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Big Data analysis is a fundamental element for planning the general strategies of Latin American organizations, although only a quarter of professionals are aware that it can change the profession and only 17.6% of agencies and communication departments have implemented this type of activity. In addition to managing massive data, the use of social networks by society and organizations has changed the landscape of communication management, although there is still a gap between the importance given to tools and their effective implementation.
These are some of the conclusions of the Latin American Communicator Monitor (LCM), a study organized by the European Public Relations Education and Research Association (EUPRERA), with the collaboration of the Association of Communication Directors of Spain (Dircom) and sponsored by LLORENTE & CUENCA , the Reputation Management, Communication and Public Relations consultancy in Spain, Portugal and Latin America.
The document analyzes current practices and the future development of strategic communication in organizations, based on a survey carried out with around one thousand people. The main axes of the study are centered on the analysis of the use of Big Data in strategic communication, automation of the PR area and communication management, relationships between agencies and their clients, new ways of distributing content through influencers, in organizations, in the generation of engagement and in their skills, in the knowledge and development of competences of communication professionals, among other topics.
The results of the analysis also allowed us to conclude that only 16.8% of communication departments in Latin America are considered excellent. This percentage is just three points below the results obtained two years ago and also the global performance in Europe and Asia-Pacific (20% and 24.4%, respectively). And it is the companies listed on the Stock Exchange that lead the ranking. Excellent communication departments are characterized by being more advanced in relation to the implementation of big data analysis.
Big Data in strategic communication
Big Data is one of the central elements of the study, which reveals that only a quarter of communication professionals are aware that the analysis of this data can change the profession and less than half of these workers have followed the debate on this tool.
Latin America showed a slight delay in the use of Big Data, compared to other regions. Thus, the study pointed out that only 17.6% of communication agencies and departments managed to implement Big Data activities, while 16% plan to start using them before the end of 2017. These are companies listed on the Stock Exchange and organizations public authorities are leading the implementation of Big Data, while agencies and consultancies are far from reaching this level. A 71.2% percentage of organizations already use Big Data to plan global strategies. A slightly smaller portion uses it to guide day-to-day actions (58.8%) and to justify their activities (53.7%).
What are the reasons for this very limited use? On the one hand, almost half of professionals guarantee that they lack analytical skills to use Big Data (45.1%) and time to study or analyze it (35.9%). The analysis of the statements indicates that there is a statistically significant correlation between the implementation of Big Data in organizations and the knowledge that communication professionals have on the subject. However, only a minority of study participants are really up to date in this field.
Automation in PR and communication management
The use of social networks by society and organizations has completely changed the landscape of communication management and the work of professionals working in the field of public relations. However, once again, the results that show the empirical study of the LCM reveal a gap between the importance that communication professionals give to automated practices and the actual implementation that has been taking place in their respective organizations.
In fact, seven out of ten respondents believe that adapting to the algorithms of online services such as search engines is important, but only 37.5% have implemented them in their own departments. Agencies and public organizations lead the implementation of algorithms in their management routines, especially regarding tools that support decision-making.
The relationship between the use of Big Data for day-to-day actions and the implementation of algorithms was also evaluated. Both trends, the use of Big Data and algorithms are strongly related in the case of tools of this type, programmed for the creation, distribution and adaptation of content.
Relations between agencies and their clients
Digital transformations are changing communication both within departments and agencies and with all the service providers who work for them. In fact, hiring agencies, consultancies and freelance consultants has become an increasingly common practice within communication management.
The results of the study found that agencies are mainly hired for their creativity and innovation (69.9%), because of their strategic knowledge (69.6%) and their ability to explain trends in new communication channels (64 , 7%). Next, agencies are valued for bringing objective and independent advice (59.2%), additional support (55.1%) and expertise in specific markets (52.9%).
New ways to distribute content
In addition to the media, social media influencers (SMI), like brand advocates, are a new group of thought leaders. Three-quarters of those interviewed by the LCM (77.2%) considered that SMIs are important for the execution of strategic communication activities. In turn, 62% stated that their organizations already use specific strategies to communicate with SMI. It is the agencies and consultancies that lead the strategies with SMI, both in relation to identification (56.1%) and those related to communication (54.2%).
Skills, knowledge and competence development
The two skills in which respondents rated themselves more favorably were: leadership of people and groups (73.8%) and strategic positioning (73.9%).
The results also confirmed the end of the gender difference regarding the perception of management skills. Latin American organizations offer more training required by professionals in the areas of management and business. However, there is a deficit in training in technical aspects related to the incorporation of Big Data analysis in the social media area: technical skills – such as algorithm programming or web computer skills – with a -52.5% and knowledge gap technical skills – such as understanding algorithm software, analytical understanding of Big Data, and statistical knowledge – with a gap of -52.3%.
These are some of the conclusions of the Latin American Communicator Monitor (LCM), a study organized by the European Public Relations Education and Research Association (EUPRERA), with the collaboration of the Association of Communication Directors of Spain (Dircom) and sponsored by LLORENTE & CUENCA , the Reputation Management, Communication and Public Relations consultancy in Spain, Portugal and Latin America.
The document analyzes current practices and the future development of strategic communication in organizations, based on a survey carried out with around one thousand people. The main axes of the study are centered on the analysis of the use of Big Data in strategic communication, automation of the PR area and communication management, relationships between agencies and their clients, new ways of distributing content through influencers, in organizations, in the generation of engagement and in their skills, in the knowledge and development of competences of communication professionals, among other topics.
The results of the analysis also allowed us to conclude that only 16.8% of communication departments in Latin America are considered excellent. This percentage is just three points below the results obtained two years ago and also the global performance in Europe and Asia-Pacific (20% and 24.4%, respectively). And it is the companies listed on the Stock Exchange that lead the ranking. Excellent communication departments are characterized by being more advanced in relation to the implementation of big data analysis.
Big Data in strategic communication
Big Data is one of the central elements of the study, which reveals that only a quarter of communication professionals are aware that the analysis of this data can change the profession and less than half of these workers have followed the debate on this tool.
Latin America showed a slight delay in the use of Big Data, compared to other regions. Thus, the study pointed out that only 17.6% of communication agencies and departments managed to implement Big Data activities, while 16% plan to start using them before the end of 2017. These are companies listed on the Stock Exchange and organizations public authorities are leading the implementation of Big Data, while agencies and consultancies are far from reaching this level. A 71.2% percentage of organizations already use Big Data to plan global strategies. A slightly smaller portion uses it to guide day-to-day actions (58.8%) and to justify their activities (53.7%).
What are the reasons for this very limited use? On the one hand, almost half of professionals guarantee that they lack analytical skills to use Big Data (45.1%) and time to study or analyze it (35.9%). The analysis of the statements indicates that there is a statistically significant correlation between the implementation of Big Data in organizations and the knowledge that communication professionals have on the subject. However, only a minority of study participants are really up to date in this field.
Automation in PR and communication management
The use of social networks by society and organizations has completely changed the landscape of communication management and the work of professionals working in the field of public relations. However, once again, the results that show the empirical study of the LCM reveal a gap between the importance that communication professionals give to automated practices and the actual implementation that has been taking place in their respective organizations.
In fact, seven out of ten respondents believe that adapting to the algorithms of online services such as search engines is important, but only 37.5% have implemented them in their own departments. Agencies and public organizations lead the implementation of algorithms in their management routines, especially regarding tools that support decision-making.
The relationship between the use of Big Data for day-to-day actions and the implementation of algorithms was also evaluated. Both trends, the use of Big Data and algorithms are strongly related in the case of tools of this type, programmed for the creation, distribution and adaptation of content.
Relations between agencies and their clients
Digital transformations are changing communication both within departments and agencies and with all the service providers who work for them. In fact, hiring agencies, consultancies and freelance consultants has become an increasingly common practice within communication management.
The results of the study found that agencies are mainly hired for their creativity and innovation (69.9%), because of their strategic knowledge (69.6%) and their ability to explain trends in new communication channels (64 , 7%). Next, agencies are valued for bringing objective and independent advice (59.2%), additional support (55.1%) and expertise in specific markets (52.9%).
New ways to distribute content
In addition to the media, social media influencers (SMI), like brand advocates, are a new group of thought leaders. Three-quarters of those interviewed by the LCM (77.2%) considered that SMIs are important for the execution of strategic communication activities. In turn, 62% stated that their organizations already use specific strategies to communicate with SMI. It is the agencies and consultancies that lead the strategies with SMI, both in relation to identification (56.1%) and those related to communication (54.2%).
Skills, knowledge and competence development
The two skills in which respondents rated themselves more favorably were: leadership of people and groups (73.8%) and strategic positioning (73.9%).
The results also confirmed the end of the gender difference regarding the perception of management skills. Latin American organizations offer more training required by professionals in the areas of management and business. However, there is a deficit in training in technical aspects related to the incorporation of Big Data analysis in the social media area: technical skills – such as algorithm programming or web computer skills – with a -52.5% and knowledge gap technical skills – such as understanding algorithm software, analytical understanding of Big Data, and statistical knowledge – with a gap of -52.3%.
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