Burson-Marsteller launches website benchmarking product

Burson-Marsteller Website Benchmarking is one component of the broader “Digital Check-up” that Burson-Marsteller offers clients

London, 17 September 2008 - Burson-Marsteller, a leading global public relations and communications firm today announced it is launching a new service which will offer a website benchmarking capability to clients. As part of its wide range of digital products, Burson-Marsteller adds a new perspective on analysing brand and corporate sites in an increasingly competitive web-context.

Burson-Marsteller has developed a website benchmarking methodology that shows how a website compares to the sites of direct competitors as well as other businesses in an industry or other organisations within a given field. The assessment provides recommendations on strategic improvements with a special focus on corporate communications and behavioural criteria that go beyond technological features.

The product, Burson-Marsteller Website Benchmarking, provides a tailored team of analysts for every client based on who their key stakeholders are. Analysts review the website and assess its performance based on their own individual perspectives. The analysis considers every single aspect of the site in comparison with competitors - from design, accessibility and usability to content and messaging.

Dialogue and engagement potential are key elements, in particular interactive features such as blogs, widgets, tag clouds, community pages with user-generated content, games and quizzes and RSS feeds.

“Every organisation has a broad spectrum of stakeholders ranging from customers, suppliers and employees to regulators and the media. How they perceive and respond to the organisation and its products or services depends on the range of “touch points” they are exposed to. In most cases, it is now the internet that is the primary point of contact for stakeholders, and the key differentiator of the Burson-Marsteller Website Benchmarking is that these groups are part of the review process. This provides a unique perspective on how well a website is responding to its stakeholders needs. These insights are crucial since there is never a second chance to make a first impression,”says Stéphanie Bonnet, Digital Practice Leader at Burson-Marsteller EMEA.

The Website Benchmarking report summarises the findings of the analysis and provides clients with a report card and plan of action to improve their positioning, perception and communications performance in the digital world.

The report includes charts that show how a site performs against the sites of competitors and peers for each of the criteria examined. Clients can quickly identify areas for improvement and best practices for their websites.

Clients are also provided with a set of actionable recommendations so that the research can trigger a programme of updates and changes that will create better interaction with stakeholders.

Digital Benchmarking Credential

Beyond Website Benchmarking
Burson-Marsteller Website Benchmarking is just one component of a broader assessment that Burson-Marsteller offers to clients as part of its “Digital Check-up“. This assessment is designed to help organisations determine their overall online health and positioning. The Digital Check-up provides clients with the essential information they need to integrate digital communications strategically into their marketing and communications mix, stay ahead of competitors and protect their corporate and brand reputation.

In addition to the Website Benchmarking, the Digital Check-up includes monitoring of blogs, discussion forums and chat rooms (CGM -Consumer Generated Media), mapping of blog influences, assessment of search engine performance, optimization and strategy, and review of social networks and opportunities for development.

About Burson-Marsteller Digital
Burson-Marsteller Digital develops communications strategies around social media/community, online reputation management, interactive experience design, digital business management, and mobile marketing on behalf of corporations, consumer brands, government agencies and other large organisations.

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About Burson-Marsteller
Burson-Marsteller, established in 1953, is a leading global public relations and communications firm. It provides clients with strategic thinking and program execution across a full range of public relations, public affairs, advertising and web-related services. The firm’s seamless worldwide network consists of 71 wholly-owned offices and 58 affiliate offices, together operating in 83 countries across six continents. Burson-Marsteller is a part of Young & Rubicam Brands, a subsidiary of WPP (NASDQ: WPPGY), one of the world’s leading communications services networks.

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