A Public Relations Measurement Index Number Based on Ideal Coverage

The Paine of Measurement

Optimum Content Score: An Index Number to Love?
Here's a quick and easy way to design your customized article content score.

For years I've ranted about why a single Index number or a standard PR metric won't work (see "The Problem of PR Indexes: Magic Number or Big Headache?"). My argument has been that each PR program is different, with different goals, different audiences, and different measures of success. So how can you possibly compare them all with one number?

Embrace the Differences

However, I am beginning to believe that there might be a solution to this problem, and that is to embrace the differences--to build the differences into the measure. Here at KDPaine & Partners we now offer our clients a measure that is tailored to match their individual program goals: the Optimum Content Score (OCS). It gauges the success of articles, based on what the client considers to be the ideal article. With the OCS, we distill a potentially large number of variables into one number, based on the relative concept of “ideal" coverage. That way, we can tell you whether your coverage was more ideal than last year (comparing to benchmark), or less ideal than you wanted it to be (comparing to objectives).

What Is the Ideal Article?

For any particular client, we define an ideal article based on their coverage goals at the present time. So, for instance, an ideal article for Client X might be one that:

• contains several key messages,
• leaves a reader more likely to purchase,
• mentions the brand in the headline, and
• appears in the Wall Street Journal.

If an article includes all these attributes, we give it the maximum score, ten out of ten. To determine the score for any given article, points are deducted from the maximum based on how far an article is from ideal, taking points off, for instance, for negative positioning and minor mentions.

The beauty of this system is that the company that is looking to keep out of the headlines can gauge its effectiveness as well as a company that is trying to get into the headlines. For instance, in the middle of a crisis, ideal press might be a minor mention that contains a key message and is balanced.

I realize we're still measuring outputs here (and our long term goal is to measure outcomes), but this sort of customized-to-goals score is a big improvement over imposing one score across a wide variety of organizations and industries that may not have a lot in common. See Ed Moed's "Measuring Up" blog post on the subject here.

OCS allows you to look at those things that are important to your own business, insuring that you are measuring the most relevant elements of what you do. For instance, Sabrina Steele at Raytheon has used it to make better decisions on supporting trade and air shows, using spokespeople, and comparing her effectiveness with her peers.

Another advantage of OCS is that it can be compared to other marketing data to determine what does, in fact, drive outcomes like Web traffic, product preference and consideration. Factor analysis using OCS can tell you exactly which program elements and media efforts are having the most impact on whatever are your ultimate marketing measures of success (typically sales, sales leads or market share).

Design Your Own Article Content Score

You can easily get started with your own version of an optimum content score. Below is a sample list of questions--and you may wish to remove some or add your own--that you can use to determine the characteristics of the ideal article for your own program. Then rate your articles on how closely they come to your ideal.

Wishing you large measures of success,

Sample questions to determine ideal article content:

1. What is the goal of the program? (pick only one):

a. Increase exposure

b. Keep bad news to a minimum

c. Disseminate key messages

d. Increase preference

e. Generate awareness for spokespeople

2. How important is brand or sub-brand visibility?

a. Extremely important

b. Somewhat important

c. Not important at all

3. How important is it that the story be exclusively about your organization or brand?

a. Extremely important

b. Somewhat important

c. Not important at all

4. How visible do you want your spokespeople to be?

a. Highly visible

b. Somewhat visible

c. Doesn't matter

d. Invisible

5. How important is competitive positioning?

a. Extremely important

b. Somewhat important

c. Not important at all

6. How important is the tone of the coverage?

a. Extremely important

b. Somewhat important

c. Not important at all