In this video, I talk about PR measurement and the metrics that matter. Too many PR pros are still caught up using vanity metrics and tracking data points that have absolutely no business impact. This includes tracking “media hits,” coverage volume, and general placements.
PR metrics can be complex. This is why many PR professionals will try and simplify their measurement approach by using just vanity metrics. The way around this is to look at PR metrics using two different lenses. The first lens is measurement and performance. It’s tracking how well you have done with executing your PR strategy. This is where tracking media hits and coverage volume will play an important role.
There are ways to up-level that by using attribution data and tracking how well your coverage drives conversions or sales. However, this would require having access to Google analytics or other web analytics platform or a third-party platform like Cision.
Using PR Metrics to Inform Your Media Strategy
The second lens is typically done before a media relations program even starts. It’s about dissecting the full media landscape to better understand where you can get coverage that will drive the most impact for your business. There’s a lot that goes into this type of analysis but the results are worth it.
A landscape analysis can provide insight that will help inform how you prioritize your media relations program. It uses many data points like volume of coverage, engagement on that coverage, and the entire reach of a media publication or a set of media publications.
It’s important to note that a media landscape analysis is not analyzing your coverage. It analyzes the category or landscape. Hopefully, you already know where you’re getting coverage. A landscape analysis highlights new, emerging, and high-impact media outlets.
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