Everything I've said in the last three years is wasted

Never have I been so discouraged. Eric Schwartzman (OnTheRecord on Twitter) who is someone I like and admire, just asked the Twitterverse the following question: 

if can anyone recommend an online monitoring/analysis service that provides an ad equivilency figure for online coverage?

This is SO wrong, Eric, it belongs in the Clueless Train Manifesto. Ad Value Equivalencies are based on column inches and audited circulations from traditional media. Never mind that there is no evidence anywhere that consumers behave the same way when they see and ad or editorial, and that there's no science behind the calculations, and most developed countries have rejected this metric, it also has nothing to do with what people are seeing, hearing, believing or doing. So why do you care?
In social media the science is even more dubious. What "Ads" are you comparing your editorial to? Pop Ups, Banners, Ad Words, YouTube?, Facebook ads? Underwriting?  how would you calculate an "equivalent" between a blog that doesn't accept advertising and doesn't share its visitor numbers but has huge influence, such as Shel Israel's and a pop-up ad that every ignores?
More importantly, why would you want to? There is no science here, Eric. So if you or anyone provides this so-called "equivalency" they're lying to the client and delivering unadulterated crap.Why wouldn't you instead spend the time and resources studying what people did after reading that blog?
I'm curious if anyone DOES recommend an agency that provides these bogus numbers. I'd love to warn my clients away from them.

 

 

Comments

[Mathews27Nona]

The personal loans suppose to be important for people, which are willing to start their own career. As a fact, it is comfortable to get a commercial loan.

[write my essay]

I always liked reading your bog, so keep heading this way, it would be really interesting to share

[kdpaine]

Eric, great post and I hear your points. I had the pleasure of doing the follow up to you in Pittsburg and got asked the same question and believe I got the person asking the question to understand why she was asking the wrong question. I'll be posting more about this momentarily

[Eric Schwartzman]

As David Carr said so well in his keynote at the PRSA Digital Impact Conference earlier this month, the blogosphere is like a golden retriever. Lovable. Attentive. But not all that bright.

I'll be podcasting David's speech in the coming weeks, as well as a speech from Steve Rubel, a strategic recap with Eric Rabe of Verizon and a meet the media panel with Stephen Baker of Business Week, J.D. Biersdorfer of the NY Times, Betsy Alexander of the Early Show and Richard Wilner of the NY Post.

It's a question, Katie, and I agree it's not the one I'd ask, or even the one I'd like see asked. But just because you and I disapprove of the question, doesn't make it go away. And the fact of the matter is, a senior level communicator at a global brand is looking for a tool that can assign a monetary value to online coverage. In his judgement, that is the first step to winning board approval for new media communications at his organization.

IMHO, this blog post exemplifies what's wrong with the blogosphere. First, it assumes that I since I asked a question, that I would condone such a service, if it existed, which I would not. If I thought ad equivalency was useful, I would have built it into iPressroom's intergrated measurement tools.

Second, it lacks context, since you have no background on why I'm asking the question, or who I'm asking it for.

And third, it puts demagogery before objectivity by basing an argument seemingly meant to incite passion on 140 characters, instead taking the time to find out why I asked the question and advancing the conversation in a constructuve, meaningful way.

The truth is, I agree with your rationale, but the boardroom may not. They may be comfortable with a certain way of doing business, and resistent to change.

If someone asks me a question, as someone did ay my New Media PR Boot Camp at the PRSA Travel and Tourism Conference earlier this week, I do my best to be helpful and get them an answer. If that makes me a menace, so be it.

[Webconomist]

Ah, that was frightening. Social Media is about conversations, nothing to do with advertising in the conversation and ads are rarely in context with the content, despite "relevancy" engines and whatnot.

Great post!

[Todd Van Hoosear]

Don't take it personally. I just had a client ask for the very same measurement! I gently steered them toward a more enlightened approach.

I hope this reflects more Eric's management's expectations rather than Eric's lack of savviness--it's still apparently a popular, if seriously flawed, way to justify your PR spend.

[Kami Huyse]

Katie, keep your chin up. There is certainly hope. Evangelism is like that, there are always opportunities to spread the good news.