This week our class discussed different types of Unobtrusive research. This method of research studies an issue from a distance without influencing the process. It examines records, events, characteristics, and behaviors. The two types of unobtrusive research our class focuses on is content analysis and indirect measures of research. Unobtrusive research is strongly needed in public relations in order to conduct a good campaign and measure the effectiveness of the company.
An interesting article in PR News sheds light on how to approach current communication trends. I found the article titled, "Yesterday's PR Pros, Today's Chief Content Officers," extremely beneficial and informative. The author, Bob Rumpza, argues that PR professionals should take authority in tackling the challenges of marketing convergences because it is the PR people that communicate news well. After all,"We know how to tell the story—and tell it in ways that get results," says Rumpza. He gives readers pointers when marketing tactics such as social media, advertising, and digital PR compete for the best way to reach an audience.
Tip number one says to "Keep up with consumers’ rapidly changing use of media." To engage readers, public relations practitioners should use relevant content in places the audiences will see the most. A study done by ARAnet inc., proves communication methods are rapidly changing. Most people in the company's target market are searching the Internet to find brand information because they trust online opinions. What I found most interesting is the people in the study are more influenced by online information than by a group's belief. They also prefer websites loaded with information rather than a banner ad for purchasing. Thus it is important to conduct content analysis research to learn about competitors methods, the media, and the target audience to successfully keep up with these changing trends. Check out the You Tube video at the top to see just how fast our world is changing!
Tip number two reads, "Incorporate new content tools that combine the best of PR, advertising and digital." The best way to reach an audience is to use a mixture of PR, advertising, and digital. Public relations tactics focus on credibility, building relationships, and reaching target audiences. Advertising uses catchy slogans and branding to get attention. Digital and online tactics are useful when measuring the company's success and providing online photos and logos.
ARAcontent 2.0 is a matte company that distributes to top media websites and provides PR practitioners with branded content and good PR results. Looking into this tool, I found it attains surpassing amounts of media coverage by publishing a targeted story around the world. In 1996, ARAnet first created a print version of this amazing tool but as times are a changin' the company came out with a new digital version now known as the evolution of PR branded content. How easy!
The last tip advises PR people to, "Select tools that provide measurement." Public relations practitioners need to measure the success of the company. This goes further than recording the number of clicks a website receives. The article recommends PR people dig deeper, work harder to discover the traffic on a client's site. Overall this will tell the value of the marketing tactics. One common way measure success is by conducting unobtrusive research to analyze available records or behaviors. It is cheap and easy to do. It is the only way to examine large-scale trends.
As PR practitioners, we cannot overlook the many uses for Unobtrusive research. This method of research helps PR people keep up with changing communication trends by learning about what the competition and target markets are doing. Unobtrusive research methods can be used to study client website attendances as means to determine company success. As PR News informs us, the best way to reach an audience is to keep up with public relations tactics, advertising branding, and digital media.
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