PR and communications professionals are already bought-in on the value of technology to their jobs. Now, the question many are asking is, “how do I ensure I have the right technology to meet my professional needs?” Here are three things to be aware of when you are evaluating PR and communications platforms:
How were the tools and features built?
One of the often-overlooked considerations in choosing PR software is how these tools are developed and deployed. In many cases, providers add features to a platform through acquisition or third-party connections, which can lead to a choppy user experience.
The Critical Mention Earned Media Suite, however, consists of tools that were developed internally by Critical Mention engineers and as a result, are tightly integrated. The platform was built cohesively to help professionals effectively manage the entire PR lifecycle, from research, to pitching, to tracking, to campaign evaluation. The platform delivers results in real-time and is simple and intuitive to use.
The Suite consists of tools like:
- TV and Radio Monitoring
- Online News Tracking
- Social Media Monitoring (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram)
- Podcast Monitoring
- Media Contact Database
- PR Analytics
How quickly can you get value from the platform?
Sophisticated tools and technology are only as good as the value users can get from them. For that reason, features should ideally be designed with the phrase, “maximum efficiency, minimal complexity” in mind. While some providers forgo usability for “bells and whistles,” the most valuable tools are the ones that can begin delivering results within days or weeks - not months - of implementation.
What is the provider’s overarching philosophy?
The way a company thinks about and evolves its offerings is incredibly important, yet it is not always considered by potential customers. Understanding a provider’s core competencies and philosophy can help you understand not only its current offerings, but the path it will take in the future.
To that point, Critical Mention’s product roadmap is developed with a two-pronged approach. The first and most important prong is through customer feedback. Nobody knows better than PR and communications professionals what tools they need to perform their jobs as effectively as possible. Second, through rigorous R&D and the market understanding that comes from 20 years of experience, Critical Mention strives to be on the front edge of the change driving earned media, and to develop new features accordingly.
So, regardless of what your needs are or what solution you wind up choosing, make sure you keep these questions top-of-mind as you evaluate PR platforms.
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