PR Standards - Social Media Measurement & Monitoring Conference London 2013

This event has been going for a few years now and I last attended it 2 years ago. This year many of the same faces were there, taking sessions and filling the audience. I wanted to see how things had moved on in the past years. I know there has been a lot of behind the scenes work on PR measurement standards and new to me was hearing from Katie Paine talk about the latest stage in the standards discussion - the conclaves to gather detailed opinion and gain (final?)consensus.

While PR measurement standards may not be the most sexy of subjects it is widely acknowledged as key to the development of PR and in particular how it addresses the issue of success in the digital age. I asked Katie about the need to police standards and she indicated it was a pertinent next step following consensus on standards being reached.

I would like to see a combination of carrot and stick. On the one hand a clear reference to the success queues, the gold-standard methodology; and on the other hand possibly a mechanism to name and shame!

I have mixed feeling on the need to audit research companies, for them to have their processes scrutinised. Very capable smaller media researchers might be dissuaded by the bureaucracy and cost. The industry needs to think very carefully about anything which looks like a hurdle to entry into the market. Get this wrong and providers 'passing' the test could start looking like a cartel, repelling new entrants, new ideas and no doubt putting up the costs for their work.

I strongly believe it is feasible to introduce PR standards and uphold those effective

providers of measurement services. In summary, I should explain where I would like the market to get to. My hope is that those looking for research suppliers will be able to easily invite proposals from conforming providers; knowing clearly what methodology will be used, and very importantly eliminating any suspicion of smoke and mirrors around their processes.  

As a postscript, if you are interested in knowing more about the current measurement standards debate look at http://smmstandards.org/