Public Relations success: The PR landscape is continually evolving, driven by the rapid growth of digital platforms and the dynamic nature of audience engagement. In this context, the SMILE 2024 (Social Media Influencers Listing Engine) Report serves as a vital resource for Public Relations (PR) professionals and aspirants. Developed by The PRactice and showcased in collaboration with Reputation Today, the report recognizes top social media influencers within the PR and communications industry in India, based on a rigorous methodology. This blog post explores how PR professionals can leverage insights from this report to enhance their strategies and how PR aspirants can learn valuable lessons to navigate their careers effectively.
SCoRe is proud to present a blog, based on the SMILE 2024 Report that has SCoRe’s mentors, Advisory Board and Academic Council members contributing their expertise. These members make SCoRe the best institute in Public Relations in India.
Read the Public Relations success stories through the blog based on SMILE 2024 Report:
The SMILE 2024 Report shifts the focus from vanity metrics, such as likes and follower counts, to more meaningful engagement metrics. According to industry experts, this change is critical for PR professionals who aim to create genuine connections with their audience.
As Hemant Gaule, Dean of the School of Communications & Reputation, explains, “In today’s digital world, PR professionals must prioritize engagement over superficial metrics. The SMILE Report highlights those who are not only visible but are also driving conversations and shaping perceptions.” This approach aligns with the current trend of emphasizing metrics that reflect the depth and quality of audience interaction, such as the Engagement-to-Reach ratio and Dwell Time, which indicate how well content resonates with its audience.
For instance, the Engagement-to-Reach ratio tells PR professionals what percentage of their audience is interacting with their content. A high ratio suggests that the content is not only reaching a large number of people but also engaging them effectively. Similarly, Dwell Time measures how long users spend on a webpage after clicking on social media content. Longer dwell times indicate that the content is relevant and compelling, providing value to the audience.
These metrics allow PR professionals to fine-tune their content strategies, ensuring that their messages are not just seen but also engaged with, ultimately leading to stronger brand loyalty and more effective communication campaigns.
Understanding the methodology behind the SMILE 2024 Report provides PR professionals and aspirants with the tools they need to evaluate their social media strategies effectively. Here’s a breakdown of the report’s methodology:
The identification process in the SMILE 2024 Report involved selecting influencers from a pool of over 100 nominees, with a final list of 59 influential names making the cut. These individuals were chosen based on their active participation on social media platforms, specifically Twitter and LinkedIn. To qualify, nominees needed to have at least 800 followers on Twitter and 1,000 connections on LinkedIn, along with a consistent record of creating and sharing original content over the past six months.
Minari Shah, Amazon India’s Director of Corporate Communications, and a mentor of SCoRe, emphasises the significance of this selection process: “The SMILE 2024 Report is not just a recognition but a guide for what effective communication looks like in today’s digital-first world. It shows us the importance of consistency, relevance, and authenticity in building an influential voice.”
This thorough identification process ensures that only those who demonstrate sustained engagement and influence in the PR industry are recognized, providing a reliable benchmark for others in the field.
The next step in the methodology involved calculating and standardizing the scores to ensure fair and accurate representation. The process began by normalizing the Impression Scores, multiplying them by two to achieve consistency. Following this, the Follower, Impression, and Engagement Scores were added together and then divided by three to obtain what is known as the Power Score.
This standardised calculation provides a balanced measure of an influencer’s reach, engagement to capture a more nuanced picture of influence.
Girish Balachandran, Founder and Managing Director of On Purpose, mentor and patron of SCoRe, notes, “Aspiring PR professionals should study the SMILE Report closely. It offers a roadmap for how to build a career in PR with authenticity and strategic thinking at its core. The influencers featured are not just trend followers—they are trendsetters.”
The Power Score is a crucial metric in the SMILE 2024 Report, representing a composite score, as it reflects an influencer’s effectiveness across multiple dimensions. For Twitter, the Power Score ranged from 1 to 10, while for LinkedIn, it ranged from 2 to 9. The average score was rounded to 4, which served as the median Power Score within the four quadrants.
This metric is essential for PR professionals looking to identify which influencers are popular but and highly effective.
Karthik Srinivasan, a social media and digital marketing expert, and mentor at SCoRe, underscores the importance of this metric: “Understanding where influencers stand in terms of their engagement and reach helps PR professionals make informed decisions about whom to collaborate with and how to approach their own content creation.”
Finally, the Power Scores were used to map influencers into four distinct quadrants: Maestros, Virtuosos, Aficionados, and Pathfinders. This mapping process provides a clear visual representation of where each influencer stands. In terms of their Twitter and LinkedIn Power Scores, this allows PR professionals to strategically select the right influencers.
The quadrant an influencer can guide PR professionals in understanding the type of impact they can expect from potential collaborations. For instance, Maestros are those with high power scores on both platforms, indicating a well-rounded and highly effective presence. On the other hand, Pathfinders may excel on one platform but have room for growth on the other, offering opportunities for engagement strategies.
(Read more: Corporate communicators need to develop an Olympian mindset)
For those aspiring to enter the PR field, the SMILE 2024 Report offers a wealth of knowledge. Moreover, the success stories of the influencers provide valuable lessons on how to build a brand, engage with audiences in the industry.
Shreya Krishnan, Managing Director for India at AnitaB.org and a faculty of SCoRe, advises, “Aspiring PR professionals should focus on creating authentic content that resonates with their audience. The key is to be consistent and intentional with your messaging, much like the influencers highlighted in the SMILE Report.”
PR aspirants can take inspiration from the report by observing how influencers have developed their uniqueness out of their niches. For example, influencers who excel in the Maestros quadrant are recognised for their ability to engage deeply with their audience. This is practiced in different channels because it demonstrates multi-channel approach in digital landscape.
How Can PR Aspirants Apply These Insights to Their Career Development?
To translate these insights into actionable steps, PR aspirants as a result, should start by building a strong online presence. Developing a consistent posting schedule, engaging with industry leaders, and sharing original content can help them gain visibility and credibility.
Furthermore, aspiring professionals should focus on honing their skills in social media analytics. Understanding how to measure engagement, reach, and sentiment will enhance the ability to manage online presence.
By adopting a proactive approach PR aspirants can further set themselves up for long-term success.
The SMILE 2024 Report, further, recognises individual achievements and highlights the evolving role of PR in the digital age. PR professionals rely on digital platforms to reach their audiences, the ability to measure social media impact has become crucial.
This shift towards data-driven PR is a significant departure from traditional practices. The integration of social media metrics with other marketing channels allows PR professionals to demonstrate the value of their efforts. It is done from driving website traffic to generating leads and sales.
The report also underscores the importance of social listening. It is the practice of monitoring digital conversations to understand how audiences perceive a brand or industry. By tracking brand mentions, analysing sentiment, and identifying trending topics, PR professionals can tailor their strategies. The strategies address emerging issues and engage in meaningful dialogues with their target audiences for public relations success campaigns.
(Read more: Successful PR Campaign of India 2023- Bira)
The trends highlighted in the SMILE 2024 Report are likely to continue shaping the PR industry as public relations success. As engagement metrics become increasingly sophisticated, PR professionals will need to develop more advanced analytical skills to stay competitive. Additionally, the growing importance of authenticity and transparency in communication will require PR professionals to be more thoughtful in their messaging.
The report also suggests that the lines between PR and other marketing disciplines will continue to blur. The integrated campaigns that combine social media, content marketing, and influencer partnerships will become the norm. PR professionals who can navigate these intersections and collaborate effectively across teams are to lead in the future.
Furthermore, the SMILE 2024 Report is a reflection of the changing dynamics of the industry. For PR professionals, the report offers a roadmap for leveraging engagement metrics to enhance their strategies and make data-driven decisions. For PR aspirants, it showcases public relations success on how to build a career in this fast-paced field.
Both seasoned professionals and newcomers can set ways to success in PR through opportunities presented by the SMILE 2024 Report.
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