Data analysis and usage is often related to something tangible like leads, sales, number of likes and visits, etc. It is difficult to find how communication and public relations (PR) can be based on data. But in reality, data plays a key role in both the functions of a brand and a company. These are the ways in which data can best be used to generate benefits for the corporate communications and public relations industry.
There’s Much More Than Coverage Tracking
In the PR industry, most PR professionals feel that real data is limited to getting the number of views and coverage pieces. While this is an important part to keep in mind, there are many more features of real data that PR professionals can use to their advantage. With properly analyzed and verified data in hand, PR professionals can more accurately predict news cycles and audience interest. This can also help to better identify and select outlets to invest in relationship building. Therefore, the data-driven approach in public relations is not only limited to obtaining the measurable volume of coverage, but is also useful for better understanding the media landscape in order to better engage with media professionals.
The more you ask, the more you earn
When data comes in handy, one of the most important things to do is gain a deep understanding of what is in it and write relevant questions that can be answered through the data provided. For example, what would be the top publications that prefer stories from the industry in which a particular client specializes? Or are there any new angles that can be thrown in for a particular story? There are many more options for it. Just put in the time and some creative thinking to come up with some interesting new ideas for the client’s business and overall PR campaign.
Be clear about what is needed and what is not
There are numerous data available with us from various sources. But it is public relations professionals who need to judiciously select the data that would benefit a particular client. Basically, they are the trends that we should refer to with the selected data to get a better idea of your efforts. When referring to what is needed as data and what is not, it is the context, relationships and the ability to ask questions that would benefit.