The PR Skill You Didn't Think You Needed

“Math is not my thing, that’s why I’m in public relations.” Press releases, blog posts, email blasts, pitches- after a semester or two of writing, you start to consider that maybe you won’t need to remember what you learned in high school algebra after all. But just when you think you’re finished with math after that final gen ed course, think again. Numbers and calculations are actually vitally important in public relations (and life in general), so here are a few instances when you’ll need to utilize those math skills in PR…sorry.

(Source: Quickmeme)

• Measurement. Advertising value equivalency is what news coverage would cost if it were advertising space. And although AVEs are by no means an accurate way to measure the success of public relations according to the Barcelona Principles (for more info on the these principles, check out a previous post here), they are still widely used. AVEs need to be calculated using ad rates, column inches, and other figures.
• Evaluation. Effectively evaluating the results of a public relations campaign takes more than counting the number of media outlets that have picked up your story. You need to be able to calculate the percentage of increase in followers, page views, and other statistics that show your campaign is positively affecting client. It is one thing to tell your them that your work is making a difference but it’s quite another to show them the numbers to prove it.
• Data analytics. In the last decade or so, there’s been an explosion of data available to, well, just about everyone. The challenge lies is knowing what to do with all this new information. Being able to analyze and apply the information effectively in a campaign or strategy is now a necessary skill to have in PR.
• Research. The hardest part of doing primary research isn’t creating an effective survey or properly moderating a focus group. Like in data analytics, the real challenge is taking the information you’ve gathered and knowing what to do with it.

So learn to embrace math in public relations, because it’s a (very) necessary evil.

It's Time to Start Reading the Terms of Service...Especially for Facebook

Earlier this week, a study was published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, in which researchers had manipulated Facebook user's news feeds in order to test for a phenomenon called 'emotional contagion'. Back in January 2012, for one week, researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, and Cornell University, paired with the Facebook data team to manipulate the news feeds of nearly 700,000 users. Using a computer algorithm, users were selected randomly, and then their news feeds were populated with more positive posts, or more negative posts. According to the study, users with more positive posts all over the news feeds posted more positively themselves, while the opposite was true for users with more negative posts. However, not a single Facebook user was told in advance, or even afterwards about their 'participation' in this study; so if you were feeling more happy or more depressed for a week in January of 2012, then this is probably why.

The real punchline to this story is that according to Facebook, everything they did complied with the terms of service and privacy policy that every user agrees to before creating a Facebook account. I think it's safe to say that the grand majority of people don't read those very long documents, myself included. If it really is true that Facebook's policies allow for user's data to be manipulated and studied in this way without their knowledge or consent, then it's time to at least start actually reading every terms of service you agree to, no matter how long. That's at the least, on the other end of the spectrum, many people are quitting Facebook and advocating for a general boycott of the social media giant.

Social media, and especially Facebook, have become essential parts of the lives of so many people, especially younger generations in college and high school. Having been a Facebook user myself for over 5 years, I can hardly imagine how I'd ever stay in contact with people without it. But, no matter how essential social media platforms force themselves to become in our lives, we have to remember that not too long ago, people got along just fine without them. In fact, whether or not you continue using Facebook and other sites, it's relaxing to get away from it once in awhile; go eat a meal by yourself and enjoy the scenery, or just spend the day with friends, face-to-face and without your phones. Social media is very important, especially for people in the field of public relations, but everyone needs a break from it once in awhile, just don't be afraid to take that break.

What do you think about Facebook's use of user's data? We'd love to hear from you!

Research: A PR Pro’s Best Friend

Writing; media relations; reputation management; and crisis communications. These are some things that come to mind for most people when they think about what they’ll be doing throughout their career in PR.  They’re forgetting something very important, dare I say, something that is the very backbone of public relations: RESEARCH!  

I’ve been doing a lot of research for clients lately, from competitive analyses to improvement surveys and focus groups, and I know that the information I come back with is crucial.  Research opens new doors and reveals short comings along with solutions to problems that might not have been obvious before.

Research can help to:

• Gain feedback
• Provide background information
• Identify audiences 
• Assess strengths and weaknesses

Research also looks great in your job portfolio.  It shows that you can think analytically and that you’re willing to do time consuming and detail-oriented work.  Don’t be intimidated by the thought of research.  Tools like Survey Monkey and Microsoft Excel are here to help and should be utilized to the fullest.  Looking for something different to do at your internship? Propose a research project, design a survey, and impress your boss by discovering something that can improve the company. 

Without research, public relations professionals would be aimlessly pitching stories, communicating with the wrong audiences, and handling situations incorrectly.  It’s the base of the PR pyramid, but it’s something that is often overlooked.  Learn to love it because the truth is, if you’re not doing your research, you’re jeopardizing your success. 

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member London Faust.