Cision is a public relations software that helps
monitor media by using press releases and media list building. It is useful for
public relations practitioners, because all of the information is right there
which makes it easy to use. In the article, "Cision Hosts Social Media Week Session on Content Marketing and PR" professionals use their products to help manage all aspects of their brands: from identifying key media and influencers to connecting with audiences.
A feature that was the most interesting was the influence rating. The lowest rating was zero and the highest rating was 99. Each page for a media outlet would have a specific number for the influence rating. This article explains that outlets are measured on both their reach and the sharing activity they generate on the Web. Other Cision tools include searching media calendars and creating or editing lists.
Cision is useful in creating relationships, because it is easy to send out a press release and then connect with a journalist by following up with an e-mail. It could also be vice-versa by sending the e-mail first and then sending out a press release. It's a great way to open doors and start connecting with as many journalists or reporters as possible.
It was surprising at how expensive it is use Cision. Cision offers a free demo, but after that then there are several options to choose from. There is a solo edition which is only used for one user. Next is the team edition for three users. The corporate edition is next and includes five users. Last is the agency edition which doesn't have a specified user amount. The higher the edition the more it includes. Pricing starts as low as $350 a month. The bigger the company the more expensive it is to use Cision.
I think everyone who researches Cision has an issue with the price. I was also surprised that this program costs so much! However, we all mention in our blogs the great resources the program provides. Maybe it is a good thing the price is expensive. It provides more competition in the PR industry. If your company doesn't have Cision or a program similar to it, then it will have to be more creative to do the same job that Cision can do.
ReplyDeleteMarissa,
ReplyDeleteThe fact that this program is so expensive can be kind of a bummer for students and other professionals that may want to use the program, however cannot afford it. It offers a vast amount of resources that could be valued by any PR professional. As far as the influence rating, I also thought that this was the most interesting feature of the program. Not only will the rating show how influential a journalist, professional, or media outlet is, but it may also aid a user in finding a more credible source (someone with a higher influence rating) while working on a project. Great information!
- Andrew
I liked the articles that you included in your post! I also thought that the price of Cision was very pricey!
ReplyDeleteMarissa, I also thought the influence rating was one of the most interesting parts of the program! One day, I hope I'm featured on Cision with a high influence rating. Like Andrew said, it would easily help you find out how influential and credible a source is!
ReplyDeleteThe price is definitely steep. However, it would seem that no other company in the world has a product that is this sophisticated and that is directly related to the field of PR. Therefore, they can charge what they want. Firms will buy it. The return could very well outweigh the cost of Cision.
ReplyDeleteCision is a great tool, however the price of it is outragous. There are similar systems that are much cheaper and do a lot of what Cision does. With that said, Cision is the only system that performs all of the actions it does. While the price is ridiculous, you will have to pay if you want good quality.
ReplyDelete