PR campaigns will always be made with certain goals in mind. Whether it’s to sell products, market an event, or launch a new talent, you’ll need a way to keep track of your campaign’s highs and lows.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are metrics to see if your campaign is working, and if there’s anything to improve. Below are 5 KPIs every PR team needs to be on top of when it comes to tracking. Read on to see!
1. Media Coverage
You must track the quantity and quality of media coverage your campaign receives. This includes articles, features, interviews, and mentions in various media outlets. Not all press is good press, but it helps to be aware of what everyone’s saying! Analyse the reach and impressions to understand the potential audience exposure.
When it comes to media coverage, these are the following metrics to watch:
- Number of mentions in media (online, print, news)
- Impressions
- Reach
2. Sentiment Analysis
Evaluate the overall sentiment of media coverage and the public’s perception of your brand. Positive sentiment indicates a favourable response, while negative sentiment may highlight areas that need attention. Monitoring these can help you understand the overall impact of your PR campaign on brand perception.
When discussing sentiment analyses, it’s best to cover all three areas:
- Positive responses
- Negative reactions
- Neutral-stance sentiments
3. Web Traffic and Content Engagement
In tracking PR campaign success and progress, you must measure the increase in web traffic during and after the campaign. Analyse the impact on specific landing pages or content related to the campaign. Additionally, you can track user engagement metrics to understand how visitors interact with your site, such as time spent and actions taken.
The main web traffic metrics to monitor are the following:
- Website traffic
- Number of page views
- Time spent on website
4. Social Media Metrics
Monitoring engagement metrics on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn to assess the social media impact of your PR campaign. Increased activity, positive comments, and a growth in followers indicate a successful campaign, while negative sentiment or a lack of engagement might be a sign that your strategy needs some adjustments.
Social media metrics aren’t hard to miss. These are:
- Follower count and growth
- Likes
- Content reshares
- Comments
5. Brand Mentions and Share of Voice in the Industry
A good way to see if your marketing strategy is effective is if people continue to talk about your brand. Measure how often your brand is mentioned in relation to competitors or within your industry. A higher share of voice indicates that your brand is dominating the conversation. This metric provides insights into the brand’s visibility and influence in the market.
Share of voice metrics that your brand needs to track are the following:
- Brand/campaign mentions
- Presence in your industry
- Comparisons to other brands
While this is a handy guide, the choice of a company’s KPIs may vary based on campaign objectives and goals. It’s important to establish clear objectives at the beginning of your PR campaign to determine the most relevant metrics for measurement.
Regularly analyse your KPIs throughout and after the campaign to assess its performance and to make informed decisions for future PR initiatives. Wishing you best of luck in your future campaigns!