“It doesn’t matter what you said, it only matters what they think you said.”This quote underscores the importance of coverage analysis and understanding how your messages are resonating with marketplace audiences. Analyzing media coverage is an often underutilized tool that can help you determine how your messages are being perceived. Armed with this information, you can then adjust your messages accordingly to ensure they have the most effective impact and help you accomplish your business objectives. It also helps you learn how the marketplace perceives your business in relation to your competitors. This is critical in order to ensure that you maintain differentiation in the market.
Here are some best practices to follow when developing a coverage analysis report:
1. Develop search terms to track coverage that include your company’s name, product or service, competitor names and any other industry relevant terms that will help you to gain a birds-eye view of marketplace activity.
2. Review the stories. Analyze how your company messages are framed in the context of the marketplace and in relation to competitors.
3. Determine which of your messages are being communicated and which ones are not.
4. Identify messaging discrepancies and use them as opportunities to contact reporters to set the record straight and develop a relationship.
5. Record the name of the publication, the article, the date and the author and categorize whether the article and their tone is positive, negative or neutral. Look at the percentage of positive, negative and neutral articles. Consider using a pie chart to bring this information to life.
6. Compile a report that includes an executive summary, a definition of the methodology and the related information.
Coverage analysis is the key to help you develop more effective media strategies and ensure that your audience gets the message.