The Paine of Measurement March 2022
Welcome to the Insight Issue, our attempt to respond to the continuous collective howl from communications professionals, lamenting their lack of insight from the data they collect.
Today, unlike a decade or two ago, there is no shortage of measurement data available to media professionals. There are dozens of vendors happy to provide you with everything from TikTok mentions to podcast monitoring. (See our just-updated Vendor Selection Guide: The Best Vendors to Solve 24 Common Communications Measurement Problems in 2022.)
The challenge is to figure out what is relevant to your audience and your goals. And yes, that is a big challenge because we all live with multiple audiences, occasionally conflicting goals, and way too much data.
As with all things in communications these days, your journey to insight has to begin with your audience(s). Who needs these insights and how do they absorb information? In practical terms that means understanding your team and your leadership and what they expect from your metrics. So start by reading this post about how to Measure Communications from the Audience Perspective.
In this issue: how to persuade the data to speak to you
I’ve been analyzing measurement data for almost 4 decades. Here’s a starter piece that boils down all that knowledge into five tips: Turn Your Data Sideways, and 5 More of Katie’s Secret Tips on Finding Insight.
If you’re ready to really dig in, start here: Better Insight from Your Data in 5 Simple Steps.
More heads are better than one for finding insight, so here’s how to get everyone on board with measurement: 7 Ways to Build Your Organization’s Communications Measurement Culture.
While we were unable to attend the IPRRC this year, we were able to gather some of our favorite authors and papers afterwards. Here are the insights we gleaned: The Best of IPRRC 2022: Lessons for Startups, QAnon, Tweeting the Pandemic, and Proving the Value of PR.
Experienced PR data pros have good things to say about measurement: 29 Comms Pros Who Are Deep into Data Analytics Are the Measurement Mavens of the Month.
All data is not created equal, so be careful where yours comes from: Organizations that Use Self-Reported Data Are the Measurement Menaces of the Month.
Humor, marketing, and lots of fighting misinformation: your Communications Measurement Reading List for April.
It’s hard to write when you are sick, but if you must: 5 Tips to Write Better When You Are Sick.
Bonus! Here are a few of our favorite insight-full pieces from the past that have aged well:
Here’s wishing you a happy springtime, and more useful insights!
Measure on,
