Campaign Measurement & Attribution Flashcards

What is the primary difference between 'outputs' and 'outcomes' in communications measurement?

Answer: Outputs measure campaign activities (e.g., press releases sent); outcomes measure changes in audience behavior or perception

Outputs refer to the tangible products of campaign work (number of articles placed, posts published), while outcomes reflect actual changes in awareness, attitude, or behavior.

Which statistical method helps communications professionals determine whether a difference in campaign results between two groups is due to chance or a real effect?

Answer: Hypothesis testing / statistical significance testing

Statistical significance testing (e.g., chi-square or t-tests) determines the probability that observed differences between groups occurred by chance rather than due to the campaign.

A brand runs simultaneous campaigns across paid social, email, and display ads, and a customer converts after seeing all three. The data-driven attribution model differs from rule-based models because it:

Answer: Uses machine learning and actual conversion path data to allocate credit based on each touchpoint's true contribution

Data-driven attribution uses algorithms and historical conversion path data to algorithmically determine each touchpoint's actual contribution, rather than applying a fixed rule.

Net Promoter Score (NPS) is calculated by subtracting the percentage of 'Detractors' from the percentage of:

Answer: Promoters

NPS = % Promoters (scores 9–10) minus % Detractors (scores 0–6), with Passives (scores 7–8) excluded from the calculation.

In campaign measurement, 'frequency capping' is a practice used to:

Answer: Set a maximum number of times an individual sees the same ad within a defined period

Frequency capping limits how many times a single user is exposed to the same ad, preventing overexposure and audience fatigue.

Which of the following is a key limitation of using Advertising Value Equivalency (AVE) as a PR measurement metric?

Answer: It equates earned coverage with paid ads, ignoring content quality, tone, and credibility differences

AVE is criticized because it treats a favorable front-page news story the same as a paid ad, ignoring the editorial credibility, message quality, and trust differential of earned media.

A communications team sets a SMART goal for its Q3 campaign. Which of the following best exemplifies a SMART goal?

Answer: Increase positive media sentiment by 15% among target journalists within 90 days using sentiment tracking software

A SMART goal is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound — 'increase positive sentiment by 15% among target journalists within 90 days' meets all five criteria.