Whether we’re kicking off an engagement with a new client or executing an announcement for an existing client, the first step is setting expectations and establishing what success look likes for our client. Depending on the company’s business objectives, an article in a top-tier business publication or a series of bylines placed in an industry trade could be exactly what they are looking for.
However, more and more we are finding that companies want to dig deeper into the results achieved and quantify the impact of a specific campaign. So how exactly do we do that? Do we track the number of shares an article has? Or perhaps we look at the number of followers the influencers who shared the article have on social media.
One thing is for sure: As PR becomes increasingly digital, tracking effectiveness and impact is evolving. For instance, a post shared via LinkedIn long-form measures the number of likes, shares, comments and views. This allows you to begin quantifying the impact of the article and understand the reactions to it. However, the question remains: How do we interpret this data? Is it more valuable to have shares because it expands the reach? On the other hand, a higher number of views could be considered more impactful because you know the audience engaged with the piece.
One alternative that we’ve found helpful, especially for clients that are not very familiar with PR, is comparing the cost of an ad in a publication to the cost of the PR service fees for placing an article in the same publication. I want to emphasize that this is not an exact science, however, it provides context for the client. In addition, it gives us an opportunity to highlight the added benefits of earned media vs. paid media. With an article, key messages are communicated and the company or spokesperson is validated because the information is through a trusted outside source. There are a variety of items to measure, but ultimately, it will be determined by the client’s needs and preferences.
In order to provide you with more ideas on what to measure, we want to share a recently published infographic from George Washington University that observes outlined guidelines from recognized PR authorities, including PRSA, AMEC and the Institute for Public Relations.
