As a communicator or marketer, you can earn the respect of colleagues, competitors and the public, but that may mean little if company higher-ups don’t see your value.
That was part of the impetus behind a January 2018 PR News survey of 200 communicators. We wanted to gauge PR pros’ perceptions of what the C-suite thinks of communicators.
As you can see from the infographic, there’s good news, although it could be better. 33% of those surveyed felt their C-suites valued their digital content and social media efforts highly. On the other hand, nearly half (46%) feel their C-suites see these efforts as a “medium value” proposition. Also troubling, 21% don’t know what the C-suite thinks of these efforts or believe it sees them as low value.
Results from the second question also offer a mixed bag. It’s wonderful that 70% of communicators surveyed believe their C-suite fully appreciates the importance of the communications function. Yet 30% say their C-suites would need to experience a reputation crisis to fully buy into the value of what communicators offer.
Most (68%) of the 200 communicators who responded had more than 6 years experience; 40% were veterans of 20 or more years on the job.
We asked a group of senior PR pros who will be speaking February 22-23 during PR News’ Social Media Summit at the Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa, Huntington Beach, CA, [http://bit.ly/2BcUpkc] to react to the survey’s results.
Mostly Upbeat reactions
Communications Director
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Ken Peterson, senior communications strategist, Monterey Bay Aquarium, encapsulated the generally upbeat mood of the communicators.
“I’m encouraged to see that [communicators feel] senior company executives by and large recognize the value of communication—including social media—to the success of their enterprises,” he says.
Peterson adds that the media landscape is changing “dramatically, as is the pace at which information and misinformation can spread.” Communicators, he says, must be able to use “the new tools and channels through which we can get our messages out. It’s the best way for us to serve those we represent.”
PR’s Changing Face
Vice President, Marketing + Communications
Boingo Wireless
Lauren de la Fuente, VP, marketing & communications at Boingo Wireless, sees in the survey’s results how “the role of communications in business has moved from publicity to a highly valued strategic contribution that moves the business forward.” As such, “It’s good to see that [communicators feel] 70% of senior leaders buy into the business value of the communications function.”
De la Fuente’s task is easier than some PR pros in that Boingo’s senior leadership team “gets the value of communications, and how we tell our story to an audience that includes investors, clients, employees, and more.”
Field Work
Public Relations & Social Media Strategy Leader
Hallmark Cards
The survey’s findings were particularly relevant to Nisha Morris, executive director of PR for Providence St. Joseph Health, a Catholic health system with 50 hospitals in 7 states.
“When I came to Providence St. Joseph Health, I spent my first six months putting programs in place to show the value in PR to executives who traditionally supported reactive versus proactive PR efforts,” Morris tells us. These executives now are PR champions, she reports.
Morris, who believes most C-suite executives would value PR “if they’re shown the right results,” adds healthcare now is shifting to understand the importance of proactive PR. The industry, she says, “views media as an entity to build relationships with and leverage.”
Traditional PR vs Digital PR
Executive Director, Communication
Providence St. Joseph Health
Carrie Macquaid Bratcher, public relations & social media strategic leader at Hallmark Cards, found the poll results uplifting in that a “large number of C-level and executives value digital content and social media” despite measurement issues social medica faces.
For so long communications professionals struggled to show ROI and the value of social media efforts in comparison to the work they do with traditional media. At this point, she says, it’s good news that brands have adopted the concept of measuring the value of social media “on its own merits.”
A Cautionary Note
Executive Director, Corporate Reputation & Digital Engagement
KPMG
Andrew Bowins, executive director, corporate reputation and digital engagement, KPMG LLP, acknowledges the progress PR has made as indicated in the survey, yet he notes the need for caution. Bowins warns of becoming “over-reliant on the technology, tools and artificial intelligence that allow us to publish, measure, syndicate and push content in an always-on news environment.”
The savvy communicator, he adds, “is wary of content pollution.” Bowins also notes the need to “rely on our experience, insights and relationships to ensure the continued rise of the humans in this age of digital and that our seat at the table stays secured.”
Turning to the reporting question, Macquaid Bratcher notes the importance of early goal setting to have success later with measurement.
“With social media there are so many metrics you can get lost in,” she says. Her advice to communicators is to set clear goals that allow you to focus on metrics that matter to you and your executives and that drive business results.
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