Why let others do for you what you can do for yourself?

All of these metrics tools that I have listed thus far on this blog are all unique and helpful in their own various ways, whether it be to measure revenue collected from a Facebook Ad or the collective reach of you and your followers on Twitter.  However, here’s an interesting spin on things: what if there was a program that enabled you to do all this work for yourself?

The answer can be found here.

It is the Do-It-Yourself Dashboard created by none other than KDPaine & Partners. 

There are three types of dashboards available: the DIY Gold Dashboard, the CGM Dashboard, and the FYI Dashboard.

The DIY Gold Dashboard measures conversation (positive and negative comments) that is being had in the blogosphere about your company.  The kind of information that is provided with this tool includes the article in which your company was quoted, the author, the other companies that were mentioned, etc.  A demo for the DIY Gold Dashboard can be found here. 

The CGM Dashboard is used to keep track of your reputation online.  I mean, let’s face it, the consumer has the power to influence your brand either positively or negatively.  It’s important to keep track of how their words are affecting your brand.  We live in a consumer-generated world of media.  If you can’t beat ’em, you might as well join ’em. 

The FYI Dashboard measures all kind of results within your corporate communications strategy depending on your specified goals.

I read a really interesting article about the DIY Dashboard.  Apparently, KDPaine & Partners gave the students at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Journalism and Mass Communication a $500,000 gift to help students learn the trade of metrics.  How amazing is that?  And imagine, these fortunate students now have that much more of an edge over others in their same field.

How likely is it that you would recommend (insert company name) to a friend?

This is the question that essentially determines your NPS, also referred to as net promoter score.

There are three basic types of groups: promoters, passives, and detractors.  A promoter is clearly someone that is for your company and is someone who will continue to invest their time and energy into your company and its products and/or services, as well as recommend your company to others.  A passive is someone who is ultimately unbiased and neither for nor against your company, however when push comes to shove, if there a better offer lies, he/she can be persuaded.  A detractor is then someone who has done business with your company and is not happy, and may have even told others about their negative experience.

So how is the net promoter score calculated?  The rating system is on a scale of one through ten.  Promoters vote 9 or 10.  Detractors vote 0 to 6.  And Passives are the scores in between.  Thus, the NPS is calculated as so:

Net Promoter Score = Promoters – Distractors

It seems simple enough, right?  Right, that’s the point!

According to an article from BrandWeek, and based on a report from Satmetrix, the company that is credited as the originator of the NPS, the top three companies with the highest NPS are USAA, Apple, and Amazon.com.  

Fred Reichheld, a Harvard alum and contributor developer of the NPS, has a book out titled “The Ultimate Question” in which he delves into more detail about what NPS is and how a company, big or small, can and should go about utilizing it.  I haven’t read it, but it seems like a good idea for business-owners to pick up.

How twInfluential!

For those of you who tweet, have you ever wondered how Twitter is measured?  I mean, is it all a popularity contest: who can rack up the greatest number of followers?  I had to find out.

twInfluence is a social media tool that measures the influence of twitterers and their followers.  Here’s the example the company offers.  It’s essentially all about networking!

twInfluence offers two forms of rankings: reach ranking and relative scores.  My reach ranking on Twitter, for example, could be #1,742 (46%).  And by the way, this is completely hypothetical.  But what does this score mean?  The “#1,742” is my overall rank compared to every other twitterers.  The score of “46%” is a grade and it mean that I have a higher reach than 46% of other twitterers.  Relative scores include three critera: reach, velocity, and social capital. 

# of followers + all of your followers’ followers = reach.

Velocity is the average number of followers that you have attracted each day since creating your account.

Social capital just means the your average number of followers.

All of this can be explained in greater detail on the twInfluence “about” page.

twInfluence has a Twitter (go figure), but I feel like unless you are familiar with the ranking system, or just a super-techie, it is somewhat boring.  All it is, is the score for some Twitterers, which includes their reach and rank.  For example, @luvincappie (which I hope is a reference to the character on the TV show “Greek”) was evaluated on 07/14/09 with a reach of 0 and a rank of #121,398.

The twInfluence website includes a “Top 5” list for each criterion: reach, velocity and social capital.  I found the lists interesting.  For example three of the top five people with the most reach according to twInfluence includes the New York Times, Dr. Drew, and Dave Matthews.  Take a look at these lists, what do you think it says about our culture?

As of April, twInfluence had analyzed over 48,000 Twitter accounts. Curious to see how you rank?  

Do you want to be twInfluential?  Here’s a list of tips to increase your twInfluence.  Bottom line: be yourself and get involved!

No wonder Radian6 has the word “Rad” in it!

Since I have begun conducting my research about PR metrics, I have heard about all of these large companies like ebay, Pepsi, and The Home Depot using Radian6.  Radian6 looks and sounds like a weird screen name a kid might have on AIM in my opinion, but alas, it is not.  Radian6 is actually a service that tracks and monitors what is being said about a company or brand and its products and/or services in real time.  So if something is mentioned about your company on someone’s blog or if someone decides to write a bad review of one of your products on an opinion forum, Radian6 picks up on it.  And why is this useful you may ask?  We have all learned by now that the best way to handle the things that are being said about your company on the blogosphere, both positive and negative, is to get involved yourself!  And the only way to get involved is to stay informed and that, my friend, is exactly what Radian6 helps you do!

Radian6 puts you in control of monitoring conversation on the web.  And why is it called Radian6?  Why not Radian9 or Radian123?  I asked the same question, and I found a pretty good answer.  Radian6 provides six metrics: topic posts, total comment count, total unique commenters, average engagement, on-topic inbound links, and vote count.

Radian6, as a company, also stays very involved in the web of social media tools.  For example, Radian6 has a company profile on LinkedIn.  It was interesting to find that their headquarters is located in New Brunswick, Canada and that they were founded in 2006.  Think of how successful they’ve become in a mere three years!  Radian6 also has a Twitter which is managed by three employees.  The company follows almost the same number of people that are following it.  In other words, this shows how interactive they are with their followers.  The majority of Radian6’s tweets are comments to people they are following.

Radian6 is so confident with themselves that they’ve even posted a list of 10 Reasons why you should explore their company!  I especially liked #9: We eat our own dogfood.  (Talk about personality!)

Google Analytics Explained

Google Analytics, which is abbreviated GA, is a service offered by Google that provides statistics about the visitors for up to five websites.  The best part?  Google offers this service for free!  Google Analytics offers a variety of features that include advertising ROI, cross channel and multimedia tracking, visualizing data, and customized reporting.  

On the Google Analytics blog, tons of topics about measurement are observed, all centered in some way around Google Analytics.  For example, one recent post explains in a mere 60 seconds how one can use Google Analytics and Web Optimizer together.  Believe it or not, Google Analytics is even available as an application on your cell phone!  The blog is searchable and also provides links for the learning center, books, and other related Google Products.  There is an option to provide feedback, comment on posts, and also to subscribe to RSS Feed.

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to set up an account on Google Analytics. 

Here is a Google Analytics Interface Tutorial video that I found helpful to watch!

Google also offers a test you can pay to take to get qualified in Google Analytics.  It’s called the Google Analytics Individual Qualification.  Google offers a curriculum you can follow which is free of charge.  Once you’ve completed that, or not, you can purchase the test here. 

I know understanding the various metrics tools available is a little hard to digest, but understand the importance of using metrics tools is essential.  It is through the evaluation of your social media efforts that you can understand what’s working and what’s not.

By the way, there is a Google Analytics Plugin for WordPress!  Feel free to check it out!

Facebook Ads Up!

Ok, now be honest.  How many of you have clicked on one of the advertisements that appear on the right-hand side on Facebook?  I wouldn’t believe you if you said you never have, because I sure have.

But why advertise on Facebook?  There are cver 175 million active members on Facebook.  And when these users are on Facebook, they are constantly looking for what’s new.  It’s also a chance for a company to increase its global market because only 30% of Facebook users are from the United States, hence there is a chance to increase international market in that other 70%.  

Facebook targets advertising to users based on the information in their profiles.  For example, if Jack’s Mannequin is in my Interests (which it is), I will very often see advertisements that have something to do with Jack’s Mannequin.  If your relationship status is engaged, you may see advertisements that hint at losing those extra lbs before the big wedding day, like this reporter did.

We’ve all learned by now that the best way to build solid relationships with consumers of your brand is to engage them in a two-way communication process.  Well, Facebook offers “Engagement Advertising” which allows users to post comments, give gifts, or become fans.

One reason for the success of Facebook ads may be because Facebook innovators are listening to what their advertisers want: targeted filters like language targeting and radius targeting.

 Facebook launches keyword suggestions for ads, in which when you type in a term, Facebook generates other keywords that are related to that term.  For example, if “Michael Jackson” is typed in as a keyword, Facebook returns associated phrases that include “Jackson 5” and “Janet Jackson.”  

Facebook can be used for more than just helping advertisers appeal to prospective consumers.  Facebook ads can help you too!  Numerous companies have begun utilizing Facebook as a recruiting tool.

Facebook tells you that you need three things to begin creating your Facebook ad: a link, an ad message, and a photo.  Once you have these three things, you are ready to get started.

Step 1 is designing your ad.  The title for the advertisement can be up to 25 characters long and the content can be up to 135 characters long.  There is a preview of your advertisement that is shown as you are making it.  In Step 2 you can decide how you want to target your audience.  Options for targets include location, age, sex, keywords, education, workplace, relationship status, languages, and relationship interests.  Step 3 includes setting a daily budget and schedule for your advertisement.  And then finally, Facebook allows you to review the ad before posting it.

Yesterday, Facebook announced new features in their advertising section including easy ad editing, and improved reporting by choosing a specific date range.

In an article posted a couple of days ago, Douglas MacMillan from BuisnessWeek posted statistics from a report from marketing researcher eMarketer.  It reported that advertising on social networking sites has dropped, yet the revenue from Facebook ads continues to grow.  It seems as if marketers are taking the hint and beginning to become more active in the world of social networking sites.  

Facebook advertising offers a way for companies to connect with users, create their own  advertisement, and then track their progress of how well their ad is reaching their targeted audience.

So the verdict is in: Metrics adds up!  Facebook Ads are worth it for advertisers to invest in.

Why is SEO important in metrics?

Picture this: you want to plan a trip to an island with your significant other.  There’s just one problem: you have a dog, and your sister’s out of town for the week so you have no one to watch Fido.  Your only option is to bring the dog with you, but you’re not sure what airlines allow travel with pets.  So you go to Google and you type in the search box: “dog policy airlines,” for example.  The top ten search results include links from American Airlines, Continental Airlines, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines.  Chances are these are the first links you’re going to look at because they are the ones that came to your attention first.

Now picture this same scenario, but instead of being the pet owner who wants to bring Fido on the airplane, you are now the CEO for JetBlue Airways, an airline who did not show up on the top ten results from that specific Google search.  How do you increase your company’s chances of being one of those top ten?  Three words: search engine optimization.

First off, what is search engine optimization.  Search engine optimization, more commonly referred to as SEO, can be defined as the process of increasing traffic to a website via search engine results.  In other words, if your website is properly optimized, it will show up as one of the top links in a Google search, thus directing more people to your website.

But what does SEO mean in terms of metrics?   Well, SEO drives traffic to your website, which can in turn lead to increased sales if you’re a retailer or more followers if you’re a blogger, etc.  Most people don’t look past the first two or three pages on a search engine list (at least I know I don’t), so it’s important for companies to get their name or brand onto those first couple of search results pages.  In fact, I found a helpful “SEO 101” video that really put this all into perspective for me as far as why optimization is so important.  The video, while explaining SEO in its totality, provided some startling statistics.  Before watching this video, I was unaware that 67% of searchers only click on results that show up on page 1, and a whopping 90% of searchers never go past page three of results.  So if you’re a company that appears on let’s say page 6 of the search results, you’re going to want to optimize your website better in order to appear on either the first, second or third page of search results.

How is this done?  Keywords, links, and tags are essential in increasing traffic to your website.  Many corporations even go as far as to hire an individual to be responsible for SEO.  These people are called Search Engine Optimizers, also abbreviated as SEO.  I know this can be confusing.  

Econsultancy Digital Marketers United offers 50 SEO tips for online retailers in one of their articles.  Among this list, Econsultancy stresses the importance of linking and content.

So here’s the bottom line:

The higher up on a search result your company appears, the more people will be exposed to the link to your site, thus increasing traffic to your site, which can potentially lead to more customers or followers.  

And that’s why SEO is so important in metrics!

Who is Katie Delahaye Paine?

When I first chose this research topic of the measurement of social media, I really had no idea where to start.  I chose the topic because it’s the topic I know the least about, and the topic I’m most interested in learning about.  So I began my search of social media metrics without a clue in the world where it would take me.  I found a plethora of information – some useful, some not so useful – but, nearly everywhere I searched and in nearly every source I found, there was usually one common denominator: Katie Delahaye Paine.

I would see her name referenced here and there, and the people that did reference her spoke praises about her. If you Google her name quickly, you will find about 41,700 results for Katie Delahaye Paine in a mere 0.34 seconds.  

So I wanted to know more.  Wouldn’t you?  Who is Katie Delahaye Paine?

Katie Delahaye Paine is a renowned expert in the field of social media measurement in public relations.  She is the CEO of KDPaine & Partners, a PR Measurement Consultancy.  She’s written a couple of books, the most popular of which is titled “Measuring Public Relationships: The Data-Driven Communicator’s Guide to Success.”  She was also named the NH SBA’s “2007 Woman Business Owner of the Year.”

Paine has her own blog in which she talks about the PR world, and evaluates it.  Her blog is very well organized, offering various links ranging from the books she’s written to her favorite blogs to other sources one can find more information on measurement.  She posts a couple of times every week, staying up-to-date with current news in the industry and offering her own feedback.  What kind of surprised me was that not many people are commenting on her posts.  Sure, there is an occasional one or three comments here and there, but nothing like I was expecting for a woman who seems to be as idolized as she is.

But Paine is much more than a self-proclaimed serial entrepreneur.  If you click on her About page there’s a section where she tells readers what kind of music she’s currently listening to, and what books she likes.  She also lists her other interests like cooking, writing, and photography.

Paine also has a presence on Twitter.  On her Twitter she has a little over 4,000 followers, and what I was shocked to find is that she also has over 1,000 members that she’s following, which shows she’s interested in what others are saying too.  I think the best part about Paine’s Twitter is her sense of humor. In her mini-bio in the sidebar she acknowledges that people often refer to her as the “Queen of Measurement,” but then she jokes about how she prefers to be called “Sashet, the Goddess.”  She is also very candid and animated in her responses to her Twitter followers, even going so far as to use slang, shortened forms of real words (instead of “through” she writes “thru”), and even the occasional emoticon.  :)

Paine took part in a recent interview with Lee Odden, in which she talked about PR measurement, staying current with the industry, her other interests aside from PR metrics, as well as offering advice and explaining how she became the PR measurement guru that she is today.