Measure what matters : online tools for understanding customers, social media, engagement, and ke...

Contents 7
Foreword 16
Preface 19
Part 1 Not Your Father\u2019s Ruler 23
Chapter 1 You Can Now Measure Everything, but You Won\u2019t Survive Without the Metrics that Matter to Your Business 25
Social Media Isn\u2019t about Media, It\u2019s about the Community in which You Do Business 26
Measurement Is So Much More than Counting 27
What Really Matters to Your Business? 28
Why Measure at All? 28
Data-Driven Decision Making Saves Time and Money 29
It Helps Allocate Budget and Staff 30
Gain a Better Understanding of the Competition 30
Strategic Planning 31
Measurement Gets Everyone to Agree on a Desired Outcome 31
Measurement Reveals Strengths and Weaknesses 31
Measurement Gives You Reasons to Say \u201cNo\u201d 34
Dispelling the Myths of Measurement 34
Myth #1: Measurement = Punishment 35
Myth #2: Measurement Will Only Create More Work for Me 35
Myth #3: Measurement Is Expensive 36
Myth #4: You Can\u2019t Measure the ROI, so Why Bother? 36
Myth #5: Measurement Is Strictly Quantitative 37
Myth #6: Measurement Is Something You Do When a Program Is Over 37
Myth #7: \u201cI Know What\u2019s Happening: I Don\u2019t Need Research\u201d 37
Measurement, the Great Opportunity: Where Are Most Companies in Terms of Measurement and Where Could They Be? 38
Chapter 2 How to Get Started 41
10 Questions Every Communications Professional Must Be Able to Answer 42
Question #1: What Are Your Objectives? 42
Question #2: Who Are Your Program\u2019s Target Audience(s)? 42
Question #3: What Is Important to Your Audiences? 43
Question #4: What Motivates Them to Buy Your Products? 43
Question #5: What Are Your Key Messages? 43
Question #6: Who Influences Your Audience(s)? 44
Question #7: How Do You Distribute Your Product or Service? 44
Question #8: What Are You Going to Do with the Information You Get from Your Research? 44
Question #9: What Other Departments or Areas Will Be Affected? 44
Question #10: What Other Measurement Programs Are Currently Underway? 45
How to Decide What to Measure: Success\u2014Are We There Yet? 45
Making the Budget Argument 47
How to Ensure Accurate Data 48
Bad Data Reason #1: Incomplete Assessment of Variables 48
Bad Data Reason #2: Relevancy of Content 49
Bad Data Reason #3: Commercial Services Omit Results 50
Bad Data Reason #4: The (In)accuracy of Content Analysis 50
A Simple Checklist to Ensure Accurate Results 51
Chapter 3 Seven Steps to the Perfect Measurement Program: How to Prove Your Results and Use Your Results to Improve 55
Step 1: Define Your Goals and Objectives: Why Are You Launching This Plan or Pursuing This Strategy? What Is the \u201cR\u201d in the ROI That You Are Seeking to Measure? 56
Step 2: Define Your Environment, Your Audiences, and Your Role in Influencing Them 58
Step 3: Define Your Investment: What Will It Cost? What Is the \u201cI\u201d in ROI? 58
Step 4: Determine Your Benchmarks 59
Step 5: Define Your Key Performance Indicators: What Are the Metrics You Will Report With? 59
Step 6: Select the Right Measurement Tool and Vendors and Collect Data 61
Step 7: Turn Data into Action: Analyze Data, Draw Actionable Conclusions, and Make Recommendations 62
Five Ways to Measure ROI 63
How to Leverage Your Measurement Results to Get What You Want 65
Chapter 4 Yes, You Can Afford to Measure: Choosing the Right Measurement Tool for the Job 67
How to Decide What Tool Is Right for You: The Right Tool Depends on the Job 68
Tools to Determine What Your Marketplace Is Saying: Media Content Analysis 69
Type of Media 72
Visibility: Prominence + Dominance 72
Tone 73
Messages Communicated 74
Sources Mentioned 74
Conversation Type 74
Tools to Determine What Your Marketplace Is Thinking: Opinion Research and Surveys 75
Measuring Awareness 77
Measuring Preference 78
Measuring Relationships 78
Measuring Engagement 82
Tools to Determine What Your Marketplace Is Doing: Web Analytics and Behavioral Metrics 83
What\u2019s It Really Going to Cost? 84
Controlling the Cost of Surveys 84
Controlling the Cost of Media Content Analysis 85
Random Sample Your Content 86
If You Have No Budget at All 86
Qualitative versus Quantitative Research 87
Focus Groups Provide Insight 87
Survey Provide Facts 87
Part 2 How to Measure What People Are Saying about You Online and Off 89
Chapter 5 How to Measure Marketing, Public Relations, and Advertising in a Social Media World 91
The Three-Part Social Media Revolution 92
Thought Shift #1: Redefine \u201cNow\u201d 92
Thought Shift #2: Redefine PR, Advertising, Marketing, and Corporate Communications 93
Thought Shift #3: Change How We Quantify Success 95
The New Rules for PR and Social Media 96
New Rule #1: You\u2019re Not in Control\u2014and Never Have Been 96
New Rule #2: There Is No Market for Your Message 96
New Rule #3: It\u2019s about Reaching the Right Eyeballs, Not All the Eyeballs 97
New Rule #4: It\u2019s Worse to Not Be Talked about at All 98
Building the Perfect Online Measurement Program 99
The Two Worlds of Social Media 100
Measuring What You Can Control: Web Metrics and Engagement 100
Level 1 Engagement: Lurking 102
Level 2 Engagement: Casual 103
Level 3 Engagement: Active 104
Level 4 Engagement: Committed 105
Level 5 Engagement: Loyalist 105
Measuring What You Can\u2019t Control 106
Step 1: Define the Goal 106
Step 2: Identify Your Publics and Determine How Your Social Media Efforts Affect Them 108
Step 3: Define Your Benchmarks 108
Step 4: Determine the Specific KPIs by Which You Will Define Success 109
Step 5: Select a Tool 110
Step 6: Collect Data, Analyze Results, Make Recommendations, and Measure Again 117
A Final Word on ROI and Comparing Social Media to Other Tactics 118
What\u2019s Wrong with Advertising Value Equivalency? 119
Chapter 6 How to Use Numbers to Get Closer to Your Customers 121
Listening, Learning, and Responding to the Marketplace 122
Set Up and Refine Your Search Strings 122
Review and Track the Results 123
Verify Which Outlets Matter 123
Determine What the Market Thinks of You and Your Competition: What Are Your Market Hot Buttons? 124
Determine How You Are Positioned in the Marketplace versus the Competition, and Use That Knowledge to Gain Advantage 124
Listening, Learning, and Responding to Your Customers 125
Turning Feelings into Numbers and Metrics 125
Chapter 7 Measuring the Impact of Events, Sponsorships, and Speaking Engagements 127
Why Events and Sponsorships? 127
Use Data to Support Your Event Decisions 128
Social Media Has Redefined the Concept of Events 129
Events and the Relationships behind Brand Engagement: How Are People Involved with Your Brand? 129
Seven Steps to Measure Sponsorships and Events 130
Step 1: Define Your Objectives 131
Sell Products 131
Launch New Products 131
Drive Affinity between Customers and the Brand 131
Reach New Markets and Customers 132
Step 2: Determine Your Measurable Criteria of Success 132
Step 3: Decide Upon Your Benchmarks 133
Step 4: Select a Measurement Tool 133
Step 5: Define Your Specific Metrics 136
Step 6: Choose a Measurement Tool 137
Step 7: Analyze Your Results and Use Them to Make Your Events More Effective 139
How to Calculate ROI for a Booth at an Event: Was It Worth the Time and Resources? 140
Chapter 8 How to Measure Influencers and Thought Leadership 145
New Influencers, New Thought Leaders, New Relationships 145
How to Build a Custom List of the Top 100 Influencers in Your Marketplace 147
Step 1: Search for Blogs That Mention You or Your Marketplace Most Frequently 148
Step 2: Verify That the Blogs and Bloggers Are Actually Important 148
How to Measure Your Relationships with Your Influencers 149
Step 1: Define Your Goals 150
Step 2: Define Your Audience 151
Step 3: Define Your Benchmark 151
Step 4: Define Your Key Performance Indicators 152
Step 5: Select Your Measurement Tool 152
Chapter 9 Measuring Relationships with Your Local Community 159
Who Are Your Neighbors and Why Are They Important? 159
How Do Good or Bad Relationships Influence Your Organization? 160
Who and What Is Most Important to Measure? 160
Seven Steps to Measuring Relationships with Your Communities and Neighbors 161
Step 1: Agree upon Solid Measurable Goals That Are Tied to the Bottom Line 162
Step 2: Define Your Publics 162
Step 3: Who or What Are Your Benchmarks? 163
Step 4: Set Your Audience Priorities: Who and What Is Most Important to Measure? 165
Step 5: Choose Your Measurement Tools 165
Relationship Surveys 165
Local Media Analysis Is Critical 167
Step 6: Analyze the Data 168
When It Comes Up for a Vote, It\u2019s Too Late to Change Anything 169
Fishing in the Talent Pool? 169
Nonprofit Measures 169
Government Can Plan\u2014and Poll\u2014Ahead 170
Campus Opportunities 170
Chapter 10 Measuring What Your Employees Think 171
If Employees Are So Connected, Why Is It So Hard to Communicate with Them? 171
Seven Steps to Measuring What Employees Think, Say, and Do as a Result of Your Internal Communications 173
Step 1: Understand the Environment and Where They Really Get Information 174
How Are Messages Getting through to Employees, and What Are They? 174
What Channels or Vehicles Do Employees Trust? 175
What\u2019s Important to Them? 176
What Do They Think about the Organization Today? 177
Step 2: Agree on Clear, Measurable Goals 177
Step 3: Select a Benchmark to Compare To 178
Step 4 : Define the Criteria of Success 179
Step 5: Select Your Measurement Tools and Collect Data 179
Message Analysis Tools 180
Outcome Measurement Tools 180
Use Surveys to Determine What Employees Think 181
Step 6 : Analyze and Take Action 182
Make Changes to Improve Employee Relationships 183
Chapter 11 Threats to Your Reputation: How to Measure Crises 185
Measuring What Is Being Said about You 187
Measuring What People Believe about You 191
Trust Is the Key to Building and Defending Your Reputation 192
What Is Trust? 194
BS Is More Damaging than Lies 196
Measuring What People Do: Long-Term Effects and Follow-Up Research 197
Seven Steps to Measure Crises and Trust 198
Step 1: Define a Specific Desired Outcome from the Crisis 199
Step 2: Define Your Audiences and What You Want Your Relationships to Be with Each One 199
Step 3: Define Your Benchmark 200
Step 4: Define Your Measurement Criteria 201
Step 5: Select a Measurement Tool 202
Step 6: Analyze Results, Glean Insight, and Make Actionable Recommendations 203
Step 7: Make Changes and Measure Again 204
Chapter 12 Measuring Relationships with Salespeople, Channel Partners, and Franchisees 205
Millions Spent on Sales Communications, but Does Any of It Work? 206
The Problem: Mixed Messages, Mixed Objectives 207
The Solution: Consistent Messages 208
Other Measures of Success 209
Measuring What Matters to Sales 210
Chapter 13 Measurement for Nonprofits 213
Not Measuring Is Not an Option 214
Measuring Relationships with Your Membership 215
Step 1: Use Your Mission to Define Your Objectives 215
Step 2: Identify and Prioritize Your Audiences 217
Step 3: Establish a Benchmark 218
Step 4: Pick Your Metrics 219
Step 5: Pick a Measurement Tool 220
Use Content Analysis to Measure Activity, Sentiment, and Messaging 220
Use Surveys to Measure What People Think about You 222
Measuring Behavioral Change 223
Measuring Results During a Crisis 225
Step 6: Analyze Results and Make Changes 225
Chapter 14 Measure What Matters in Higher Education: How to Get an A in Measurement 227
University Flunks Measurement: Millions in Funding Lost and President Resigns 228
Key Considerations: Multiple Audiences = Multiple Goals = Multiple Metrics 229
Five Steps for Getting an A in Measurement 232
Step 1: Identify and Prioritize Your Audiences 232
Step 2: Define Your Objectives and Get Everyone on the Same Page 234
Step 3: Establish a Benchmark 235
Step 4: Pick a Measurement Tool and Collect Data 235
Measure What the Media Is Saying about You 236
Measure Social Media in the Academic Environment 237
Measure What People Think 238
Measure Behavior 239
Step 5: Analyze the Data, Glean Insight, Make Changes, and Measure Again 239
Epilogue: Whither Measurement? 241
Appendix 1: The Grunig Relationship Survey 245
Appendix 2: Measurement Resources 252
Glossary 254
References 261
Index 262