In a recent study conducted by the l’Union Belge des Annonceurs (Belgian Advertisers Association) and PitchPoint, advertisers expressed regret about the fact that their communication or advertising agency is not able to sufficiently demonstrate the ROI for the efforts made. A lack of quantification that could in time, lead to disappointment or even the end of the relationship. Here are three steps that explain the approach adopted by Voice to ensure clients and agencies speak the same language and agree on the definition and measurement of success.
1. Outline your definition of success
To help brands and agencies agree on the definition of the objectives established in their communication plan, AMEC, the association for the measurement and evaluation of communication activities, has defined seven extremely useful principles for embarking on this joint objective.
The first principle invites organisations to define the objectives and establish a system for measuring the results.
The role of the communication agency is crucial in this step. At Voice, we ensure we challenge and focus our clients with regard to their objectives: “Do you want to invest in Facebook Advertising? Launch a public relations campaign? Take your first steps in Influencer Marketing? What are your short and long-term business objectives? How do you define the success of a Social Media strategy (branding, lead generation, engagement and brand advocacy, etc.)?” These questions could also form the subject of workshops and passionate debates. The more specific the answers, the better the strategy and the results achieved.
2. Measure the right KPI for the right objective
The second principle: “It is better to measure the results of your communication activities rather than their direct impact.”
Clearly, it is preferable to reflect on the impact your actions could have on the business rather than on criteria such as the number of articles in the media, the number of impressions, the number of fans, of likes and so on. These so-called 'Vanity Metrics' may sometimes be flattering, but unfortunately do not reveal much about the business impact and visibility generated.
3. Identify the impact of your communication
The online monitoring tool Trendkite differentiates between three types of impact resulting from communication activities. This classification allows the client to be challenged about his/her real communication needs:
- The Brand Impact includes the famous 'Vanity Metrics' described above. They mainly contribute to improving the reputation, share of voice, feeling about the brand. They testify to the visibility generated, but not the contribution to business.
- The Digital Impact considers the impact of your activities on your SEO, on your social environment (likes, number of shares, number of followers, etc.) and lastly on the traffic on your website (volume, quality of the traffic generated and source of the traffic, etc.).
- Conversions. They may concern a direct or indirect impact on sales but being able to identify the contribution made by the communication to the consumer acquisition path is now fundamental. The words of consumers and organisations, which communicate positively on your behalf and thus become Brand Ambassadors, could also be considered as conversion.
Voice establishes customer acquisition paths using inbound marketing techniques that help measure the business impact of communication activities. Don't hesitate to contact us to find out more.
