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How PR measurement can be rocket fuel for your B2B growth
April 18, 2024
Measuring the impact of PR isn’t just about crunching numbers – it’s about safeguarding and enhancing your brand’s reputation. It helps you understand what’s working in your communications, so you can build trust with your audience and strengthen brand perception.
However, this isn’t straightforward; it takes some trial and error to get it right. Just as humans didn’t reach the moon on their first attempt, PR strategies also require their share of testing before being successful. And while PR isn’t exactly rocket science, it does require experimentation to determine what resonates best.
So how can brands do this?
Define clear objectives and metrics
Before diving into a PR campaign, establish clear and measurable goals. Are you aiming to boost brand awareness, generate leads or cement your reputation with industry thought leadership? Defining these objectives upfront gives you a benchmark to measure success. Identify the key KPIs that align with your objectives, such as media mentions, website traffic, social engagement, lead generation and so forth. Tracking these metrics over time allows you to gauge the effectiveness of your PR efforts.
Analyse audience engagement
Once your objectives and metrics have been established, and you’ve begun PR activities, track engagement across your social media channels, email campaigns and website. You don’t want your carefully crafted narratives broadcast into a void.
Pay close attention to the sentiment and feedback you’re receiving. Those insights help refine your storytelling. By combining media monitoring with a deep understanding of how your audience is engaging, you can make better decisions to optimise your PR efforts.
Investing in robust media monitoring tools – such as Cision, Meltwater, Signal AI, and more – can be a game-changer. Tracking brand and employee mentions across the web allows you to keep your finger on the pulse of conversations happening about your company. That way, you can adapt your strategy if needed to steer the narrative in the right direction.
Pret A Manger does this well. The sandwich chain monitors customer mentions on social media to see how people talk about it, and then reshares this user-generated content on its own platforms. It’s a great way to show that it is tapped into how customers feel, but also helps it adapt and create a more engaging and targeted PR strategy.
Keep your friends close, and your competitors closer
Keeping a close eye on your competitors’ PR moves and the media coverage they receive can reveal ways of setting your brand apart and capitalising on emerging trends. Analyse their messaging to determine any unique selling points they overlook. Track media sentiment – are they portrayed positively or negatively? Can this help open the door to positioning your brand as superior?
Don’t be afraid to learn from what others do well; replicate – and improve on – their successful PR tactics. And if a competitor mishandles a crisis, it can be an opportunity to reinforce your brand’s transparency and credibility.
PR, Rinse and Repeat
Measuring your PR impact is just the beginning. It’s an ongoing cycle that demands continuous refinement. Use the insights you’ve gathered to fine-tune your strategies, messaging and targeting. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different tactics and channels to see what resonates best and what leads to tangible growth.
Treat PR as an iterative process. Analyse the data, identify what’s working and what’s not, and then adapt your approach accordingly.
Success in PR is a journey of continuous learning, adjusting and repeating – it’s an exploration and adventure to keep building awareness and staying one step ahead of the competition.
Choose your partners wisely
And finally, working with a reputable PR agency can make all the difference in elevating your PR. A skilled PR team will secure valuable media coverage, craft compelling messaging, manage (and help avoid) crises, expand your reach and provide measurable results.
While PR may not be as complex as rocket science, the right PR partner can provide expertise and guidance to ensure your PR campaigns achieve liftoff. It may be a small step for you, but it could be a huge leap for your brand.
If you want to learn more about maximising the impact of PR please get in touch via [email protected]
By Samantha Rogers