Leaders from 11 Industry Associations Set Initial Standards to Alleviate Confusion in Social Media Measurement

Standards for Content, Engagement Released for Input

Durham, NH – October, 2012 – A cross-disciplinary coalition of marketing and communications associations has announced several initial standards for social media measurement, based on progress made earlier this month at the second annual #SMMStandards Conclave.

The Conclave has brought together leaders representing 11 industry associations and eight major corporations over the past year to help define social media measurement standards that will work across companies, brands, agencies and disciplines.

The initial standards address three specific challenges:

1. Content Sourcing, a foundational requirement for research and software providers to provide transparency behind the data, content and metrics so clients know “what’s inside” the metrics they deliver;
2. Engagement Measurement, so clients have a standard definition and methods for evaluating how audiences are “engaging with” them; and
3. Conversation Measurement, so clients have a standard definition and methods for evaluating how audiences are “talking about” them.

All of these initial standards will be published this month for public comment via www.smmstandards.org and be submitted to a customer panel assembled by the Coalition for Public Relations Research Standards. Katie Delahaye Paine, Chief Marketing Officer for News Group and founder of KDPaine & Partners, who hosted the meeting at her home in Durham said: “Major customers requiring the use of standards is an essential step toward ensuring their impact. Meanwhile, research providers who wish to stay ahead of the marketplace on social media measurement are encouraged to start adopting the standards now.”

The detailed initial standards for Engagement and Conversation measurement will be published this month vis www.smmstandards.org and be available for comment until December 1. Based on public feedback and review by the Coalition’s customer panel, the standards will be modified and finalized by the end of 2012.

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(Thanks for the image to Scanning Around With Gene at CreativePro.com.)