In the high-octane world of marketing, Public Relations (PR) often plays a vital role. It shapes brand perception, cultivates positive media coverage, and fosters valuable relationships with stakeholders. But unlike flashy ad campaigns or targeted social media blitzes, PR’s impact can be subtle yet significant. The challenge? Isolating and measuring its success amidst a symphony of marketing efforts. The third and final part of this series dives into the strategies PR professionals use to quantify their contributions, proving the power of strategic communication in today’s dynamic marketing landscape.Read the first two parts here:Why it is tough to bring in standardization in traditional PR metrics?Data-driven approach to PR metrics: Understanding the new dynamics in AI eraJyotsna Dash Nanda, AVP, Corporate Communications, DS Group, feels that isolating the specific impact of PR campaigns within a broader marketing mix can be challenging. However, she adds, several methods can help PR professionals measure their contribution. One approach, according to her, is to utilize marketing mix modeling (MMM), which employs statistical techniques to quantify the independent effect of each marketing channel, including PR, on sales or other key metrics (Farris et al., 2010).“PR professionals can also track campaign-specific metrics like brand mentions with positive sentiment before, during, and after the campaign to isolate its influence (Kitchen et al., 2017). Additionally, utilizing unique UTM parameters (Urchin Tracking Module) in press releases or social media posts linked to PR efforts allows for tracking website traffic specifically driven by the campaign (Smith, 2020). By employing a combination of these methods, PR professionals can gain a clearer picture of their campaigns' impact within the wider marketing ecosystem,” she says.In an increasingly converging and integrated communication universe, this could be challenging and the metrics do overlap at times, observes Sumathi Chari, Senior Partner & Director, PRHUB. “Having said that, public relations (PR) fundamentally revolves around storytelling. It gains traction naturally when shared by impartial voices unconnected to the brand or its campaigns. Therefore, the extent to which we can cultivate and attract attention through compelling narratives will consistently serve as a pivotal and unique metric for evaluation,” she says.First and foremost, says Siddhartha Mukherjee, Founder of Brand Balance, PR is not limited to supporting the CMO and the marketing team of the organisation alone. According to him, its capability and the real scope of work are much larger and more complex. In fact, he adds, the actual capability of what PR is meant to do gets amplified when PR works with the CEO and all other CXOs. Hence, PR does not just work for the marketing of products or services of a brand alone, but also the employer brand, investor brand, vendor and partner brand, government brand, and so on.“Talking specifically about measurement in marketing campaigns, it is first important to understand PR’s amazing potential to strengthen the marketing campaigns across the pre, during, and post phases. In fact, if one studies the data of various marketing campaigns across industries, it will be observed that very few have made judicious use of PR in all three phases across pre, during, and post. In most of the cases, PR’s recall by the marketing team has been at the 11th hour, and therefore, its intervention got restricted to ‘during’ or the ‘launch’ or ‘announcement’ phase only. If PR is leveraged properly with scientific ERPs - efforts, resources, and processes, its measurement will reveal amazing results in the outcome stage of the measurement framework. Paid and earned stimuli can be separately linked with the strengthening of brand recall and engagement scores,” Mukherjee explains.Beyond ROI: Exploring Vital Metrics in MeasurementIn the realm of PR, measuring success extends far beyond the traditional confines of Return on Investment (ROI). While ROI serves as a crucial indicator of financial performance, it often fails to capture the full spectrum of PR’s impact on brand reputation, audience engagement, and overall organisational goals. In the multifaceted landscape of PR metrics, it is important dive into alternative benchmarks that hold equal significance in assessing campaign efficacy. By understanding the importance of these metrics, PR professionals can craft more comprehensive strategies and demonstrate the true value of their efforts to stakeholders.While ROI remains a key performance indicator, PR success extends beyond the bottom line, says Jyotsna Dash Nanda. “Measuring media reach, sentiment analysis, social engagement, and website traffic paint a more comprehensive picture. These metrics reveal brand visibility, audience perception, and the impact of PR efforts on business objectives.”According to Tarunjeet Rattan, Managing Partner, Nucleus PR, while measuring success, PR professionals can also add these to the report to add additional layers:Social Media TrafficDigital Platform AnalyticsGoogle AnalyticsWebsite TrafficMarket ResearchOnline Listening Reports“Each of these metrics serves as an indicator of the reputation the PR team strives to cultivate for the brand. The availability of comprehensive data allows for thorough analysis, empowering the team to leverage insights effectively and demonstrate the tangible impact of PR efforts. However, challenges arise when data is scarce or inaccessible, compounded by limited resources for investing in necessary tools. In such scenarios, the team may find themselves reliant solely on media coverage to justify their presence and contributions, highlighting the critical importance of accessible data and adequate support for achieving ROI goals,” says Rattan.Like other forms of communication, PR too, can never lay its claim on ROI (transaction), says Siddhartha Mukherjee.“However, it can and should claim its stake in ROO (Returns of Objective); in other words, measurement data that showcase change of thinking within target audiences. To achieve ROO as the outcome, the entire PR Measurement framework - INPUT-OUTPUT-OUTCOME - needs to be strengthened and leveraged very efficiently. Each block of Input, Output, and Outcome will need to have an intricate series of metrics. To sprinkle a few:PR Input should work towards balancing and target setting metrics such as reach, frequency, sustenance, emotion, multimedia, etc.Preference for monthly as against quarterly planning cycle.Junking the AVE cancer.To evaluate the visibility quotient, preference for holistic index scores as against count of articles or space...and so on,” Mukherjee explains.

Part 2 - In today’s data-driven world, public relations (PR) professionals are under increasing pressure to demonstrate the true impact of their campaigns. Gone are the days of relying solely on vanity metrics like follower counts and press mentions. Companies are demanding a more holistic understanding of how PR efforts translate into tangible business results. The second part of this series dives into the exciting realm of emerging metrics and frameworks that are revolutionizing PR measurement. Adgully will explore innovative approaches that capture a broader picture of PR’s influence, encompassing brand sentiment, audience engagement, and ultimately, driving business objectives. The report will also investigate the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in PR measurement, examining how AI can automate tasks, analyze vast datasets, and unlock deeper insights into campaign effectiveness.Forget just counting clips! The new wave of PR measurement goes beyond vanity metrics to understand the true impact of your story, observes Jyotsna Dash Nanda, AVP, Corporate Communications, DS Group. With a Media Impact Score that considers journalist clout and publication weight, you can ditch the brag sheet and focus on real influence, she adds. According to her, a Relevance Index ensures your message resonates with the right audience, while a Rank Index tracks your climb to the top of search results.“Engagement metrics show you how your audience is interacting, and Share of Narrative analysis reveals if your brand's story is cutting through the noise. PR measurement should focus on user engagement (clicks, shares, comments), website traffic conversion (sales, sign-ups) driven by PR efforts, and social listening to gauge brand sentiment and identify brand advocates. This data-driven approach demonstrates the true impact of PR on brand perception, audience engagement, and ultimately, business objectives. In today’s media landscape, it is not just about getting mentioned, it is about getting heard,” says Nanda.According to Jyotsna Dash Nanda, some emerging frameworks are:AMEC Framework: A widely used model that goes beyond outputs (media placements) to consider outcomes (changes in awareness, perception) and impacts (on business goals).PESO Model: A strategic framework classifying media channels (Paid, Earned, Shared, Owned) to understand how different elements work together to achieve PR goals.RACE Framework: A results-oriented approach focusing on Reach, Act, Convert, and Engage to measure the user journey influenced by PR efforts.She adds that these metrics and frameworks offer a more comprehensive understanding of PR’s effectiveness by prioritizing quality over quantity. “They go beyond simply counting media mentions to analyse the influence and relevance of the coverage. Additionally, these methods connect PR efforts directly to business goals by tracking website traffic, lead generation, and ultimately, sales. This data-driven approach also provides valuable insights into audience behaviour, revealing how audiences engage with PR content.”Traditional PR metrics, such as AVE, measuring media articles, brand mentions, or now even “potential reach” and “impressions” in isolation, do not define the actual audience reached or provide any subsequent internal engagement with your organisation, remarks Anup Sharma, Independent PR & Strategic Communications Consultant.He feels that focusing solely on media measurement provides an incomplete picture. Similarly, he adds, brand awareness cannot be seen as a metric for measuring a PR campaign as it should be viewed as an outcome of effective PR and marketing campaigns.According to him, most media monitoring tools do not integrate traditional media monitoring and social media monitoring, or do a poor job of integration. However, he adds, new platforms can now perform both functions well and integrate different data streams from traditional media, social media, as well as internal communications into a single dashboard.“Engagement metrics tell how the earned content resonates with the target audience and while calculating the same, it's important to also take sentiment analysis into account. With the right success measurements, organisations can refine communication strategies and show exactly how much the PR effort contributes to overall brand success. PR and communication professionals need to take a look at the bigger picture and use other metrics such as brand equity, brand engagement, and brand sentiment to better understand the impact of their brand in the market. In order to truly measure success, it is important to track organisational outcomes such as sales, customer retention, brand loyalty, and market share. These metrics will give you a more complete picture of brand performance. The blurring line between paid and earned media creates the issue of credibility and trust in communication. Now, with the work scope of a Public Relations consultancy growing beyond just media management relations, not every aspect of communication outreach being managed by the PR firm can be quantitatively measured,” says Anup Sharma.Digital PR metrics such as website domain authority, traffic to website and SEO ranking are now well-established metrics and are almost a must in PR measurement, points out Sumathi Chari, Senior Partner & Director, PRHUB. The advantage, according to her, is that they are more tangible compared to traditional metrics and are easier to align to desired business outcomes.She feels that an “integrated measurement” framework is critical in the future to assess the holistic impact a PR campaign has on the brand and business, one that measures across traditional, digital and social media amplification, that measures both quantitative metrics such as reach and impressions combined with qualitative parameters such as the messaging, tonality, engagement, reach to the right TG, alignment of content to TG, among others.Finally, says Chari, these metrics need to be brought together and analyzed comprehensively. “This analysis aims to extract key insights and define the campaign’s impact on the organisation/ brand in three key areas. The deeper we delve, the more effective we will be in defining the RoI and the impact of the PR campaign on the brand,” she adds.According to Siddhartha Mukherjee, Founder of Brand Balance, there are more than five unique advantages of PR measurement. However, for this, the measurement framework needs to be designed, executed, and sustained scientifically.“The measurement framework is a reflection of the way the human brain functions! Over the years, globally, various nomenclatures have been used to visualize a framework, such as - INPUT-OUTPUT-OUTCOME or EXPOSURE-ENGAGEMENT-CONVERSION. In fact, AMEC (the International Association of Measurement & Evaluation of Communication) has detailed it further as INPUT-OUTPUT-OUTTAKES-OUTCOME-IMPACT. AMEC is making a lot of effort globally to simplify the subject of PR measurement and ensure that it is well-embedded in PR Industries across countries around the world,” he adds.AI and measurementWill AI play a key role in measuring in the days to come?Yes, AI will play a huge role, and we are hoping for the best, especially in PR measurement, says Tarunjeet Rattan, Managing Partner, Nucleus PR.“One promising emerging metric that offers a more holistic view of PR’s impact on business objectives is overlaying the PR timeline with the sales graph. This combined view can resonate with both CFOs (Chief Financial Officers) and CMOs (Chief Marketing Officers). This done consistently over a period of 4-5 years will start showcasing the impact on each other and has proved to be very effective. Now, the PR graph tracks only the hits (media and non-media) typically. But the more you add to it and start studying the interplay between both tracks, it becomes more clear to both teams on what and how PR is impacting the bottom line. Add a sentiment analysis and a vox pop feedback with key stakeholders to this mix and you have an impressive ROI document. While you create this, remember this is an annual document and not a monthly or quarterly one either. We have done this effectively for brands we work with and it was very well received,” Rattan explains.According to Siddhartha Mukherjee, AI and tech-enabled interventions have amazing potential to upgrade the PR and measurement machinery of an organisation from a cost center to a revenue center. “It can contribute immensely across the PR framework, especially PR INPUT. This first block of the measurement framework itself has around seven different cogs such as listening, benchmarking, target setting, content bank, etc. Technology can bring in a lot of ease and preparedness,” he adds.Jyotsna Dash Nanda is certain that AI will likely be key in future PR measurement. AI can analyse vast amounts of data to identify sentiment, track brand advocacy, and measure the influence of earned media, providing a more comprehensive picture of PR’s impact.Anup Sharma suggests that in order to continue to stay relevant, PR firms will need to rely on big data and artificial intelligence not only for predicting audience interests, but also to move the needle towards credible engagement. PR can gain greater respect and credibility by using realistic metrics that produce credible data and that are tied to business outcomes.(Tomorrow, Part 3 of this series will cover how PR professionals can isolate and measure the specific impact of their campaigns amidst a mix of marketing activities, as well as other valuable metrics that PR professionals should consider when measuring success.)

In the dynamic world of public relations (PR), measurement has long been a cornerstone for assessing success and guiding strategies. Yet, behind the veil of traditional PR metrics lies a fundamental challenge: the inability to capture the true impact of PR efforts. While metrics like media impressions, social media followers, and website traffic offer numerical snapshots of visibility and reach, they often fall short in revealing the deeper resonance and influence of PR initiatives.Almost half of all PR professionals, according to Muck Rack’s ‘2022 State of PR’ report, are looking for ways to measure the impact of their work. This desire is strong across the industry, with 49% of agency professionals and 45% of those on the brand side emphasizing the importance of “producing measurable results” to show the value of PR within their organisations.This focus on measurement isn’t surprising. Traditionally, PR efforts were judged on less tangible factors like brand awareness or media mentions. However, in today’s data-driven world, executives are demanding concrete evidence of PR’s contribution to the bottom line. By showcasing metrics like website traffic increases, lead generation, or positive sentiment analysis, PR professionals can demonstrate a direct return on investment (ROI) and secure a stronger seat at the decision-making table. This shift towards data-driven PR allows for more targeted campaigns, budget optimization, and a clearer understanding of what truly resonates with target audiences.Indeed, the landscape of media consumption has undergone a profound transformation, rendering traditional metrics that emphasize reach and ad equivalence of coverage increasingly obsolete. In today’s fast-paced and ever-evolving media environment, consumers are no longer passive recipients of information but active participants who consume content on the go and selectively engage with what resonates with them.Traditional metricsSo, what are the limitations of traditional PR metrics? How do they fail to capture the true impact of PR efforts?In this three-part series, Adgully embarks on a journey to unravel the limitations of traditional PR metrics, exploring how they obscure rather than illuminate the real value that PR brings to the table. The attempt is to delve into the nuances of measurement in PR, emerging metrics, the role of AI, etc.There are tangible and intangible elements to every PR campaign, says Tarunjeet Rattan, Managing Partner, Nucleus PR. According to her, a lot of the effort of traditional PR metrics only aims to capture the tangible elements of work done, ignoring all the conversations, effort, and planning put in to arrive at it and completely ignores the other intangible elements.“While the entire industry worldwide has tried with various degrees of success to measure the tangible impact PR creates and put it in excel sheets, graphs, charts and PPTs, it is like trying to hold on to water. It takes the shape of whichever container it sees and changes shape with the next. Similarly, a matrix that is tweaked to one client will change for the next. There are efforts to bring in standardization in all these methods, but it is a tough job. Something almost always gets left behind. Today, every agency has a different matrix. With the advent of AI, we are hoping to be able to create something more all-encompassing for the tangible results. The intangible ones, however, are a whole different story,” says Rattan.Public Relations is all about how your brand is represented in various outlets as earned media, and PR measurement is the process of measuring the impact of this earned media coverage on your brand, notes Anup Sharma, Independent PR & Strategic Communications Consultant.For all organisations, Sharma reckons, it is essential to understand how best to measure the success of their PR campaigns in order to demonstrate a return on investment. However, he adds, measuring the outcomes is hard as attributing them to PR campaigns is not easy.“While in the digital world with modern tools, keeping track of who mentions you, where, and how is possible, not all PR impact is directly quantifiable. Also, given the converged nature of communications today, earned content also appears on social media and falls into the blurred zone of earned media coverage or shared or both. There is no one, widely agreed method of measuring earned media value, and the trend of PR measurement as a topic has always been discussed and debated. The AMEC framework is the most widely adopted process for measuring and evaluating communications, as this focuses on capturing all outputs and outtakes, with a particular emphasis on organisational impact,” Sharma explains.Traditional metrics primarily focus on reach and ad equivalence of coverage, says Sumathi Chari, Senior Partner & Director, PRHUB. However, she adds, in today’s evolved and continually changing media landscape, this emphasis is irrelevant. Today, readers consume content on the go and choose the content they want to read or engage with.“At the same time, the scope of PR in a digital, multi-media environment has broadened, and limiting measurement to brand reach or a few other standalone metrics will dilute the larger impact of PR on businesses and organisations,” she adds.“My observation is that very few within our industry are genuinely practicing and leveraging effective PR measurement,” opines Siddhartha Mukherjee, Founder of Brand Balance, a measurement and data analytics-led corporate brand reputation and ERP management consultancy.He states that the definition and visualization of PR measurement are influenced by our perception of PR. Its construct differs depending on how the top management of organisations perceives and leverages it.“For some, it is merely seen as a news dispatch or management tool, a perspective prevalent among a significant portion of organisations. However, another category of organisations exists where CEOs, CFOs, CMOs, and CHROs view PR as a strategic tool for brand reputation and valuation management. This disparity in the thought process among the end customers of PR forms the foundation for the current state of PR measurement,” says Mukherjee.The prevailing trend Mukherjee has observed in the measurement templates utilized by both clients and service providers tends to skew towards traditional PR monitoring. According to him, it is imperative for custodians to discern between PR measurement and monitoring. Monitoring, he adds, primarily revolves around conducting daily and monthly assessments to gauge the quantity and quality of media visibility for corporate and product brands, as well as developments within the business ecosystem.“However, measurement presents a broader and more strategic approach. It focuses on ensuring that every PR effort conceived and executed contributes to enhancing brand and business metrics, ultimately reflecting in Return on Objectives (ROO). This delineates PR measurement as a linear structure encompassing PR INPUT, PR OUTPUT, and PR OUTCOME. Undoubtedly, this framework requires the backing of a meticulously designed framework of ERPs - efforts, resources, and processes - to effectively measure the impact and value of PR initiatives,” adds Mukherjee.Jyotsna Dash Nanda, AVP, Corporate Communications, DS Group, reckons that traditional PR metrics lack insight into the “why” behind the “what” – they track results but not resonance. Instead, she adds, they often fixate on vanity metrics that fail to provide a comprehensive narrative.According to her, here’s how they fall short, along with some future-oriented approaches:Limitations:Impressions/Reach: These metrics (e.g., number of people who saw a press release) show exposure, but not engagement (Did they read it? Did it resonate?)Example: A press release gets published in a major newspaper, reaching millions. But if the writing is bland or the placement irrelevant, it might have minimal impact.Advertising Value Equivalency (AVE): This assigns a dollar value to media coverage, assuming it's the same as paid advertising. This is widely criticized as inaccurate.Example: A company claims an AVE of $100,000 for a positive article. However, no guarantee paid advertising for that amount would have had the same impact (or any impact at all).Sentiment Analysis (basic): Traditional methods might simply categorize sentiment as positive, negative, or neutral. This misses nuance.Example: An article mentions a company but doesn't explicitly recommend it. Basic sentiment analysis might miss the opportunity to understand the context and potential impact.According to her, it is also important to gauge performance vis-à-vis competition.(Tomorrow: Part 2 of this report will delve into emerging metrics for a comprehensive understanding of PR’s impact and the role of AI in measurement.)

Authored by Jyotsna Dash Nanda, AVP, Corporate Communications, DS GroupThe ever-shrinking window for effective crisis response demands a paradigm shift in communication strategies. Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing crisis management with its generative power. Throughout all phases of a crisis, from proactively assessing risks to expediting response and optimizing recovery, AI offers data-driven solutions that can be harnessed for significant improvement.The exploration of AI's application in crisis communication is not only opportune but essential, particularly in an age characterized by increasingly compressed response windows during crises. In the age of information overload, vast amounts of data are readily available. Big data encompasses information in various formats, from structured databases to social media posts and sensor readings. This data requires advanced tools for processing and analysis. Crisis communication professionals can leverage AI to analyse the data to gain a comprehensive understanding of a developing crisis in real time. By analyzing social media feeds, news reports, and sensor networks, they can pinpoint the affected areas and demographics, allowing for targeted communication strategies. Additionally, AI allows for monitoring public sentiment through social media analysis. This reveals anxieties and concerns, enabling tailored messaging and swift action against misinformation. Predictive analytics, a powerful AI application, can also analyze historical data to identify potential crises before they erupt. This empowers organizations and corporate communicators to take proactive measures, mitigating potential damage and fostering preparedness.Furthermore, AI-powered audience segmentation allows for targeted communication strategies. By analyzing data on demographics and past interactions, organizations can tailor messages to resonate directly with those most affected. This ensures crucial information reaches the right people at the right time.AI offers a robust suite of functionalities that enhance crisis communication on multiple fronts. Chatbots powered by AI can provide 24/7 information and support to affected individuals, alleviating pressure on call centers. Additionally, AI can automate the generation of targeted messages for various platforms, ensuring consistent and timely communication across all channels.Social media analysis is another area where AI shines. By analyzing public sentiment, AI can reveal anxieties and concerns, enabling organizations to tailor messaging and swiftly counter misinformation. This fosters trust and transparency, critical elements in crisis communication.Beyond the Data, the Human Element is very important. While AI offers significant advantages, it's crucial to acknowledge the unique role of human expertise. AI may struggle to grasp the emotional nuances of a crisis. Human communicators can tailor messages with empathy and understanding, a crucial element in building trust with the public. Crises often demand complex decisions that require human judgment. AI can provide valuable data-driven insights, but ultimately, humans must make the final call. Transparency and accountability are paramount throughout the process. Organizations must be upfront about their use of AI and build trust with the public.Generative AI allows us to move beyond traditional methods and develop data-driven communication strategies. Predictive analytics, a powerful AI application, can analyze historical data and identify potential crisis situations before they erupt. This empowers organizations to take proactive measures, mitigating potential damage and fostering preparedness. Furthermore, AI-powered audience segmentation helps tailor communication to specific demographics, ensuring messages resonate directly with those most affected.Discussions around AI in crisis communication highlight both its potential and the challenges it presents. Indian case studies, showcasing real-world applications, are scarce, but ongoing research is bridging this gap. AI in crisis communication extends beyond its immediate applications. We must consider its broader societal impact. Reskilling and upskilling initiatives are crucial to prepare the workforce for the changing landscape of AI automation. Additionally, the need for training spokespersons in using AI tools like Perplexity and Yoddle is emphasized. These tools can assist with crafting compelling narratives and managing communication flow during a crisis.Some of the other considerations include the challenges of data analysis, inherent data bias, security concerns, limitations in emotional intelligence, and transparency issues. Additionally, security concerns surrounding data privacy and misuse necessitate robust data protection regulations. Additionally, AI's limitations in emotional intelligence must be acknowledged. While AI excels at data analysis, it cannot replicate human empathy. Effective crisis communication requires a human touch to convey sincerity and build trust.By combining human expertise with AI's rapid analysis capabilities, organizations and communication professionals can significantly accelerate critical decision-making during a crisis. AI presents a transformative opportunity for crisis communication. By harnessing its power to generate data-driven strategies and fostering responsible development, organizations can navigate crises with greater agility and effectiveness. By acknowledging both the potential and the challenges, we can ensure AI becomes a force for good, building trust and fostering resilience in a rapidly changing world.

In the high-octane world of marketing, Public Relations (PR) often plays a vital role. It shapes brand perception, cultivates positive media coverage, and fosters valuable relationships with stakeholders. But unlike flashy ad campaigns or targeted social media blitzes, PR's impact can be subtle yet significant. The challenge? Isolating and measuring its success amidst a symphony of marketing efforts. The third and final part of this series dives into the strategies PR professionals use to quantify their contributions, proving the power of strategic communication in today's dynamic marketing landscape.Jyotsna Dash Nanda, AVP, Corporate Communications, DS Group, feels that isolating the specific impact of PR campaigns within a broader marketing mix can be challenging. However, she adds, several methods can help PR professionals measure their contribution. One approach, according to her, is to utilize marketing mix modeling (MMM) which employs statistical techniques to quantify the independent effect of each marketing channel, including PR, on sales or other key metrics (Farris et al., 2010).<img src='https://erp.adgully.me/artical_image\a379b77727dbfd4a27395d5d756dfe43.png' class='content_image'>“PR professionals can also track campaign-specific metrics like brand mentions with positive sentiment before, during, and after the campaign to isolate its influence (Kitchen et al., 2017). Additionally, utilizing unique UTM parameters (Urchin Tracking Module) in press releases or social media posts linked to PR efforts allows for tracking website traffic specifically driven by the campaign (Smith, 2020). By employing a combination of these methods, PR professionals can gain a clearer picture of their campaigns' impact within the wider marketing ecosystem.”ReferencesFarris, P. W., Bendle, N. T., Pfeifer, P. E., & Reibstein, D. J. (2010). Marketing metrics: The definitive guide to measuring marketing performance. Prentice Hall.Kitchen, P., Schultz, D. E., & Vance, C. (2017). Measuring public relations: Techniques and applications. Routledge.Smith, P. (2020). UTM parameters: The ultimate guide for marketers. Search Engine Land: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/61640592/how-to-pass-the-search-query-to-the-landing-page-url-of-a-google-ads-searchIn an increasingly converging and integrated communication universe, this could be challenging and the metrics do overlap at times, observes Sumathi Chari, Sr. Partner & Director, PRHUB. "Having said that, public relations (PR) fundamentally revolves around storytelling. It gains traction naturally when shared by impartial voices unconnected to the brand or its campaigns. Therefore, the extent to which we can cultivate and attract attention through compelling narratives will consistently serve as a pivotal and unique metric for evaluation," she says.<img src='https://erp.adgully.me/artical_image\f7ba3a63fcfb8ef976744348b2649ad0.png' class='content_image'>First and foremost, says Siddhartha Mukherjee, founder of Brand Balance, PR is not limited to supporting the CMO and the marketing team of the organisation alone. According to him, its capability and the real scope of work are much larger and more complex. In fact, he adds, the actual capability of what PR is meant to do gets amplified when PR works with the CEO and all other CXOs. Hence, PR does not just work for the marketing of products or services of a brand alone but also the employer brand, investor brand, vendor and partner brand, government brand, and so on.<img src='https://erp.adgully.me/artical_image\8cbbe92ceca4e5ebfb9f5b8e5b29f21b.png' class='content_image'>“Talking specifically about measurement in marketing campaigns, it is first important to understand PR's amazing potential to strengthen the marketing campaigns across the pre, during, and Post phases. In fact, if one studies the data of various marketing campaigns across industries, it will be observed that very few have made judicious use of PR in all three phases across pre, during, and post. In most of the cases, PR's recall by the marketing team has been at the 11th hour, and therefore, its intervention got restricted to 'during' or the ‘launch’ or ‘announcement’ phase only. If PR is leveraged properly with scientific ERPs - efforts, resources, and processes, its measurement will reveal amazing results in the outcome stage of the measurement framework. Paid and earned stimuli can be separately linked with the strengthening of brand recall and engagement scores,” Mukherjee explains.Beyond ROI: Exploring Vital Metrics in MeasurementIn the realm of PR, measuring success extends far beyond the traditional confines of Return on Investment (ROI). While ROI serves as a crucial indicator of financial performance, it often fails to capture the full spectrum of PR's impact on brand reputation, audience engagement, and overall organisational goals. In the multifaceted landscape of PR metrics, it is important dive into alternative benchmarks that hold equal significance in assessing campaign efficacy. By understanding the importance of these metrics, PR professionals can craft more comprehensive strategies and demonstrate the true value of their efforts to stakeholders.While ROI remains a key performance indicator, PR success extends beyond the bottom line, says Jyotsna Dash Nanda. “Measuring media reach, sentiment analysis, social engagement, and website traffic paint a more comprehensive picture. These metrics reveal brand visibility, audience perception, and the impact of PR efforts on business objectives.”According to Tarunjeet Rattan, Managing Partner, Nucleus PR, while measuring success, PR professionals can also add these to the report to add additional layers:Social Media TrafficDigital Platform AnalyticsGoogle AnalyticsWebsite TrafficMarket ResearchOnline Listening Reports“Each of these metrics serves as an indicator of the reputation the PR team strives to cultivate for the brand. The availability of comprehensive data allows for thorough analysis, empowering the team to leverage insights effectively and demonstrate the tangible impact of PR efforts. However, challenges arise when data is scarce or inaccessible, compounded by limited resources for investing in necessary tools. In such scenarios, the team may find themselves reliant solely on media coverage to justify their presence and contributions, highlighting the critical importance of accessible data and adequate support for achieving ROI goals,” says Rattan. <img src='https://erp.adgully.me/artical_image\e82aa403b495c06e50a425187f67245a.png' class='content_image'>Like other forms of communication, PR too, can never lay its claim on ROI (transaction), says Siddhartha Mukherjee.“However, it can and should claim its stake in ROO (Returns of Objective); in other words, measurement data that showcase change of thinking within target audiences. To achieve ROO as the outcome, the entire PR Measurement framework - INPUT-OUTPUT-OUTCOME - needs to be strengthened and leveraged very efficiently. Each block of Input, Output, and Outcome will need to have an intricate series of metrics. To sprinkle a few - a) PR Input should work towards balancing and target setting metrics such as reach, frequency, sustenance, emotion, multimedia, etc. b) preference for monthly as against quarterly planning cycle c) junking the AVE cancer d) To evaluate the visibility quotient, preference for holistic index scores as against count of articles or space...and so on,” Mukherjee explains.(Concluded)Read the first two parts here: https://theprpost.com/post/6208/beyond-buzz-why-traditional-pr-metrics-dont-tell-the-whole-story-part-1https://theprpost.com/post/6218/beyond-likes-and-shares-measuring-prs-impact-in-the-age-of-ai-part-2

In today's data-driven world, public relations (PR) professionals are under increasing pressure to demonstrate the true impact of their campaigns. Gone are the days of relying solely on vanity metrics like follower counts and press mentions. Companies are demanding a more holistic understanding of how PR efforts translate into tangible business results.The second part of this series dives into the exciting realm of emerging metrics and frameworks that are revolutionizing PR measurement. We'll explore innovative approaches that capture a broader picture of PR's influence, encompassing brand sentiment, audience engagement, and ultimately, driving business objectives. We'll also investigate the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in PR measurement, examining how AI can automate tasks, analyze vast datasets, and unlock deeper insights into campaign effectiveness.Forget just counting clips! The new wave of PR measurement goes beyond vanity metrics to understand the true impact of your story, observes Jyotsna Dash Nanda, AVP, Corporate Communications, DS Group.<img src='https://erp.adgully.me/artical_image\1af7160453db4551954a8ff6b6a4516e.png' class='content_image'>Sharing her insights on this, she adds: “With a Media Impact Score that considers journalist clout and publication weight, you can ditch the brag sheet and focus on real influence. A Relevance Index ensures your message resonates with the right audience, while a Rank Index tracks your climb to the top of search results. Engagement metrics show you how your audience is interacting, and Share of Narrative analysis reveals if your brand's story is cutting through the noise. PR measurement should focus on user engagement (clicks, shares, comments), website traffic conversion (sales, sign-ups) driven by PR efforts, and social listening to gauge brand sentiment and identify brand advocates. This data-driven approach demonstrates the true impact of PR on brand perception, audience engagement, and ultimately, business objectives. In today's media landscape, it's not just about getting mentioned, it's about getting heard.”According to her, some emerging frameworks are:AMEC Framework: A widely used model that goes beyond outputs (media placements) to consider outcomes (changes in awareness, perception) and impacts (on business goals).PESO Model: A strategic framework classifying media channels (Paid, Earned, Shared, Owned) to understand how different elements work together to achieve PR goals.RACE Framework: A results-oriented approach focusing on Reach, Act, Convert, and Engage to measure the user journey influenced by PR efforts.According to Jyotsna Dash Nanda, these metrics and frameworks offer a more comprehensive understanding of PR's effectiveness by prioritizing quality over quantity. “They go beyond simply counting media mentions to analyse the influence and relevance of the coverage. Additionally, these methods connect PR efforts directly to business goals by tracking website traffic, lead generation, and ultimately, sales. This data-driven approach also provides valuable insights into audience behaviour, revealing how audiences engage with PR content.”Traditional PR metrics, such as AVE, measuring media articles, brand mentions, or now even “potential reach” and “impressions” in isolation, do not define the actual audience reached or provide any subsequent internal engagement with your organisation, says Anup Sharma, Independent PR & Strategic Communications Consultant.<img src='https://erp.adgully.me/artical_image\e708b698f5e4345815d1a4031057072b.png' class='content_image'>He feels that focusing solely on media measurement provides an incomplete picture. Similarly, he adds, brand awareness cannot be seen as a metric for measuring a PR campaign as it should be viewed as an outcome of effective PR and marketing campaigns.According to him, most media monitoring tools do not integrate traditional media monitoring and social media monitoring, or do a poor job of integration. However, he adds, new platforms can now perform both functions well and integrate different data streams from traditional media, social media, as well as internal communications into a single dashboard.“Engagement metrics tell how the earned content resonates with the target audience and while calculating the same, it's important to also take sentiment analysis into account. With the right success measurements, organisations can refine communication strategies and show exactly how much the PR effort contributes to overall brand success. PR and communication professionals need to take a look at the bigger picture and use other metrics such as brand equity, brand engagement, and brand sentiment to better understand the impact of their brand in the market. In order to truly measure success, it is important to track organisational outcomes such as sales, customer retention, brand loyalty, and market share. These metrics will give you a more complete picture of brand performance. The blurring line between paid and earned media creates the issue of credibility and trust in communication. Now, with the work scope of a Public Relations consultancy growing beyond just media management relations, not every aspect of communication outreach being managed by the PR firm can be quantitatively measured,” says Anup Sharma.Digital PR metrics such as website domain authority, traffic to website and SEO ranking are now well-established metrics and are almost a must in PR measurement, says Sumathi Chari, Sr. Partner & Director, PRHUB. The advantage, according to her, is they are more tangible compared to traditional metrics and are easier to align to desired business outcomes.<img src='https://erp.adgully.me/artical_image\b6b9fc7a212bee0a137a41c366669436.png' class='content_image'>She feels that an 'integrated measurement' framework is critical in the future to assess the holistic impact a PR campaign has on the brand and business, one that measures across traditional, digital and social media amplification, that measures both quantitative metrics such as reach and impressions combined with qualitative parameters such as the messaging, tonality, engagement, reach to the right TG, alignment of content to TG, among others.Finally, says Chari, these metrics need to be brought together and analyzed comprehensively. “This analysis aims to extract key insights and define the campaign's impact on the organisation/brand in three key areas. The deeper we delve, the more effective we will be in defining the RoI and the impact of the PR campaign on the brand,” she adds.According to Siddhartha Mukherjee, founder of Brand Balance, there are more than five unique advantages of PR measurement. However, for this, the measurement framework needs to be designed, executed, and sustained scientifically.<img src='https://erp.adgully.me/artical_image\867f5843ffc3b685b187da33d3491bfe.png' class='content_image'>“The measurement framework is a reflection of the way the human brain functions! Over the years, globally, various nomenclatures have been used to visualize a framework, such as - INPUT-OUTPUT-OUTCOME or EXPOSURE-ENGAGEMENT-CONVERSION. In fact, AMEC (the International Association of Measurement & Evaluation of Communication) has detailed it further as INPUT-OUTPUT-OUTTAKES-OUTCOME-IMPACT. AMEC is making a lot of effort globally to simplify the subject of PR measurement and ensure that it is well-embedded in PR Industries across countries around the world,” he adds.AIand PR Will AI play a key role in measuring in the days to come?Yes, AI will play a huge role, and we are hoping for the best, especially in PR measurement, says Tarunjeet Rattan, Managing Partner, Nucleus PR.<img src='https://erp.adgully.me/artical_image\fbab4f034452821461fb3d38283ed8f0.png' class='content_image'>“One promising emerging metric that offers a more holistic view of PR's impact on business objectives is overlaying the PR timeline with the sales graph. This combined view can resonate with both CFOs (Chief Financial Officers) and CMOs (Chief Marketing Officers). This done consistently over a period of 4-5 years will start showcasing the impact on each other and has proved to be very effective. Now the PR graph tracks only the hits (media and non-media) typically. But the more you add to it and start studying the interplay between both tracks, it becomes more clear to both teams on what and how PR is impacting the bottom line. Add a sentiment analysis and a vox pop feedback with key stakeholders to this mix and you have an impressive ROI document. While you create this, remember this is an annual document and not a monthly or quarterly one either. We have done this effectively for brands we work with and it was very well received,” Rattan explains.According to  Siddhartha Mukherjee, AI and tech-enabled interventions have amazing potential to upgrade the PR & measurement machinery of an organisation from a cost center to a revenue center. “It can contribute immensely across the PR framework, especially PR INPUT. This first block of the measurement framework itself has around seven different cogs such as listening, benchmarking, target setting, content bank, etc. Technology can bring in a lot of ease and preparedness,” he adds.Jyotsna Dash Nanda is certain that AI will likely be key in future PR measurement. AI can analyse vast amounts of data to identify sentiment, track brand advocacy, and measure the influence of earned media, providing a more comprehensive picture of PR's impact.Anup Sharma suggests that in order to continue to stay relevant, PR firms will need to rely on big data and artificial intelligence not only for predicting audience interests but also to move the needle towards credible engagement. PR can gain greater respect and credibility by using realistic metrics that produce credible data and that are tied to business outcomes.(Tomorrow, Part 3 of this series will cover how PR professionals can isolate and measure the specific impact of their campaigns amidst a mix of marketing activities, as well as other valuable metrics that PR professionals should consider when measuring success.)Image by GraphicMama-team from Pixabay

In the dynamic world of public relations (PR), measurement has long been a cornerstone for assessing success and guiding strategies. Yet, behind the veil of traditional PR metrics lies a fundamental challenge: the inability to capture the true impact of PR efforts. While metrics like media impressions, social media followers, and website traffic offer numerical snapshots of visibility and reach, they often fall short in revealing the deeper resonance and influence of PR initiatives.Almost half of all PR professionals, according to Muck Rack's 2022 State of PR report, are looking for ways to measure the impact of their work. This desire is strong across the industry, with 49% of agency professionals and 45% of those on the brand side emphasizing the importance of "producing measurable results" to show the value of PR within their organisations.This focus on measurement isn't surprising. Traditionally, PR efforts were judged on less tangible factors like brand awareness or media mentions. However, in today's data-driven world, executives are demanding concrete evidence of PR's contribution to the bottom line. By showcasing metrics like website traffic increases, lead generation, or positive sentiment analysis, PR professionals can demonstrate a direct return on investment (ROI) and secure a stronger seat at the decision-making table. This shift towards data-driven PR allows for more targeted campaigns, budget optimization, and a clearer understanding of what truly resonates with target audiences.Indeed, the landscape of media consumption has undergone a profound transformation, rendering traditional metrics that emphasize reach and ad equivalence of coverage increasingly obsolete. In today's fast-paced and ever-evolving media environment, consumers are no longer passive recipients of information but active participants who consume content on the go and selectively engage with what resonates with them.Traditional metricsSo, what are the limitations of traditional PR metrics? How do they fail to capture the true impact of PR efforts?In this three-part series, The PR POST embarks on a journey to unravel the limitations of traditional PR metrics, exploring how they obscure rather than illuminate the real value that PR brings to the table. The attempt is to delve into the nuances of measurement in PR, emerging metrics, the role of AI, etc.There are tangible and intangible elements to every PR campaign, says Tarunjeet Rattan, Managing Partner, Nucleus PR.According to him, a lot of the effort of traditional PR metrics only aims to capture the tangible elements of work done, ignoring all the conversations, effort, and planning put in to arrive at it and completely ignores the other intangible elements.“While the entire industry worldwide has tried with various degrees of success to measure the tangible impact PR creates and put it in excel sheets, graphs, charts and PPTs, it is like trying to hold on to water. It takes the shape of whichever container it sees and changes shape with the next. Similarly, a matrix that is tweaked to one client will change for the next. There are efforts to bring in standardization in all these methods, but it is a tough job. Something almost always gets left behind. Today, every agency has a different matrix. With the advent of AI, we are hoping to be able to create something more all-encompassing for tangible results. The intangible ones, however, are a whole different story,” says Rattan.Public Relations is all about how your brand is represented in various outlets as earned media, and PR measurement is the process of measuring the impact of this earned media coverage on your brand, says Anup Sharma, Independent PR & Strategic Communications Consultant.For all organisations, Sharma reckons, it's essential to understand how best to measure the success of their PR campaigns in order to demonstrate a return on investment. However, he adds, measuring the outcomes is hard as attributing them to PR campaigns is not easy.“While in the digital world with modern tools, keeping track of who mentions you, where, and how is possible, not all PR impact is directly quantifiable. Also, given the converged nature of communications today, earned content also appears on social media and falls into the blurred zone of earned media coverage or shared or both. There is no one, widely agreed method of measuring earned media value, and the trend of PR measurement as a topic has always been discussed and debated. The AMEC framework is the most widely adopted process for measuring and evaluating communications, as this focuses on capturing all outputs and outtakes, with a particular emphasis on organisational impact,” Sharma explains.Traditional metrics primarily focus on reach and ad equivalence of coverage, says Sumathi Chari, Senior Partner & Director, PRHUB. However, she adds, in today’s evolved and continually changing media landscape, this emphasis is irrelevant. Today, readers consume content on the go and choose the content they want to read or engage with.“At the same time, the scope of PR in a digital, multi-media environment has broadened, and limiting measurement to brand reach or a few other standalone metrics will dilute the larger impact of PR on businesses and organisations,” she adds.My observation is that very few within our industry are genuinely practicing and leveraging effective PR measurement, opines Siddhartha Mukherjee, founder of Brand Balance, a measurement & data analytics-led corporate brand reputation and ERP management consultancy.He states that the definition and visualization of PR measurement are influenced by our perception of PR. Its construct differs depending on how the top management of organisations perceives and leverages it.“For some, it is merely seen as a news dispatch or management tool, a perspective prevalent among a significant portion of organisations. However, another category of organisations exists where CEOs, CFOs, CMOs, and CHROs view PR as a strategic tool for brand reputation and valuation management. This disparity in the thought process among the end customers of PR forms the foundation for the current state of PR measurement,” says Mukherjee.The prevailing trend Mukherjee has observed in the measurement templates utilized by both clients and service providers tends to skew towards traditional PR monitoring. According to him it is imperative for custodians to discern between PR measurement and monitoring. Monitoring, he adds, primarily revolves around conducting daily and monthly assessments to gauge the quantity and quality of media visibility for corporate and product brands, as well as developments within the business ecosystem.“However, measurement presents a broader and more strategic approach. It focuses on ensuring that every PR effort conceived and executed contributes to enhancing brand and business metrics, ultimately reflecting in Return on Objectives (ROO). This delineates PR measurement as a linear structure encompassing PR INPUT, PR OUTPUT, and PR OUTCOME. Undoubtedly, this framework requires the backing of a meticulously designed framework of ERPs - efforts, resources, and processes - to effectively measure the impact and value of PR initiatives,” adds Mukherjee.Jyotsna Dash Nanda, AVP, Corporate Communications, DS Group, reckons that traditional PR metrics lack insight into the "why" behind the "what" – they track results but not resonance. Instead, she adds, they often fixate on vanity metrics that fail to provide a comprehensive narrative.According to her, here's how they fall short, along with some future-oriented approaches:Limitations:Impressions/Reach: These metrics (e.g., number of people who saw a press release) show exposure, but not engagement (did they read it? Did it resonate?)Example: A press release gets published in a major newspaper, reaching millions. But if the writing is bland or the placement irrelevant, it might have minimal impact.Advertising Value Equivalency (AVE): This assigns a dollar value to media coverage, assuming it's the same as paid advertising. This is widely criticized as inaccurate.Example: A company claims an AVE of $100,000 for a positive article. However, no guarantee paid advertising for that amount would have had the same impact (or any impact at all).Sentiment Analysis (basic): Traditional methods might simply categorize sentiment as positive, negative, or neutral. This misses nuance.Example: An article mentions a company but doesn't explicitly recommend it. Basic sentiment analysis might miss the opportunity to understand the context and potential impact.According to her, it is also important to gauge performance vis-à-vis competition.(Stay tuned for tomorrow's part, where we'll delve into emerging metrics for a comprehensive understanding of PR's impact and the role of AI in measurement.)Image by Joseph Mucira from Pixabay

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, the role of smart tech and data analytics has become paramount across industries. Just as advertising and marketing have embraced these technological advancements, PR professionals are leveraging data expertise to revolutionise their strategies. The integration of data analytics is reshaping PR, media, and tech strategies, offering businesses key advantages in navigating the dynamic business environment.“With the lines of marketing with PR and communications blurring, the need to bring evaluation and due diligence to campaign strategy has been amplified by leaps. The only way to tackle this is to embrace smart technologies like AI, ML that bring the true value of ROI deep diving to extract where the money spent is really demonstrating results – be it connections or leads, media buy in, share of voice , social media trend analysis, SEO or even thought leadership positioning,” noted Mou Chakravorty, Associate Director - Marketing Communications, Deloitte India.AI applications also bring in ways to cut through mundane tasks, bringing automation for efficient use of talent at a time when balancing client demand, processes and people crunch have become challenging due to the fast pace digital movement, she added.Integration of data expertise reshaping PR, Media & Tech strategiesAccording to Jyotsna Dash Nanda, AVP - Corporate Communications, Dharampal Satyapal Group (DS Group), “Data is the new PR gold. Traditionally seen as an “art”, PR is becoming a “science” with data analysis. The integration of data expertise is revolutionizing PR, Media, and Tech strategies. Data analysis allows for smarter targeting, measurable success through campaign tracking, and crafting messages that resonate with audiences. Data shows the impact of campaigns, allowing for adjustments and resource allocation based on what's working. PR professionals armed with data expertise can adapt and evolve their strategies. This shift from intuition to data-driven insights empowers businesses to navigate the evolving landscape with a competitive edge.”Akanksha Jain, Head - Public Relations & Corporate Communications, BharatPe, explained, “The integration of data expertise helps PR and Communications professionals to better understand the impact created by the PR campaigns. Communication leaders can have access to data not only in terms of number of stories, but also in terms of more holistic impact like sentiment check, effectiveness in terms of messaging, tonality of the stories, and reach across locations. Today, there are tools available that can help Communication leaders understand the efficacy of a campaign or an announcement, or get a sense of what did not work for them, so they can make the required iterations.”Ajey Maharaj, Head of Corporate Communications & PR, Fortis Healthcare Ltd, too, considered the incorporation of data analytics into Public Relations (PR), Media, and Technology strategies to be a significant shift in the way businesses strategize their communication and establish their market presence. He added, “In an era where information is abundant and consumer attention spans are short, the application of data analytics offers businesses a distinct competitive advantage. This approach enables them to traverse the dynamic business environment with unmatched precision and foresight.”“With the advent of AI and similar technologies, data takes the centre stage in PR like it does in many other professions,” noted Tanmana Rath, Lead Communications and Stakeholder Management at TERI, adding, “In today’s rapidly evolving PR landscape, precision is paramount. Creating effective PR strategies demands a profound understanding of the target audience, their preferences, and the dynamic media environment. Here, data analytics emerges as a transformative force, equipping PR professionals with a treasure trove of insights to drive informed decisions. The advantages are manifold. Through harnessing data analytics, PR experts can pinpoint emerging trends, dissect consumer behaviour, and tailor their messaging with precision. The ability to foresee and promptly react to market fluctuations is priceless. Whether it’s adapting to shifts in media consumption patterns or refining communication strategies based on audience sentiment, data-driven PR approaches are reshaping the rules of engagement.”The advantagesData-driven decision making helps Communication leaders craft a more robust and impactful strategy that can help get the required results, pointed out Akanksha Jain. Communication leaders can also be better prepared in case of a crisis as these tools can help them map the overall digital universe and observe outliers, if any. One can also understand who are media friends and which media houses are constantly publishing negative reportage about the company. “Also, by using data analytics, Communication leaders can talk in terms of micro as well as macro-impact across a range of cohorts, and not only limit to number of stories or AVE. This resonates better with the management of a company,” Jain added.Fortis Healthcare’s Ajey Maharaj listed the following key advantages and benefits:Advantages for Businesses:Targeted Communication: Through data analytics, businesses can segment their audience by demographics, preferences, and behaviours, crafting messages that resonate deeply and foster engagement.Measurable Outcomes: Data expertise allows companies to define clear, quantifiable objectives for their PR and media campaigns, evaluate performance, and fine-tune their strategies for maximum effectiveness.Strategic Decision Making: Insights derived from data analytics equip businesses with the knowledge to make informed choices, efficiently allocate resources, and stay ahead of market trends and opportunities.Benefits for PR Professionals:Enhanced Campaign Efficiency: Leveraging data-driven insights, PR professionals can pinpoint the most impactful channels and messages, leading to campaigns that not only reach, but resonate with their intended audience.Improved Crisis Management: The capability for real-time monitoring of data enables PR experts to swiftly identify and address potential issues or negative perceptions, safeguarding the brand’s reputation.ROI Measurement: Data analytics plays a crucial role in quantifying the return on investment for PR activities, underscoring their value and supporting the case for future budget allocations.Through the analysis of data, PR professionals gain valuable insights into audience behaviour, media landscape, sentiment trends, and emerging patterns, noted TERI’s Tanmana Rath, adding, this enables them to enhance their strategies, showcasing the tangible value of PR initiatives to stakeholders. “Leveraging data-driven decision-making, communication experts can take a deep dive into customer behaviors, preferences, and needs. By dissecting customer data, they refine their strategies to ensure precise message delivery to the intended audience, crafting bespoke communication strategies tailored to specific demographics and timing for optimal impact,” she said.Highlighting the advantages, Jyotsna Dash Nanda of DS Group shared:Sharper Targeting: Traditionally, PR relied on intuition and experience to target audiences. Data analytics provides a more scientific approach. By analyzing demographics, social media engagement, and media consumption habits, PR teams can identify the exact audience segments most receptive to their message. This laser focus ensures resources are directed towards those who matter most.Content Optimization: Data analytics helps craft compelling content. By understanding what resonates with target audiences (preferred topics, keywords, content formats), PR professionals can tailor messages to generate higher engagement. This data can also reveal sentiment around certain topics, allowing PR teams to address concerns or adjust messaging accordingly.Campaign Measurement & Improvement: The true impact of PR efforts can be elusive. Data analytics offers a solution. By tracking website traffic, social media mentions, media coverage sentiment, and brand awareness metrics, PR teams can measure the effectiveness of campaigns. This data allows for adjustments and optimizations throughout the campaign lifecycle, maximizing its impact.Crisis Communication: Social media and the 24/7 news cycle can quickly turn a minor issue into a major crisis. Data analytics allows for real-time monitoring of online sentiment and media coverage during a crisis. This empowers PR teams to identify emerging concerns, respond swiftly, and shape the narrative effectively.Data-Driven Decisions: Intuition and experience are valuable assets, but data provides a powerful foundation for decision-making. PR professionals can leverage data insights to choose the most appropriate communication channels, craft stronger media pitches, and tailor messaging for maximum impact. This data-driven approach ensures PR strategies are relevant, timely, and deliver measurable results.Akanksha Jain added here, “Data analytics empower PR professionals with a single-window view that helps them understand the challenges with reference to specific media houses/ locations that may not be reporting in line with the narrative they want to build. The leaders can accordingly focus on building relationships and try and drive a positive narrative building.”Jyotsna Dash Nanda concluded by saying, “In today’s dynamic market, where audience preferences and media consumption habits are constantly evolving, data analytics equips PR professionals to navigate this complexity. By leveraging data, PR teams can develop targeted, impactful campaigns that resonate with their audiences and achieve their desired outcomes.”

In an era where diversity and inclusivity are paramount, women leaders are revolutionising the landscape of Public Relations (PR) and Corporate Communication. With their unique strengths and perspectives, they prioritise empathy and understanding, particularly in crisis management when navigating sensitive issues.Even as most industries are now upping their DEI game, the PR industry has for long been promoting women in leadership roles, in fact, the PR industry has a large percentage of women founders and has a strong gender sensitive strategy.Tanmana Rath, Lead Communications and Stakeholder Management at TERI, believes that women leaders in PR and corporate communications tend to bring a collaborative and inclusive approach to the boardroom. Their diverse experiences and leadership styles foster relationship-building, leading to more authentic and impactful communication strategies. Moreover, their emphasis on nurturing talent, empathy, and promoting diversity contributes to a dynamic and forward-thinking industry landscape.On an affirmative note, Jyotsna Dash Nanda, AVP - Corporate Communications, Dharampal Satyapal Group (DS Group), points out that women leaders are reshaping the landscape of PR and corporate communications by bringing a multitude of strengths to the table. These include:Diverse Consumer Understanding: Women represent a significant and growing consumer demographic, ensuring campaigns resonate with a wider audience and avoid traditional gender biases in messaging.Collaborative Communication: Studies suggest women tend towards a more collaborative communication style, fostering teamwork and inclusivity within communication teams, leading to richer brainstorming sessions and more well-rounded strategies.“Women have higher emotional intelligence and hence, are able to build a balanced environment for employees. This, in turn, helps to build a cohesive team that can drive better results. It also enables an environment where employees are more confident to share their ideas, in turn driving innovation,” opines Akanksha Jain, Head - Public Relations & Corporate Communications, BharatPe.She further says, “Women are often skilled at fostering inclusive and participatory decision-making processes, valuing diverse perspectives, and seeking input from all stakeholders. This collaborative mindset can lead to more innovative solutions, stronger team cohesion, and better outcomes for organisations as a whole.”Jain also notes that women have a different way of looking at things as compared to men. This ensures that they bring a different perspective to a situation or a problem at hand. Additionally, their eye for detail can help add a new dimension when evaluating a problem at hand.Addressing the role of empathy and understanding in crisis management, Tanmana Rath emphasises, “As a professional, I believe in active listening, acknowledging concerns, and showing genuine care for those affected. Compassion and a commitment to resolving issues establish trust, strengthen relationships, aligning with our values of empathy and understanding. Women leaders like Mary Barra, Chair and CEO of the General Motors Company, or Jacinda Arden, former Prime Minister of New Zealand, are inspiring examples who have turned around situations with their remarkable leadership.”Jain emphasises that when dealing with sensitive issues or stakeholders, it is important to keep a cool head and hear out the issue, before responding or reacting. “The response should be well-measured and factual in nature. Empathy is important and as a leader, one should be mindful of the trust that an employee has on him/ her to solve an issue. It is recommended to bring the issue to its logical conclusion and extend all possible support (sometimes only listening and guiding helps) to the concerned employee,” she adds.Jyotsna Dash Nanda stresses that diversity and inclusion are strategic imperatives, adding “Women leaders often excel at building strong relationships with stakeholders, fostering trust and understanding. This is crucial in crisis management and reputation management.”According to her, in crisis management, empathy is paramount. Here’s how to prioritise it:Active Listening: Acknowledge stakeholders' concerns, emotions, and validate their perspectives.Transparency and Authenticity: Communicate transparently, taking ownership of mistakes, and outlining a clear path forward.Humanise the Response: Showcase the company's commitment to resolving the situation with genuine care.Enhanced Creativity: Diverse teams bring a wider range of perspectives, leading to more creative and impactful communication strategies.Brand Authenticity: A commitment to diversity enhances brand authenticity and resonates with a broader audience.Improved Talent Acquisition: Diverse workplaces attract top talent from all backgrounds, leading to a more competitive and innovative workforce.TERI’s Tanmana Rath adds here, “We prioritise inclusivity and diversity by ensuring our messaging reflects varied perspectives and engage with a range of stakeholders. We have enhanced our brand reputation, increased engagement, and built stronger relationships with stakeholders, ultimately leading to business gains through improved trust, innovation, and market relevance.”As far as mentoring and nurturing the next generation of leaders in PR and corporate communications is concerned, Akanksha Jain says that she prefers to advise and guide numerous young professionals on how to further advance in their career. “I guide them from time-to-time on dealing with daily issues, skills that they need to add to their kitty, and on people management. I have always advised all young professionals to invest a lot of time in reading about their industry and be well-aware of the latest developments. This adds to the confidence levels and helps position them as well in front of their senior leaders. Also, I advise next generation of leaders to have the confidence to speak their mind in a meeting and not get bogged down by what others have to say.”Regarding mentoring the next generation, Tanmana Rath says, “I believe in mentoring the next generation by sharing experiences and nurturing their strengths. Leading with empathy, providing opportunities for growth, giving a platform to learn, and offering constructive feedback. By fostering confidence and emphasizing continuous learning, I strive to empower the younger generation of communicators to excel in their careers and make meaningful contributions to the industry.”Data from Forbes highlights the correlation between diversity and financial performance, stating that companies with diverse leadership teams have a 19.1% higher chance of exceeding industry-level profitability.By embracing these fresh perspectives and innovative approaches, women leaders are driving a new era of effective and impactful PR and corporate communication.

In the fast-paced world of public relations, 2023 brought unforeseen challenges and opportunities for firms across the industry. Navigating a complex landscape, PR agencies showcased resilience and adaptability in their crisis management plans. The sector as a whole witnessed a paradigm shift, with firms prioritizing proactive reputation management and digital communication strategies. As part of our rewind 2023 series, Adgully spoke to a cross-section of PR and Corporate Communications leaders to understand their perspectives, strategies and their ability to evolve that has been pivotal in shaping its trajectory for the year.Approach for Crisis Management and Reputation ProtectionArchana Jain, CEO, PR Pundit Havas Red, stressed, “The backbone of crisis management has always been and will always be preparation. We work with our clients to plan for, on how to respond to and then recover from crisis events – with a view to safeguarding the company and brand’s image to minimise long-term reputational damage. We do so by pursuing pre-emptive measures like a vulnerability analysis of the business, training key stakeholders on a coordinated and timely response, outlining a media and social media communications plan, including recommended procedures, protocols, etc. Given the diversity of possible crises and the fact that every specific event will unfold differently and have varying impacts at different times, we canvas a range of generic actions that will assist management in responding to an incident. We believe in building a forward-looking approach of being prepared, build a culture of communicating proactively and develop a mindset of dynamic decision making.”Tarunjeet Rattan, Managing Partner, Nucleus PR, predicted, “In 2024, bot war and deep fakes will take up a fair amount of our time in the crisis management area. PR professionals will not only have to find a way to effectively deal with this new curveball that amplifies every small challenge turning it into a crisis but will also have to have a fair understanding of cyber laws to handle it.”Madhukar Kumar, Founder & Chief Strategist, Grey Cell PR, remarked, “In the world of PR, crises are like uninvited guests. We tackle them head-on with a blend of intuition and strategy. Our approach is to always be prepared, agile, and empathetic. We're enhancing our crisis toolkit with AI for faster issue detection and resolution, making sure we're always a step ahead for our clients.”Speaking about challenges faced by the PR industry, Jasrita Dhir, Director - Marketing and Communications, Karkinos Healthcare, said, “In the post-pandemic world and in certain sectors such as those dealing with communicable diseases/ public health, etc., there’s a real challenge of burnout that the crisis managers are dealing with, reeling under successive waves of Coronavirus and such.”Dhir further said, “In the age of misinformation and deepfakes, there’s an actual crisis to deal with as also the misinformed variant of the crisis to counter - a double whammy! In hyper-connected networks and matrix organisations, keeping the chain of command unilateral and ensuring a single communication centre is also a new challenge with regard to information leaks.”According to Dhir, the strategies crucial in 2024 re:Fact check before jumping into executionAmp up the social listening game including in the vernacular mediumLike charity, reputation building also starts at home. Image building starts with internal stakeholders; brand advocacy starts with intra-organisational human capital and these are the first line of resources to tap into during a crisis outbreak.Jyotsna Dash Nanda, AVP - Corporate Communications, Dharampal Satyapal Group (DS Group), added here, “As PR Professionals, our job is to guide, empower, and equip leadership to deal with crises of all kinds. There is no shortcut to elaborate preparation and complete collaboration with all necessary stakeholders to be able to assess necessary landmines in the crisis and provide a flexible and agile response mechanism for the organization and the senior leadership. Navigating crisis leadership presents a formidable yet indispensable facet of contemporary leadership which effective media and crisis training help hone. We proactively reach out to the senior leadership team and help them to equip themselves and prepare well. The preparation helps them to be seen as taking ownership, communicating with utmost transparency, exhibiting decisiveness, flexibly responding to evolving situations while adhering to the basic rules of communication, demonstrating empathy and support, allocating resources judiciously, and fostering collaboration. As PR professionals we derive lessons from experiences keeping a long-term outlook in mind while upholding ethical standards adeptly managing crisis communication, and prioritizing personal resilience and self-care. Crisis leadership is critical in today’s dynamic business environment and refers to the ability of leaders to effectively navigate and manage an organization or team during times of significant upheaval, uncertainty, or crisis with complete support from the communications team. Our responsibility involves making critical decisions, providing direction, and inspiring confidence in challenging situations so that communication is effective with 100% truth and giving direction on the way forward.”

As the year draws to a close, it’s time to take stock of the important trends and developments that dominated the industry, with long term ramifications. 2023 was a year when Artificial Intelligence disrupted every industry; Public Relations and Corporate Communications, too, did not remain immune to AI’s wide-ranging impact. However, AI was not the only gamechanging development. Adgully spoke to a cross-section of PR and Corporate Communications leaders to do an exhaustive recap of this industry, as well as understand some of the trends that will dominate this industry in 2024.PR & Corp Comm Industry’s performance in 2023Tarunjeet Rattan, Managing Partner, Nucleus PR, noted, “Empirical data suggests that most firms have done 5X the business they did during the pandemic. At the start of the year, there was an attempt by the brand world to push for a pre-pandemic ‘course correction’, while the PR industry pushed back to break away and evolve from that set perception. This has led to an interesting amalgamation of services now being offered by PR agencies and probably a new definition of the profession.”The PR industry also saw an increased curiosity about the profession judging by the RFPs requested on a weekly basis. This also called for a larger mandate for the entire PR industry to educate and upskill the brands they worked with on how PR is evolving and changing this year.According to Rattan, talent in the PR industry has also gone through a change at all levels. “While the new JD for a new joinee in PR is still up for discussion, the middle management and leadership teams have had to upskill quickly to ride the tide, assimilate information on the go and churn out strategies that make sense in the new world,” she added.Growing demand for purpose-driven communicationIn 2023, the PR industry witnessed a dynamic landscape characterised by evolving media consumption patterns and an increased demand for purpose-driven communication, observed Aman Gupta, Managing Partner, SPAG FINN Partners. He added, “At SPAG FINN Partners, we navigated these shifts successfully by staying agile, embracing technology, and prioritising authentic storytelling. The industry’s resilience and adaptability were evident, and we foresee continued growth as we leverage these lessons to shape our strategies in the years to come.”Emerging trends and innovative strategiesPR industry leaders unanimously agree that technology will emerge as an important enabler for the function as they leverage technology to enhance efficiency, track real-time and understand trends. Also, social media channels of the brand and its leadership will emerge as powerful mediums to communicate the narrative.Akanksha Jain, Head - Public Relations and Corporate Communications, BharatPe, pointed out, “Focus will be a lot more on purpose-driven communication, as consumers today are more keen to be associated with brands that have a clear impact narrative. In turn, the ESG roadmap will have to be clearly carved out for organisations.”Also, the Communications role will focus a lot more on larger reputation building and safeguarding, by leveraging earned, paid, social and owned media. It is the owned media channels that will be the next game-changer for the companies, driven by a well thought-through content strategy- that caters to a diverse set of stakeholders. Additionally, Key Opinion Leaders will continue to play an important role in driving brand narratives.Jasrita Dhir, Director - Marketing and Communications, Karkinos Healthcare, highlighted some emerging trends:Integrated Communications Approach: The line between traditional PR, new-age PR, digital PR has all but blurred. 2024 will see Comms professionals demand and PR agencies present integrated communication solutions incorporating external and internal comms, social media influencers, digital creatives, et al.Rise and rise of Podcasts: The medium that is expected to leapfrog further in 2024 is podcast, in both the audio and video formats.Emerging need for climate communications.Evolving need for ESG and sustainability Comms.SPAG FINN Partners’ Aman Gupta said, “In 2024, we anticipate several key trends shaping the PR industry. The increasing prominence of immersive technologies (Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR)) along with data driven audience insights, is transforming the way we engage audiences. These technologies offer new and creative avenues for storytelling and brand experiences. Additionally, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics is becoming a cornerstone of PR strategies, enabling more personalized and targeted campaigns.”AI to continue to transform PR even moreMahima Misra, Head of PR & Corp Comm, Good Glamm Group, noted that AI will continue to transform PR even more. “The potential of AI to improve content ranking through SEO optimisation and enhanced audience personalisation will boost PR efforts in 2024. It will also help in media tracking and calculating audience response more efficiently. AI can write about practically anything, including press releases. This may help reduce PR content creation costs while increasing scalability,” Misra added.Along with AI, Video and Podcast Content will also gain prominence. With the rise in demand for video and audio content, it is no surprise that this is an integral part of the future of PR and still on the list of PR trends. Podcasts (both audio and video podcasts) are in high demand. Videos are effective for telling a highly visual story, too. From regular to luxury PR campaigns, high-quality videos present the perfect medium to showcase your newest products, services, and even brand events. “Not only that, but videos will also help you relay your side of the story during a crisis. Whether short or long, the fact remains that video marketing is here for the long haul,” she added.Social Media for Online Reputation Management, Contact BuildingSocial media is the heavyweight champion in PR and will remain so in 2024. Unlike traditional PR methods, social media enables two-way communication between brands and their customers, the media, and other stakeholders. Brand image and reputation enhancement through social media are also likely to continue. Social media will continue to play a role in helping brands manage a PR crisis and neutralise negative publicity. Misra also considers LinkedIn as an important PR platform to establish brand/ company image and make impact and establish founders and professionals as thought leaders in their field. Jyotsna Dash Nanda, AVP - Corporate Communications, Dharampal Satyapal Group (DS Group), added here, “In the ever-evolving landscape of business, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and technology is universally recognised as a crucial skill for success, transcending the boundaries of company size. As businesses set their sights on 2024, a pervasive commitment to leveraging AI for content creation and writing assistance takes center stage, underscoring the transformative role of technology in shaping communication strategies.”Furthermore, the strategic use of various platforms and channels emerges as a cornerstone for achieving organisational goals, reflecting a forward-looking approach to digital engagement. Anticipating the importance of staying attuned to public sentiment and changing consumer needs, businesses are planning to harness the power of media monitoring tools and content calendars in 2024, aligning their efforts with the dynamic nature of the information ecosystem.