Mr. Dinosaur, Meet Mr. Clipbook

January 14, 2010Bonnie BerkesDrillbits Blog0

You’re not still doing hard-copy clip books for clients, are you? We’re well aware that some clients still prefer them, but here’s some ammo for counseling them on alternatives that move the ROI needle in the right direction:

For the past two weeks, I’ve been researching media monitoring services in search of the “best” tool. With a budget and must-haves in hand, I participated in a series of WebExs, email exchanges and conference calls with some very convincing sales reps to find the perfect service for my client. There are several very reputable technologies available with sophisticated tools and services, especially when it comes to monitoring social media. However, choosing the right service can be tough when all of them have a competitive edge and are prepared to throw in some extras in line with these economic times.

The real differentiator is to evaluate each vendor’s ability to help you translate basic numbers into actual business impact.

With the advancement in technology and the ‘on demand’ marketplace we live in, you’d think measurement would be an easy thing to do, but it’s trickier than it sounds. From my research and experience, I’ve developed a brief list of tips that will help any PR pro identify and implement a media monitoring and ROI measurement plan.

Define your goals.
Whether it is quantitative or qualitative, determine how your client likes to see results. If it is quantitative, choose a media monitoring, reporting and electronic clipping service. Finding the right service depends on two things: the amount of media coverage the company receives and the type of reporting the company does internally. A B2C company usually gets more media coverage, especially if it is a tangible product or service that consumers are engaging in, and a B2B company gets more trade press exposure, so a less expansive media monitoring service is needed. To gather qualitative data, choose a media monitoring service that offers an analytics package. The service will track the tone and rate the readership of the coverage. Some services even qualify social media exchanges. Ask yourself this question: “Does my client present a report with impressions per quarter or expect detailed graphs showing spikes in coverage by month?”

Be prepared.
Have a rough outline of services you’ve already researched and are specifically interested in. For example, is your client receiving mostly online press? Do they need to be ready to build and share a report at any time? There are media monitoring services that only track online, broadcast or print coverage. Keep in mind that approximately 75% of print coverage ends up online so a need for a print clipping service can be eliminated. For on demand reporting, opt for a service that offers reporting features through a password protected Web site (or online portal). That way you can run a media impressions report or build a comparison chart quickly.

Say goodbye to lost and irrelevant media clips.
A solid “test drive” of a service is usually the best way to go but ask a media service sales rep to track a less mainstream outlet that is a key target for your client. Keep some of your recent media coverage on hand and see if a service picks them up. When presenting a test drive, most services show a back log of coverage from the past 90 days. Check to see if the service picked up your client’s recent media hits. If they locate the coverage, you’re golden; if not, consider another service. Ask about media monitoring search terms and filters. You don’t want a service to pick up articles in German if your client is interested in only US press. Be as specific as possible as to what you do and don’t need. Most services include five search terms in a basic media monitoring package, which is enough for most companies. Beware that adding more search terms and filters jack up the monthly service cost.

Avoid overly fancy media monitoring tools.
As is true for most industries, the companies that supply media monitoring services compete for consumers, and are familiar with their competitors’ products and prices. Sometimes, a hyped-up service is just the same as another (less expensive) service. Keep your costs low by making a pros and cons matrix of each service and cross compare it with your must haves list.

Check out the fine print.
If you go with a print monitoring service, double check the scan per page charge and make sure it is a charge for the overall clip and not a per page charge. This can easily charge up the bill.