Cision And PRWeek Release 2019 Global Comms Report: The Path To Progress, Demonstrating The Rise Of Earned Media

On average, 34% of overall media budgets go to earned media, a 1.3x increase over last year

CHICAGO, Nov. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Cision (NYSE: CISN) and PRWeek today announced the release of their third annual 2019 Global Comms Report: The Path to Progress. The report surveyed more than 500 senior-level PR and marketing professionals in seven countries to uncover recent trends in communications. Among other findings, the 2019 Global Comms Report reveals that increased investments in data and shifts in social media strategy are helping comms teams clearly demonstrate their impact on a company's bottom line.

The Path to Progress presents comparative year-on-year data that spotlights key trends shaping the comms discipline – including the finding that earned media is on the rise. 34% of global respondents' overall media budget goes to earned media, up from 26% last year. Looking at U.S. respondents only, earned media's prevalence is even more apparent. Notably more budget goes to earned media (39%) than paid media (31%), which has seen its share growth plateau since 2018 and now sits near owned media, which has 30% of the spend in the U.S.

Key takeaways from the report also include:

• 67% of communicators believe the press release remains a major media communications tool
• Instagram has grown in significance, with 22% selecting it as their most important social channel, up from 9% last year, passing Twitter and closing in on Facebook in importance
• 61% focus their engagement efforts on mainstream journalists, an increase over last year
• 67% feel confident they know how many people are actually reading their content, an increase in confidence in actual reach metrics over last year

"At Cision, we recognize the tremendous value of original research in better understanding the challenges and opportunities ahead for our industry," said Jenn Deering Davis, VP of Global Comms, Content and Brand at Cision. "The themes emerging in this year's survey highlight a lot of what our clients and even our own comms team face every day. Among many takeaways, it's particularly interesting to see what this report tells us about the evolving perspectives on influencers and social media, as these tactics become even more mainstream and mature."

Among survey results, the 2019 Global Comms Report offers insights into:

• Noteworthy shifts in both the most impactful influencers and content platforms
• Evidence that traditional media still carries sway
• How PR pros are gaining more impact in the C-suite and across the business
• How effectively PR is deciphering the data it collects
• Comms' current financial commitment to data and analytics
• The biggest challenges PR pros face and how they overcome them with data and technology

"What excites me most about PRWeek's collaboration with Cision on the third-annual Global Comms Report is how it brings into clear focus the progress the industry has made – both tactically and reputation-wise," said Gideon Fidelzeid, managing editor of PRWeek. "The global data collected by the study does more than just tell a great story in and of itself. It's instructive and serves as counsel to any PR pro seeking a tactical or strategic edge."

To read the full 2019 Global Comms Report, click here.

For more, join Cision's Jenn Deering Davis and PRWeek's Gideon Fidelzeid on Wednesday, December 11^th for a webcast that will transform the report's data into real-world counsel that can be implemented to bolster your earned media management efforts. To register, click here.

Survey Methodology:
PRWeek partnered with Cision on this survey, which was sent via email to both communications and marketing professionals in seven countries around the world: The U.S., Canada, U.K., France, Germany, Sweden, and China (including Hong Kong). A total of 527 senior-level professionals, from both agencies and in-house, completed the online survey, conducted by Bovitz, between July 11 and August 12, 2019. Results are not weighted and are statistically tested at confidence levels of 90% and 95%.

About Cision
Cision Ltd (NYSE: CISN) is a leading global provider of earned media software and services to public relations and marketing communications professionals. Cision's software allows users to identify key influencers, craft and distribute strategic content, and measure meaningful impact. Cision has over 4,800 employees with offices in 22 countries throughout the Americas, EMEA, and APAC. For more information about its award-winning products and services, including the Cision Communications Cloud®, visit www.cision.com and follow Cision on Twitter @Cision.

About PRWeek
PRWeek epitomizes the modern business publishing brand, spanning online, print, events, and social media, incorporating a paid-for content strategy and gated website. Launched  in November 1998, it is the essential title for PR pros.

PRWeek reflects an industry playing a more pivotal role than ever, not only in the marketing strategies of companies, brands, and organizations, but also within boardrooms and in the C-suite. In the transparent world epitomized by social media, corporate reputation is crucial. Executives need timely, authoritative, insightful content to navigate this landscape — that's where PRWeek comes in.

Breaking news, analysis, and opinion fuels PRWeek's content. And the brand extends into the iconic PRWeek Awards, annual conferences, roundtables, webcasts, and virtual forums. For more, visit prweek.com.

Media Contacts: 
Cision:
Rebecca Dersh
PR Manager
[email protected]

PRWeek:
Gideon Fidelzeid
Managing Editor
[email protected]

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