The most meaningful PR measurements in 2022

Again and again, I see PR pros boasting about the “reach” of their campaigns. And again and again, I see our industry’s awards reinforcing this metric.

Yet, when is the last time your board asked you about the reach of a campaign? (And while I’m on my soapbox, social media marketers are just as guilty of using this inflated metric.)

Impressions, or the potential reach of your article/post/message, are meaningless if those people don’t actually see your brand–or even better–take action based on your message. So as PR professionals, what can we, and should we, measure? How do we find a balance between valueless impressions and the holy grail of closed sales or customer lifetime value?

While your actual measurement mix should depend on your company’s specific goals, here are a few ideas to get you started.

PR measurement in an integrated world

The average buyer’s journey includes upwards of 20 touchpoints—and sometimes hundreds. PR alone is not enough to win over today’s discerning buyers. Nor is advertising. Nor social media. Nor email marketing. These channels all influence each other—and buyers—to ultimately propel action from your prospects.