Contemporary public relations practice has developed over the last several decades from the weak third sister in marketing, advertising, and public relations mix to a full player. To help you keep up to speed with the exciting changes and developments of publications, this book has been updated to provide you with the necessary understanding of the problems and promises of public relations research, measurement, and evaluation. As a public relations professional, this book will guide you through the effective use of methods, measures, and evaluation in providing grounded evidence of the success (or failure) of public relations campaigns. This third edition takes a best practices approach-one that focuses on choosing the appropriate method and rigorously applying that method to collect the data that best answers the objectives of the research. It also presents an approach to public relations that emphasizes the profession's impact on the client's return on investment in the public relations function, the measurement of social media and the use of standardized measures.

This book will provide the business reader with the necessary understanding of the problems and promises of public relations research, measurement, and evaluation and the public relations practitioner as guide to effective use of methods, measures, and evaluation in providing grounded evidence of the success (or failure) of public relations campaigns.

Contemporary public relations practice has developed over the last several decades from the weak third sister in marketing, advertising, and public relations mix to a full player. To help you keep up to speed with the exciting changes and developments of publications, this book has been updated to provide you with the necessary understanding of the problems and promises of public relations research, measurement, and evaluation. As a public relations professional, this book will guide you through the effective use of methods, measures, and evaluation in providing grounded evidence of the success (or failure) of public relations campaigns. This second edition takes a best practices approach-one that focuses on choosing the appropriate method and rigorously applying that method to collect the data that best answers the objectives of the research. It also presents an approach to public relations that emphasizes the profession's impact on the client's return on investment in the public relations function.

Contemporary public relations practice has developed over the last several decades from the weak third sister in marketing, advertising, and public relations mix to a full player. To help you keep up to speed with the exciting changes and developments of publications, this book will provide you with the necessary understanding of the problems and promises of public relations research, measurement, and evaluation. As a public relations professional, this book will act as a guide to effective use of methods, measures, and evaluation in providing grounded evidence of the success (or failure) of public relations campaigns. This outstanding contribution takes a best practices approach--one that focuses on taking the appropriate method and rigorously applying that method to collect the data that best answers the objectives of the research. It also presents an approach to public relations that focuses on establishing the profession's impact on the client's return on investment in the public relations function, whether that function be aimed at internal or external audiences using standardized measures. By the end of the book, you will understand why and how research is conducted and will be able to apply best practice standards to any research done by supply-side vendors or internal research departments.

Global surveys have identified that evaluation is the current major professional research issue. Clients of PR firms are seeking greater evidence of the impact of campaigns and programmes, which in turn is leading to a greater demand for information on evaluation methods.Evaluating Public Relations comprises nine chapters which start with theoretical perspectives and then demonstrate the design and implementation of a range of PR research and evaluation methods. It is illustrated by award-winning case studies from around the world and concludes with consideration of future developments. Most chapters are supplemented by interviews with leading PR practitioners and responses to a survey of leading practitioners around the worldwide.

Thousands of public relations (PR) students and professionals have relied on this authoritative text to understand the key role of research in planning and evaluating PR campaigns. Revised and expanded to reflect today's emphasis on standards-based practice, the third edition has a heightened emphasis on setting baselines, creating benchmarks, and assessing progress. Stacks presents step-by-step guidelines for using a wide range of qualitative and quantitative methods to track output, outtakes, and outcomes, and shows how to present research findings clearly to clients. Every chapter features review questions and a compelling practice problem. PowerPoint slides for use in teaching are provided at the companion website. Instructors requesting a desk copy also receive a supplemental Instructor's Manual with a test bank, suggested readings, and case studies. New to This Edition: *Chapter on standardization, moving beyond the prior edition's focus on best practices. *Chapter on different types of data sets, with attention to the advantages and disadvantages of using Big Data. *Addresses the strategic use of key performance indicators. *Covers the latest content analysis software. Pedagogical Features: *Each chapter opens with a chapter overview and concludes with review questions. *End-of-chapter practice problems guide readers to implement what they have learned in a PR project. *Appendix provides a dictionary of public relations measurement and research terms. *Supplemental Instructor's Manual and PowerPoint slides.

Operating under tight budget constraints and with an ever-increasing range of tools and technologies to choose from, PR professionals have never been under so much pressure to justify their decisions. Evaluating Public Relations advises PR practitioners at all levels on how to demonstrate clearly and objectively the impact that their work has to their clients and managers. The authors draw on both their practical and academic experience to discuss a diverse range of evaluation methods and strategies. This fully updated edition of Evaluating Public Relations includes coverage and advice on the industry standards on PR measurement. Covering both theory and practice and containing case studies on Philips, Pepsi, St John Ambulance, Medicare and Westminster City Council, it is an essential handbook for both students and experienced practitioners.