Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Likes, Retweets, and Links: Measuring PR Value in Social Media


As public relations professionals, we constantly need to prove our worth to clients through both quantitative and qualitative means.  For many years, this meant providing ad equivalencies to give the appearance of a dollar value for media coverage, even though the numbers are not truly comparable.  We’ve rid ourselves of this antiquated system, but social media now poses an even greater question of how to measure PR value.  Can you assign a price to Facebook “likes”?  Is every retweet worth the same amount, or do some carry more weight than others? 

On April 18, PPRA held a lively discussion on social media ROI in today’s media-laden communications landscape.  Including non-profit and in-house pros as well as PR agency experts, our panel shared diverse perspectives about measuring value in the digital sphere.   Check out some of their key takeaways:

Rebecca Morley, Vice President, Devine + Partners
  • There is no one size fits all ROI for social media.  It could be qualitative, quantitative or a mix of both.  It depends on your goals. 
  • Utilize social media monitoring tools, like Radian6 and Hootsuite, to collect data and create visual materials to explain value to clients.   
  • Recognize the limitations of social media and the need to invest time in it.  You may post a tweet but half of your users won’t see it if they aren’t online. 
 
Kwan Morrow, Social Networking Manager, GregoryFCA
  • Social media is happening with or without you, so it’s better to build a plan to engage and guide the conversation than play catch up later.
  • Consider breaking down social media measurement by macro (overall client business objectives) and micro (use of platform, how many comments or likes generated).
  • Take advantage of social media conversations and sentiment research to inform the development of additional PR tactics for clients.

Yvette Nunez, VP of Fundraising & External Affairs, Congreso de Latinos Unidos
  • For nonprofits, social media is a great way to get feedback on programs and services without sending out formal surveys.
  • Identify the key audience for each social media outlet to get the results you want.  Congreso uses Facebook to gain ‘street cred’ with people using their services, but uses Twitter to engage donors. 
  • Measuring the number of followers or likes is important, but who those followers or fans are is even more important.  Getting a retweet from someone like the Mayor is an endorsement worth far more than analytics can measure for a nonprofit. 

Farra D’Orazio, Director of PR, Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia
  • Social media content is not just the responsibility of PR professionals.  Other departments must provide relevant information to increase the benefit to fans and followers. 
  • Posting content just for the sake of posting doesn’t add value.  Make every piece of content serve a purpose.
  • Social media is one of the greatest forms of “word of mouth” endorsements.  If someone posts a picture of our restaurant’s food with a great review, it means more than a pretty picture in a magazine. 


This blog post was written by Christine Guerrini. Christine Guerrini is a member of the public relations team at Tierney agency in Center City Philadelphia. A Villanova grad, Christine specializes in media relations, social media, events, and research. She has worked with clients in a variety of fields, including consumer, non-profit, and B2B. In her free time, Christine arranges music and sings with the a cappella group "The Graduates." Connect with Christine on Twitter (@CMGuerrini) or at http://www.linkedin.com/in/christineguerrini


PPRA Joins The American Debate with Dick Polman

A PPRA Senior Level Event*

Friday, May 18, 2012
8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Registration, Networking & Breakfast
9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Program

Register Now Online for this event. 

Hailed by ABC News as "one of the finest political journalists of his generation," Dick Polman, Philadelphia Inquirer national political columnist, will engage in a candid conversation on today's provocative issues.

Dick Polman, described by the Columbia Journalism Review as one of the United States top political reporters, is "writer in residence" at the Center for Programs in Contemporary Writing at the University of Pennsylvania.

*Senior level is defined as PPRA members who have been in PR for at least 10 years.

Location:
Philadelphia Bar Association
10th Floor Board Room
1101 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
ID required for admission to the building.

Registration Fees: 
Recession Special: $14.99
Reserve Promptly - Space is limited!

Deadline: Thursday, May 17, 2012
Cancellations will be accepted in writing by may 16, 2012. No Refunds after May 16, 2012. No-shows will be billed.

Friday, April 13, 2012

PPRA’s May Media Mixer

A “pitch-free” networking event for Philly's top media and PR pros

Thursday, May 24, 2012
5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Register Now Online for this event.

“Clients come and go, but the relationship you have with a reporter is enduring. Treat them as you would treat any co-worker – with respect.” - Ancient proverb

Join the members of @PPRA for a #pitchfree networking event designed exclusively for public relations practitioners and members of the Philadelphia media at Time restaurant in Center City. Save your story ideas for the office, and instead enjoy a drink, something to eat and jazzy music in the company of your journalism counterparts. There is one rule however – no pitching allowed.

Reporters from the top publications, broadcast stations and online media will be there, will you?

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to strengthen your relationship with the press of Philadelphia or introduce yourself to those you’ve yet to meet.

Location:
Time
1315 Sansom Street, 2nd Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19107

Registration Fees:
$35 for PPRA Members
$45 for Non-Members
Additional $5 for walk-in registrations
*Registration fee includes a cocktail reception with light hors d’ouevres, one drink ticket (cash bar available for additional drinks).

Deadline: Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Cancellations will be accepted in writing by May 22, 2012. No Refunds after May 22, 2012. No-shows will be billed.

The Economy of PR: A 'how to' discussion about measuring ROI in today's PR landscape

PPRA Evening Program

Wednesday, April 18, 2012
5:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Registration and Cocktail Reception 
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Program

Register Now Online for this event.

How much does a single “like” cost? What is the ad equivalency of a retweet? In today’s social media-laden communications landscape PR professionals are being forced to learn and re-learn how to quantify success in their PR campaigns. Join our panel of experts in a discussion about the persistent challenge of demonstrating ROI in public relations. Young professionals will gain strategic insight about how to manage a social media campaign; seasoned practitioners will learn best practices in making measurement more effective and efficient.

Please use the hashtag #MeasuringPR to join the conversation on Twitter before, during and after the event!

Panelists include:
* Rebecca Morley, Vice President, Devine + Partners
* Kwan Morrow, Social Networking Manager, GREGORY|FCA
* Yvette Nunez, Vice President, Fundraising & External Affairs, Congreso de Latinos Unidos
* Farra D'Orazio, Director of Public Relations, Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia

Location:
The Racquet Club
215 South 16th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102

Registration Fees:
$45 for PPRA members
$60 for non-members
$25 for students
Additional $5 for Walk-ins 
* Hors d’ouevres and one drink included in registration fee. Cash bar available for additional drinks.

Deadline: Monday, April 16, 2012
Cancellations will be accepted in writing by April 16, 2012. No Refunds after April 16, 2012. No-shows will be billed.

Give Back Through Annual PPRA Volunteer Event April 14

Volunteer for Philly Spring Cleanup Day

Join PPRA as we volunteer for Philly Spring Cleanup Day. This year, we will be helping to clean up the Schuylkill River Banks. We will be picking up litter, sweeping the walkways, repainting bridge abutments, and mulching flower beds. 

Location:  Under the Walnut Street Bridge, 2500 Walnut St., Center City
Date:  Saturday, April 14, 2012 (rain date, April 28)
Time:  9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

If you would like to volunteer, please register at www.phillycleanup.com.  Please be sure to select the project, "Schuylkill Banks Cleanup".

If you have any questions, please contact Caryn Williams, Chair of the Community Service Committee at Caryn_Williams@cable.comcast.com or 215-286-3595.  We encourage interested volunteers to sign up for the event as soon as possible to ensure slots are still available.  Hope to see you there!
    

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Event Recap: Career 101


Last month more than 120 college students and young professionals attended the annual Career 101 program. The program was held at Drexel University and offered those pursuing a career in the field of public relations a chance to get tips for the experts!

The following were part of the dynamic panel led by moderator Lori Doyle, Senior Vice President of Communications at Drexel University.
  • Mary Beth Casey, Corporate Communications, Comcast 
  • Rob Zeiger, Senior Vice President of Communications, Philadelphia Eagles 
  • Megan Smith, President, Brownstone PR 
  • Lauren Tosti, Marketing Manager: Communications/Interactive, Sesame Place

All of the panelists offered useful advice for the attendees. They gave tips for how to score an interview and also provided insight about how they can turn an internship into a full time job.
Top five tips from panelists: 
1.    Proofread your resume and cover letter several times
2.    Always wear a suit to an interview
3.    Send a thank you after every interview
4.    Go above and beyond the job description of an internship
5.    Graduate school is not for everyone; think it through to determine if it’s right for you.
This blog post was written by Nina Scimenes. She has been an active PPRA member since 2005 and is currently Co-chair of PPRA’s Educational Programs. After graduating from Cabrini College with a Communications degree in 2006 Nina went on to do PR at various organizations and she is now Marketing Coordinator at AMResorts. Nina has also been a PR Consultant for Rock to the Future, a local non-profit that is benefiting from pro-bono PR from PPRA members. When she is not immersed in PR work she is blogging on her new blog, Always a Brunette, and training for her next triathlon. Last year she completed her first triathlon in Philadelphia and is brave enough to go back from more including a swim in the Schuylkill River.