Cision brand.
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority halted the consolidation, at least for the time being. The enforcement order bans further integration of the Gorkana media intelligence business into Cision until the regulator finishes investigating possible anti-trust issues.
In the meantime, the Cision team undoubtedly is moving forward with software development to consolidate the different media monitoring and measurement platforms into a single all-encompassing PR service. Consolidating platforms of SaaS (software as a service) companies is not easy; it’s a long, hard slog – and can be easily muffed by the acquiring company.
According to Katie Paine, CEO of Paine Publishing, most existing customers of the new consolidated entity will still be using the original platforms/dashboards for some time and are unlikely to see any benefits this year. When Cision’s software team finally integrates the separate systems into a single platform, clients of the acquired companies will likely have to re-learn all the dashboard functions – and will almost certainly lose some monitoring or measurement functions they value.
No one likes to learn new software. That, Paine predicts, will create an opening for competitive media monitoring and measurement servicessuch as CyberAlert, Custom Scoop and Burrelle’s-Luce. All three of those companies, however, may also be targets of acquirers.
Paine offers other media monitoring and measurement predictions for 2015.
Blurring lines
The lines between traditional news monitoring and social media monitoring will continue to blur, Paine says. Social listening platforms such as Netbase, Zignal Labs and Alterian have integrated news monitoring into their media monitoring services. Social media monitoring and measurement services usually purchase their online news feeds from established players, such as CyberAlert which sells its feed under the Omnibus News brand.
In the integrated news and social media measurement platforms, the large volume of social media data often overwhelms the traditional media clips. It will be a challenge for all monitoring and measurement services to develop metrics that correctly weight the impact of news articles compared with social media posts.
More consolidation
Since many clients favor fully integrated PR services that include a media database, news release distribution, media monitoring, and measurement, other companies in addition to Cision will be moving to provide 360° services. The complexity of performing all services well – and integrating them in a single platform – may lead some clients to use “best of breed” for each of the components of a PR service, combining only media monitoring and measurement – and using separate press release distribution and media database services.
Expect consolidation in social analytics, Paine asserts. Some firms specialize in distributing content. Some excel at listening, and others are good at producing metrics measuring the effectiveness of the distributed content. None do all three well, in Paine’s opinion.
Measurement companies will need to improve engagement services this year, while engagement specialists will have to improve their measurement services. In Paine’s view, that need will lead to more consolidation this year.
Other measurement predictions
Expect a major brand to make a major mistake based on flawed data, Paine predicts. A brand will misinterpret charts on their social media monitoring dashboard or commit another mistake. There’s no fully automated system, and there’s no substitute for a human reviewing and interpreting the data.
Demand will grow for people who can analyze data and produce meaningful information from the numbers. More and more, PR agencies and departments will need measurement expertise to demonstrate their value. People with math and statistical skills who can efficiently generate quality measurement reports will get noticed when those reports reach the boardroom.
Paine says that non-profits and destination marketers are well-positioned to show how best to utilize social media measurement. It’s easier for these types of organizationsto make a connection between their publicity efforts and, if not ROI, then at least outcomes. In addition, data is more easily shared between departments in smaller organizations with more focused missions.
More demand for quality PR measurement
Other experts agree that demand for better PR measurement is increasing.
“A new day is dawning, and measuring PR value, campaign traction, market position and mindset shifts remain vague and inconclusive when compared to numbers-based facts such as increases in sales, stock value or number of garnered articles, writes Jason Mudd, CEO of Axia Public Relations, for The Business Journals.
PR agencies can educate clients about the importance of measurement and train them to use measurement data to understand consumers and design customized and targeted campaigns.
Bottom Line: Media and social media measurement will become more important as PR strives to demonstrate its value. Integrating the services and doing it all well is the challenge for the year.
William J. Comcowich founded and served as CEO of CyberAlert LLC, the predecessor of Glean.info. He is currently serving as Interim CEO and member of the Board of Directors. Glean.info provides customized media monitoring, media measurement and analytics solutions across all types of traditional and social media.
