Public Relations Chapter 5: Research

Front 1

Research is the first of 4 essential steps for effective public relations. What does research do?

Back 1

Provides the information required to understand the audience (understand the needs of the public, to develop powerful messages), competition, and environment.

Front 2

What are some questions to ask when determining the research role and scope?

Back 2

What is the problem? What kind of information is needed? How will the results of the research be used? What specific publics should be researched? Should the organization do the research in house or hire an outside consultant? How will the research data be analyzed? How soon will the results be needed? How much will the research cost?

Front 3

How is research used? (10 Ways)

Back 3

To achieve credibility with management

To define audiences and segment publics (consumption patterns)

To formulate strategy

To test messages

To help management keep in touch

To prevent crises

To monitor the competition

To sway public opinion

To generate publicity

To measure success

Front 4

What are four different research techniques?

Back 4

Primary, secondary, qualitative, quantitative

Front 5

What is primary research?

Back 5

Data collected by the professional

Front 6

What is secondary research?

Back 6

Data collected previously by others; common sources are trade magazines annual surveys, online databases, the world wide web

Front 7

What is qualitative research?

Back 7

"Soft data," usually uses unstructured open-ended questions, exploratory in nature, usually valid; but not reliable, rarely projectable to larger audiences, generally uses nonrandom samples.

Examples: Focus groups, one-on-one, in depth interviews; observation; participation; role-playing studies; convenience polling

Front 8

What is quantitative research?

Back 8

"Hard data," usually uses close-ended questions, requires forced choices, highly structured; descriptive or explanatory type of research; Usually valid and reliable; usually projectable to large audiences; Generally uses random samples. Based on two major factors: Random Sampling, Sample Size (Average national poll should be 1,500 people)

Examples: Telephone polls, mailed surveys, mail intercept studies, face-to-face interviews, shared cost or omnibus studies; panel studies

Front 9

What are qualitative research techniques?

Back 9

Content analysis, Interviews (intercept interviews,) focus groups, copy testing (internal, external, Internet-Survey Artisan), ethnographic techniques (observation of an individual or group behavior)

Front 10

What's considered in questionnaire construction?

Back 10

Carefully consider wording, avoid loaded questions, consider timing and context, avoid the politically correct answer, give a range of possible answers, use scaled answers (likert-type scale: strongly agree, agree, undecided, etc.)

Front 11

How can respondents be reached?

Back 11

Mailed questionnaires (lowest response rate,) telephone surveys, personal interviews (most expensive,) omnibus or piggy back surveys, web and email surveys (pros: quick and cost effective, cons: low response rate and incomplete), Google and zoomerang

Front 12

What are web analytics?

Back 12

Web analytics provide information about number of site viewers, paths, and page views. There are two types: off-site, on-site

Front 13

What are the typical objectives of the social media monitoring process?

Back 13

Tracking and managing issues, developing content that tracks trends in thinking and fashion (called memes), increasing awareness of the organizations's mission, improving public opinion of a particular cause or organization

Front 14

What are key performance indicators (KPI's)?

Back 14

Type of performance measurement, evaluate the success of an organization or a particular activity

Example: Customer engagement measured by number of followers on a Twitter account and retweets

Front 15

What are social media tools?

Back 15

Apps help to collect data, dashboard software

Front 16

What are some social media monitoring terms?

Back 16

Share of Voice (visibility), Buzz (comment analysis), Sentiment (positive-negative valence of conversation), Mindshare (majority and current trends in news and comments), Meme (evolving ideas, trends)

Front 17

What is Social Media Participatory Research?

Back 17

Form of participant observation (walking around research) that may include: Tweeting and following influential tweeters, pinning and viewing pins on Pinterest, watching and posting Youtube videos, reading blogs, reviewing user comments on news stories and opinion pieces relevant to the clients business, tracking what people consider important, monitoring activity in Facebook groups that impact one's business.