Join CIPR
Search by title
Two white men sit at a table analysing graphs. The man on the left is older with grey hair and a navy jumper. The man on the right has brown hair and beard and wears a light blue shirt.
shapecharge / iStock
LEARNING
Tuesday 14th May 2024

How to master measurement and evaluation for communication

In the second of our Learning at Work Week takeover blogs, discover how refining your measurement and evaluation skills can improve your PR campaigns

As a CIPR student, learning how to master measurement and evaluation is invaluable. These skills provide you with the knowledge to refine your campaigns and strategies, make informed decisions and share results with stakeholders.

We’ve summarised the key points that will make you a master of measurement and evaluation. 

What’s the difference between measurement and evaluation?

Measurement is the data, analytics or information that is collected. 

Evaluation is the process of understanding your communication.

Using a dashboard to measure and evaluate 

A dashboard is a commonly used form of measurement that compares data against different time frames. This data comparison can help you understand whether your campaign is on track. It’s also a great way to measure regular activity and present data in a visual format.

What information should a dashboard contain?

Infographic titled dashboard metrics for communications and PR. It contains an illustration of a screen with various graphs. Connected to these are six headings with icons titled: media coverage, social media performance, newsletter performance, website page views, internal communications; and any other content
  1. Media coverage
    How many articles were published and did people react positively, neutrally or negatively to them (sentiment)?
     
  2. Social media performance
    How many people did the campaign reach and what were the engagement rates?
     
  3. Newsletter performance
    How many people read your newsletter? The two key metrics to focus on here are open rate and click-through rates.
     
  4. Website page views
    What were the most visited pages that were associated with your campaign? Looking at the top ten ranked pages will give further insight.
     
  5. Internal communications 
    This includes any analytics from internal communication platforms.
     
  6. Any other type of content
    This covers any other content that has been created to push your campaign. For example, this could include blogs and podcasts.

The AMEC Framework

The AMEC Integrated Framework is free a tool that is mostly used for ad-hoc measurement. This tool provides a clear step-by-step process to guide you through planning, implementing, and evaluating campaigns. 

There are seven key sections to the AMEC Framework.

  1. Objectives
  2. Inputs
  3. Activities
  4. Outputs
  5. Out-takes
  6. Outcomes
  7. Impact
A grid containing seven multicoloured blocks, with each of the words in the list above printed on each one

Find out more about the AMEC Integrated Framework.

Best practice in measurement and evaluation 

  1. Be data-driven – Use real-time data and compare historical data to make informed decisions to help refine campaigns.
     
  2. Be a storyteller – Presenting raw data isn’t the most engaging way to share results. Tell a story with data by using visual formats such as infographics or data visualisations.
     
  3. Keep learning and improving – Never stop learning. Keep track of the lessons learnt through feedback and evaluation. This will help improve strategies and campaigns in the future.

Do you want to learn more about internal communications? 

Listen to the Cambridge Marketing podcast which covers how to make internal communications exciting and engaging.

Camilla George is the communications officer at Cambridge Marketing College.

From Monday 13 to Sunday 19 May 2024, the CIPR is taking part in Learning at Work Week. Hosted by Campaign for Learning, this week-long event aims to highlight the power of learning. Find out more about the host of activities that CIPR has to help PR professionals to learn, develop and grow.

personal-developmentcipr