Presented at 2014 Corporate Communications Directors' Forum: how to develop an evaluation programme for PR and corporate communications campaigns using AMEC's advocacy funnel.

1. Evaluation and Corporate
Communications
Richard Houghton
Agency Doctor
@agencydoctor
richard@agencydoctor.biz
07803 178 037

2. Evaluation – evolution or revolution
1999

3. Reality Check

4. No Silver Bullet
X

5. No Single Number
Influence is not easy!
− Shifting opinions
− Encouraging action
− Creating advocates
Every campaign has distinctive
objectives
Every campaign being run in unique
context
Every organisation sees success
differently - targeting different outcomes
PR rarely works in isolation

6. Maybe Why so Many Focus on Outputs
Output Out-Take Outcomes
Just 10% of evaluation providers always measuring target audience
changes as result of communications
Only 7% always required to determine business results from
communications
2014 AMEC International Business Insights Study

7. £9.62 billion
VALUE OF UK PR INDUSTRY
2013 PRCA CENSUS

9. An Approach

10. Barcelona Principles (AMEC 2010)
1. Importance of goal setting and measurement
2. Measuring the effect on outcomes is preferred to measuring outputs
3. The effect on business results can and should be measured where possible
4. Media measurement requires quantity and quality
5. AVES are not the value of Public Relations
6. Social media can and should be measured
7. Transparency and replicability are paramount to sound measurement

11. Gary Sheffer – Vice President,
Communications & Public Affairs
Our responsibility to be as smart
and strategic as possibly can
Growing expectation from C-suite
New model of Corporate
Communications demands better
understanding of audiences
“Relies on identifying and
activating corporate character
and then building advocacy at
scale”
We are equipped to be more
effective and measure more

12. Public Sector Leading the Way?
Alex took over in 2012 little or no
evaluation of £500 million spend
(£1b)
Now mandatory across all
communications
No promotion unless can
demonstrate evaluation expertise
‘Horizon scanning’
− Elaine Philips DEFRA
− Social media tools to provide real
time alerts
Alex Aiken
Executive Director for
Government Communications

13. Communications Objectives
• Developing Measurable Communications Objectives
• If not measurable how do we demonstrate value and success?
• Can be understood by those outside of corporate comms
• Development:
• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Relevant
• Time bound
“If you’re not evaluating against objectives you’re just monitoring!”
Richard Bagnall, MD Prime Research & Director, AMEC

14. Communications Objectives
• Credit card business objective:
• Increase the number of people applying for cards
• Communications objective:
• Action – attract more people to web and social channels to see benefits of
card
• Audience – ABC 1, London, £30k+ per annum
• Timescale – six months
• Measurement – 10% increase
Communicate the benefits of being a Cardmember in order to increase
number of visits of ABC1 Londoner by 10% to Card sites and channels in
next six months

15. Setting KPIs
• Demonstrate progress
• Milestones not objectives
• Identify tactical successes
• KPIs for credit card objective could include:
• Increase in positive sentiment around Card ember benefits on social channels
• Change in interest in target demographic
• Ratios of likes and posts on Facebook page
• Can aid creation of objectives

16. AMEC Measurement
Framework

17. AMEC Measurement Framework
Designed to allow for:
− Planning
− Monitoring
− Measurement of results
Against individual and tailored objectives
Get you and your teams thinking about all stages of communications
− Planning
− Setting achievable targets
− Choose appropriate SMART metrics
− Tell the story of the value delivered for your organisation

18. Marketing / Advocacy Funnel
Awareness
Knowledge
Consideration
Preference
Action
Exposure
Engagement
Influence
Impact
Advocacy

19. Advocacy Funnel / Table
Exposure Engagement Preference Impact Advocacy
Exposure to
content &
messages
Interactions in
response to
content on
owned channel
Earned social
conversations
Ability to cause
or contribute to a
change in
opinion or
behaviour
Effect on target
audience
Can include
financial impact
Others making
the case for you
Includes positive
sentiment,
recommendation,
call to
action/purchase

20. Paid, Owned and Earned
Paid: Channels you pay to leverage – paid search, display ads,
sponsored tweets etc.
Owned: Channels you control – website, blog, Twitter Facebook, YouTube etc.
Earned: Customers and/or stakeholders become the channel with their content

21. Paid, Owned and Earned Social Media Measurement Framework
EXPOSURE ENGAGEMENT PREFERENCE IMPACT ADVOCACY
PAID
OWNED
EARNED
www.amecorg.com

24. Programme, Business and Channel
Programme
Metrics:
Metrics directly tied to your programme or campaign
objectives
Business Metrics: Metrics designed to measure the impact to the business / organisation
of the campaign or initiative
Channel Metrics: Metrics that are unique to specific social media channels – Twitter,
Vimeo, Facebook, LinkedIn etc.

25. Program, Business and Channel Social Media Measurement Framework
EXPOSURE ENGAGEMENT PREFERENCE IMPACT ADVOCACY
PROGRAM
METRICS
CHANNEL
METRICS
BUSINESS
METRICS
www.amecorg.com

28. Making it Work
1. Plan with Smart Objectives
• Start with agreed SMART objectives that are aligned with desired business
outcomes
• What will success look like for each?
2. Select a framework
3. Populate
• Try and get a balance across the framework
• From output (exposure) to outcome (advocacy)

29. Making it Work
4. Data
• Identify what will need to be collected
• In-house – free tools – providers
5. Measure
• In appropriate time-frame – daily, weekly, monthly, real-time or end of
campaign
6. Report
Plot your current metrics on one of the Frameworks.
Where do they cluster?

30. Top Tips
What is success for each step?
THEN agree objectives and KPIs
Make sure objectives are SMART
Ask three times of each metric – what does it show? Is it of value?
Define clear measurement periods
Look for insights not just results
Do you need to realign resources as go for best results?
Review, adjust and improve

31. Further Reading
The PR professional’s Definitive Guide to Measurement
− http://prguidetomeasurement.org/
AMEC’s short course in social media measurement
− http://amecorg.com/amec-college/new-short-course-in-social-media/
Evaluating Public Relations: A Guide to Planning, Research and Measurement
− Tom Watson and Paul Noble

32. Evaluation and Corporate
Communications
Richard Houghton
Agency Doctor
@agencydoctor
richard@agencydoctor.biz
07803 178 037