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EIGHT IN TEN PR PROS WANT STANDARDIZED MEASUREMENT TO DEFINE SOCIAL MEDIA SUCCESS
Eighty-two percent of public relations professionals polled believe a standard measurement tool is needed to evaluate social media success – a key finding among others in a recent benchmark survey of public relations professionals by Public Relations Global Network (PRGN), an international network of 44 independent public relations firms worldwide. The organization’s global survey of communications professionals unveiled several new findings regarding the current and anticipated future use of social media in Europe, Australia, Africa, South America, Middle East, Asia and the United States.
According to David Landis, owner of PRGN’s San Francisco agency, Landis Communications, Inc., and President-elect of PRGN, the Network conducted the survey to capture the conversation relating to social media on a global basis. “As part of our 20th anniversary year, we wanted to survey the field about social media, a discipline that is generating significant growth internationally,” said Landis. “It is obvious from the survey that return on investment will be the yardstick for social media.”
While the full survey results are available on the PRGN website, highlights include:
• A total of 82% of the respondents believe that a standard measurement tool is needed to evaluate social media success. The same percentage believes that spending on social media will increase over the next five years.
• For more than 65% of respondents, social media will help support professional global relationships (73%) and have a role to play in doing international business (68%). “This is of significance to our international network,” said Paterson.
• The five top barriers to using social media in the future are return on investment (45%), time (39%), resources/budget (37%), support from leaders (36%), and knowledge/experience using social media tools (33%).
• The four social media platforms currently being used were not surprising. They are LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. According to the survey, 60% indicated that they believed that Twitter and Facebook are both expected to be used more in the next five years. Blogs also are anticipated be used more.
• When it comes to training, respondents want to learn more about Pinterest (46%), Google+ (37%), Renren (36%) and Flickr (30%).
• The top five reasons why social media use will increase in the future include promoting events, monitoring customer feedback, launching campaigns/initiatives, giving consumers/customers a sense of community and attracting new customers.
• Google analytics and alerts led all monitoring tools with over 70% usage each. The next five tools in order turned out to be HootSuite (38%), PR Newswire (37%), Cision (35%) and Business Wire (30%).
“This survey underscores the need for a measurement tool as an industry-wide standard,” said Landis. “At LCI, we rely heavily on ROI measurements to demonstrate our accomplishments in both traditional and new media. Our proprietary PRomised Results© program helps quantify how our communications campaigns tangibly help to grow our clients’ businesses.”
In the next five years, outcomes such as product sales and leads as well as traffic counts such as posts, likes, comments, trackbacks and pings both received more mentions from 70% of the respondents.
Regarding the demographics of the respondents, 43% were in public relations, 33% in communications and 21% in marketing. In terms of job function level, 45% were senior-most communications/marketing professionals. From an age perspective, 40% were 32-47, 33% were 48-66 and 26% were 31 or younger.
“Based on the results of the survey, it is safe to say that public relations agencies will only move social media forward if top management agrees to support the investment,” Landis added. “Return on investment is sure to be scrutinized by leadership.”
LCWA Research, the PRGN affiliate in Chicago, was engaged to do the survey. It was web-based and conducted between August 30 and September 12, 2012.
A copy of the PRGN white paper entitled “Communications Professionals and Social Media: PRGN’S 20th Anniversary Report to the Industry” is available online at www.prgn.com.
Public Relations Global Network:
Celebrating 20 Years of Connected Thinking. Globally.
More than 1,000 clients across six continents depend on the combined resources of the Public Relations Global Network (PRGN) to deliver targeted public relations campaigns in more than 80 markets around the world. With revenues of more than $110 million (U.S.D.), PRGN is among the world’s top four international public relations networks. PRGN harnesses the resources of 44 independent public relations firms, 50 offices and more than 900 communications professionals to connect international companies and organizations with individual and culturally diverse markets globally. Visit PRGN online at www.prgn.com.
Landis Communications, Inc.:
Winner of the Bulldog Award for social media, LCI is a full‐service, independent San Francisco public relations agency with expertise in consumer, business‐to‐business, social media, digital, consumer technology and non‐profit communications. LCI provides strategic, creative and results driven public relations counsel to clients in a variety of consumer‐focused and business‐to-business industries. Dedicated to helping businesses improve their bottom line, LCI is known for its trademarked PRomised Results© program. LCI is the San Francisco member agency of the Public Relations Global Network (www.prgn.com) with 44 affiliate agencies worldwide. LCI President David Landis assumes the role of PRGN President at its next meeting in April, 2013 in Los Angeles. For further information about LCI, please visit www.landispr.com.
# # #
According to David Landis, owner of PRGN’s San Francisco agency, Landis Communications, Inc., and President-elect of PRGN, the Network conducted the survey to capture the conversation relating to social media on a global basis. “As part of our 20th anniversary year, we wanted to survey the field about social media, a discipline that is generating significant growth internationally,” said Landis. “It is obvious from the survey that return on investment will be the yardstick for social media.”
While the full survey results are available on the PRGN website, highlights include:
• A total of 82% of the respondents believe that a standard measurement tool is needed to evaluate social media success. The same percentage believes that spending on social media will increase over the next five years.
• For more than 65% of respondents, social media will help support professional global relationships (73%) and have a role to play in doing international business (68%). “This is of significance to our international network,” said Paterson.
• The five top barriers to using social media in the future are return on investment (45%), time (39%), resources/budget (37%), support from leaders (36%), and knowledge/experience using social media tools (33%).
• The four social media platforms currently being used were not surprising. They are LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. According to the survey, 60% indicated that they believed that Twitter and Facebook are both expected to be used more in the next five years. Blogs also are anticipated be used more.
• When it comes to training, respondents want to learn more about Pinterest (46%), Google+ (37%), Renren (36%) and Flickr (30%).
• The top five reasons why social media use will increase in the future include promoting events, monitoring customer feedback, launching campaigns/initiatives, giving consumers/customers a sense of community and attracting new customers.
• Google analytics and alerts led all monitoring tools with over 70% usage each. The next five tools in order turned out to be HootSuite (38%), PR Newswire (37%), Cision (35%) and Business Wire (30%).
“This survey underscores the need for a measurement tool as an industry-wide standard,” said Landis. “At LCI, we rely heavily on ROI measurements to demonstrate our accomplishments in both traditional and new media. Our proprietary PRomised Results© program helps quantify how our communications campaigns tangibly help to grow our clients’ businesses.”
In the next five years, outcomes such as product sales and leads as well as traffic counts such as posts, likes, comments, trackbacks and pings both received more mentions from 70% of the respondents.
Regarding the demographics of the respondents, 43% were in public relations, 33% in communications and 21% in marketing. In terms of job function level, 45% were senior-most communications/marketing professionals. From an age perspective, 40% were 32-47, 33% were 48-66 and 26% were 31 or younger.
“Based on the results of the survey, it is safe to say that public relations agencies will only move social media forward if top management agrees to support the investment,” Landis added. “Return on investment is sure to be scrutinized by leadership.”
LCWA Research, the PRGN affiliate in Chicago, was engaged to do the survey. It was web-based and conducted between August 30 and September 12, 2012.
A copy of the PRGN white paper entitled “Communications Professionals and Social Media: PRGN’S 20th Anniversary Report to the Industry” is available online at www.prgn.com.
Public Relations Global Network:
Celebrating 20 Years of Connected Thinking. Globally.
More than 1,000 clients across six continents depend on the combined resources of the Public Relations Global Network (PRGN) to deliver targeted public relations campaigns in more than 80 markets around the world. With revenues of more than $110 million (U.S.D.), PRGN is among the world’s top four international public relations networks. PRGN harnesses the resources of 44 independent public relations firms, 50 offices and more than 900 communications professionals to connect international companies and organizations with individual and culturally diverse markets globally. Visit PRGN online at www.prgn.com.
Landis Communications, Inc.:
Winner of the Bulldog Award for social media, LCI is a full‐service, independent San Francisco public relations agency with expertise in consumer, business‐to‐business, social media, digital, consumer technology and non‐profit communications. LCI provides strategic, creative and results driven public relations counsel to clients in a variety of consumer‐focused and business‐to-business industries. Dedicated to helping businesses improve their bottom line, LCI is known for its trademarked PRomised Results© program. LCI is the San Francisco member agency of the Public Relations Global Network (www.prgn.com) with 44 affiliate agencies worldwide. LCI President David Landis assumes the role of PRGN President at its next meeting in April, 2013 in Los Angeles. For further information about LCI, please visit www.landispr.com.
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