Here you’ll find the answers to the most frequently asked questions about media research and measurement. Have a specific question regarding your needs? Call 303-750-9610 or email us!
• How does BlueVision® and BluePrint™ technology work?
• What if I have a service and not a product/brand?
• What information do you need from a client who wants to get started?
• How much does it cost to start up?
• How much does it cost to collect data?
• How much does it cost for ongoing measurement?
• What kind of things can BlueVision® and BluePrint™ reports help me with?
• How long does it take to get my first report?
• How often can I get reports?
• How easily can I change aspects about my reports?
• What does a report look like?
• How many keywords can I use for collecting data?
• Can I collect data that already happened?
• Should I try to get data that has already happened?
• Do I need to have ALL the data for a brand and/or a topic in order have accurate measurement?
• What if I don’t already collect data, how would I begin?
Blue Marble Enterprises, Inc. Company Questions:
• Who is Blue Marble Enterprises?
• What makes Blue Marble Enterprises different?
• What things do people do and what things does technology do?
General Questions:
How is the BluePrint™ and BlueVision® technology different from other free media tools that I can find online?
BluePrint™ and BlueVision® databases go beyond counting and pie charts. Whatever metric is important or useful to you, we can measure it and it’s all in one place. Using your social media and/or traditional media coverage data, our reports will allow you to see longitudinal trends (over time) and discover meaning, insights and competitive advantages. We can compare your media coverage to competitors and/or identify messaging about an industry and/or brand. We also use people and technology so sentiment and the author’s intent are not lost in translation.
How does BlueVision® and BluePrint™ technology work?
Our databases take in your media coverage data and perform mathematic algorithms and statistical analysis to give you a visual display of your measurement results. We are happy to demo our technology for potential clients. Call or email us to ask for a free demo!
What if I have a service and not a product/brand?
Media measurement can be done for services, products, brands, campaigns, integrated programs, corporate reputation and any topic, category, industry or issue that you need to monitor.
What information do you need from a client who wants to get started?
New clients need to provide a description of what they need to measure. From there, we will help you through the entire process of data collection, data analysis and delivery of your measurements.
Can I do my own reading?
BluePrint™ and BlueVision® customers are welcome to do their own reading. Most companies do not do their own reading because it is time intensive and prevents employees from doing their “day job.” It is more cost effective to have timely reading done by us.
What if my company or service/brand is not mentioned often in social media and/or traditional media?
Media monitoring and measurement is still a good way to inspire your public relation and communication strategies. When your own coverage is very small or non-existent, think about benchmarking similar companies or industry trends to set goals for your own expansion of media coverage. Looking at competitors is always a good idea.
How much does it cost to start up?
Our reports are completely customized to your needs and your data. We will help you evaluate start up costs and ongoing measurement as well as provide free estimates. Analysis is very cost effective, especially if data collection is already done.
How much does it cost to collect data?
When you already subscribe to data collection platforms, there are no additional charges for data collection other than the time to harvest the data from that platform. When you don’t have current ways of collecting data, we can make affordable recommendations about how to get started and what the cost options are available.
How much does it cost for ongoing measurement?
Ongoing measurement is affordable. Amount of media stories, frequency and quantity of metrics all play factors into the cost of a useful report. We provide you an estimate in advance for your project. Can’t hurt to price it out. Good measurement makes you more effective with your PR, social media and communication costs.
Report Questions:
What kind of things can BlueVision® and BluePrint™ reports help me with?
Measuring traditional and social media activity, insights and competitive views of the effectiveness of your public relations and communication efforts. Basic media research always includes impressions (counting the people who saw your coverage) and ratings (sentiment). Advanced measurement always tells us more about effectiveness. Did you run a bigger and better campaign? Did your PR drive sales, web traffic or engagement? Many companies try to evaluate ROI, ROMO, or track accomplishments against KPIs. Our reports can measure many metrics to fit any need.
How long does it take to get my first report?
You can get a customized report in as quick as a week. Smaller projects, (1000 or fewer media stories per month with 1 – 3 graphs and reports per quarter or less frequently) can be done within a week after receiving your data. If you don’t already have data collected, please allow time for data collection. Larger projects, (more than 12K media stories per year, weekly-monthly-quarterly reporting needs with 4+ graphs and reports) will require evaluation of collection methods, readers needed, training, and estimation of the time to produce measurement outputs.
How often can I get reports?
Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, Annually, and anytime you have a special request.
Do I make my own reports?
You specify format and dictate what useful measurement metrics and analysis the report will include. We will work with you on a prototype report first if you need to develop useful measurements specific to your business and needs. In some cases, a “standard” graph or report can be served online for your anytime viewing. Your reports can be used in other elements as needed; for example you can save single ad-hoc charts and graphs and include them in your own reports or presentation needs.
How easily can I change aspects about my reports?
Anytime you need to change a report or graph, let us know and we can make the change. We will also send you a preview sample of the new report and confirm the changes will be useful for your brand or business.
What does a report look like?
We custom design your reports for your media monitoring needs. We work with you to decide what will be in your report, what format it will be in and how it is delivered or accessed. We can always show you a sample report at the beginning of your project for your approval.
Data Collection Questions:
How many keywords can I use for collecting data?
BluePrint™ and BlueVision® administrators are trained in forming simple and complex searches to collect data at various platforms. You can be as detailed as you need for your measurements to be useful.
Can I collect data that already happened?
Yes, but the more time that has passed the less data can be recovered. Most data collection platforms focus on being current and as time goes on they store less data for historical reference.
Should I try to get data that has already happened?
In general, no. Most data projects can get started with very little backpedaling. Collecting old data is a balance of time and cost. Many times, knowing what happened before you got started is only useful for a moment. We encourage clients to spend time on new data, rather than trying to catch up with old data.
Do I need to have ALL the data for a brand and/or a topic in order have accurate measurement?
Valid metrics depend on having a statistically valid data set. BluePrint™ and BlueVision® administrators can evaluate what is available to collect and tell us if the set is large enough to be statistically valid.
What if I don’t already collect data, how would I begin?
BluePrint™ and BlueVision® administrators work with many data collection platforms and Blue Marble Enterprises also has a proprietary webscraper tool. We can evaluate your data collection needs and recommend platforms and pricing that will fit your needs.
Blue Marble Enterprises Company Questions:
Who is Blue Marble Enterprises?
Blue Marble Enterprises is a database systems company. We design and build databases to hold and use information in many ways. Blue Marble Enterprises is best known for its databases that perform measurement, predictions and custom analysis. Our two most known products are for the communications and public relations industries, BluePrint™ and BlueVision®. We also have a Customer Lifetime predictive platform, BlueHorizon, for the marketing industry. For the scientific industry we offer Blue . We also offer custom databases to fit any need you have specific to your company and/or industry.
What makes Blue Marble Enterprises different?
People make us different. Blue Marble Enterprises employs technologists who build and administer the database systems, readers to work on data and mathematicians to do valid analysis. We are much faster than our competitors because of our technology and our people mixture.
What things do people do and what things does technology do?
There are certain things that computers are good at - things like storing data, counting, calculating, grouping, categorizing and displaying your data in meaningful ways. You’ll count on our trained staff of data processing personnel, mathematicians and computer engineers to do the things that people do best - designing your data collection and analysis, applying ratings, screening data, working with inconsistent data, processing different sources of data, research and good old-fashioned customer service.
What’s Big Data?
“Big Data” is a new-trendy term. In reality, what has inspired the use of the term is that data collection platforms have become much better in the last decade. They collect more data than ever before and professionals are overwhelmed with good data. Making use of it requires technologies and trained people like the ones at Blue Marble Enterprises.
Do you guys do Big Data?
Of course! Good databases handle large quantities of data. When we use larger sets of data about your company or brand we get more accurate analysis and insights. Blue Marble Enterprises is happy to discuss how much data should be used for your projects. Sometimes you don’t need everything and time and costs can be minimized.
Questions? Send us an email.
