As PR agencies finally wake up to the new integrated marketing world. they are increasingly throwing about the term “PESO” to refer to Paid, Earned Shared and Owned” content. Why they would want to brag about their results using something that is currently worth less than a penny to be exact) is beyond me. Or perhaps that is exactly what its worth.
In reality the way most of the agencies (excepting of course those rarified few who have already modified their measurement practices to be in compliance with the Social Media Measurement Standards) throw about terms like engagement and influence they might as well be worth $0.07
As it happens, The Conclave spent quite a bit of time already debating whether “shared” content deserved its own category, and in fact debated it again two weeks ago when we met. And we still came to the same conclusion. When someone shares a piece of content, that share is “earned” because presumably someone felt the content was good enough to share. In other words it earned the right to be shared. So why do we need yet another category? In fact when a media outlet posts a piece of content it is designed to be shared, so the shared category is essentially redundant.
Every time The Conclave has had this discussion, we have concluded that the correct terminology should be POE, Paid, Owned and Earned. And why wouldn’t you want an acronym that reminds one of one of America’s greatest poets?, More importantly, this great poet already has some history in the field of measurement.
I refer of course to that greatest of American measurement creations, Measurement Maven Danielle Brigida’s classic, the Return:
The Return
by Danielle Brigida, National Wildlife Federation
Once upon a non-profit theory, measurement was weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious meetings with little to account for,
While I nodded, nearly napping, an idea for a strategy came a tapping,
What if measurement could include social interactions and what they stand for?
I shall investigate - I muttered - to know what ROI could account for
Instantly I knew, this was something I must explore
Ah, distinctly I remember, I wanted the opinion of a member,
Because it is each separate inspiring member, That I do wildlife justice for
So I tweeted, questions and links, to see what each member thinks
But from my stats surcease of sorrow, I realized - some things you can’t keep score
Aside from rare and radiant traffic spikes, there was nothing traditional to record
I thought this it is, and nothing more.
It was our executive VP who had unfounded belief in me,
Thrilled me filled me with fantastic insight I’d never known before;
So that now, to still the ADD of my moving mind, she stood repeating
"Remember at NWF it's revenue, reach and engagement that we push for
Keep this is mind for what you measure - for this is all I will implore
Only this and nothing more.
Suddenly, my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
You sure? said I, for Madam, truly it's a return hard to account for
But the fact was I kept tracking, never loafing, never slacking
And so slightly traffic came tapping, tapping on my website door,
I used listening to confirm I saw it - then I recorded to be sure
Not just linkbacks here but something more.
Deep into the analytics peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing
Listening, and dreaming dreams no marketer ever dared to dream before
Instead of traditional ROI abounding, I saw something even more astounding
And the only thing I could think was How can I measure engagement more?
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word "explore"
Merely this and nothing more.
Back into my cubicle turning, all the questions within me burning,
Soon again I started tweeting more strategically than before.
'Surely,' said I, 'surely there's a chance for program assistance;
Let me see then, a potential instance, and this mystery explore -
Let my mind be still a moment and this mystery explore; -
'Tis a test and nothing more!'
Wildlife watch - an idea release, it holds the key engagement piece,
For people who spot all from crickets to geese, can use twitter to tweet
With #NWF as the hash tag; Wildlife sightings perhaps would not lag; (for all to brag?)
Updates made by phones to twitter, are searched more easily than before -
Searched using Twitter Search with no URL to look for -
Perhaps with this we will engage more.
With the wildlife we're compiling, We could keep the scientists smiling,
And lose the grave and stern decorum that was our storytelling before,
'Though tweets are short and fitted,' I said, we'll increase the total submitted
Ghastly grim and empty forums we'll be faced with nevermore!
Tell me what thy wildlife name is on the twitter feed-but be sure!
Share the findings, 'forever more.'
Then, methought, the air grew denser, social media had no censor
There were still those unbelieving, even worse were those misperceiving
That Twitter was the answer to all their programs' problems evermore.
`At last,' they cried, `thy God hath lent thee -- social media -- the angel -- sent thee
Traffic, comments, tweets and other means of engagement to record.
Yet it is important to remember, that goals determine the ROI accounted for
Forget this, `Nevermore.'
So there I was, sitting lonely needing support, but thinking only,
For Social media change we needed to move past communication days of yore
A little birdy told the web team "We should use a twitter stream"
And the idea, instead of dying was kept alive and continued flying
Till I found myself crying `Wow this is much easier than before -
With Twitter, Facebook, Digg and Stumbleupon gone are the days forgotten lore.
Doubting social media, `Nevermore.'
Though I feel the time spent disputing could be better spent recruiting
On the social sites that are intuitively fantastic for good rapport
It is my job to continue thinking how to keep goals and return from sinking
But trying to pinpoint every intangible value is simply uncalled for
Though I love data, traditional numbers are so far from social media at it's core
It's the relationships I adore
As for complete measurement, we're still waiting, we're still waiting
And anxiously anticipating metrics that assign value even more;
And my hopes have all the seeming of a marketer still dreaming,
That my efforts not in vain, will yield intangibles and metrics all the same
And that all the hours invested carefully will open future media doors
This I hope and so much more.
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