Measuring the real impact of public relations actions remains a challenge for professionals in the field, as there is still no globally standardised methodology.
The digitalisation of corporate communication has added a layer of complexity to this area of digital marketing and online communication. However, it has also enabled us to measure, with unprecedented precision, the real impact of corporate communication actions, including press office activities and media relations, thanks to the digital analytics tools at our disposal.
Set clear objectives before measuring
Before creating a measurement plan, you need to ensure that you truly want to execute a press action and that it has a good chance of success. It is essential to have information that is genuinely newsworthy.
Media selection, formats, and tracking
The next step is to select the media outlets and journalists you want to target.
- Focus on the most relevant media outlets—whether print, online, television, or radio—within your industry.
- Prioritise journalists who hold influential positions in their organisation’s hierarchy.
- Choose the right format for your action, which could range from sending a press release to organising an event.
Additionally, it is crucial to have a link-tracking plan. This will allow you to analyse the results of your online actions using tools such as Google Analytics 4.
Measurement plan for press office actions
Quantitative evaluation
- Brand searches: Track increases in direct searches for your brand name (or products/services promoted by the action) compared to the baseline average.
- Direct and indirect traffic: Measure direct website visits resulting from the press campaign, combined with indirect traffic from online and offline referrals.
- Number of publications: Count all appearances in media outlets.
- Publication size: In print media, assess the amount of space used, ranging from a front-page feature to a brief mention in a tangentially related article.
- Lifespan of the publication: Evaluate the longevity of the publication’s relevance.
- Effective reach: Estimate audience impact based on the media kit of each outlet.
- Leads or sales generated: Calculate the number of economic transactions or leads resulting from press coverage.
- Social media mentions: Track total mentions across social platforms, including likes, comments, shares, and saves.
Qualitative evaluation: the value of the publication
- Page type: Assess the publication based on its category and placement (front page, inside covers, section lead, half-page, brief mention, etc.).
- Industry specialisation: Publications closely related to your industry, such as luxury, carry more weight.
- Domain authority (DA): Higher domain authority of the media outlet indicates better quality.
- Quality of traffic: Focus on traffic that stays on the page, excluding bounced traffic. Consider session duration as well.
- Brand reputation of the media outlet: Evaluate the media outlet’s prestige, from high-profile luxury publications like Robb Report to lesser-known outlets.
- Publication lifespan: Estimate the relevance duration of the publication.
- Impressions and CPM reference: Use impressions and your industry’s average CPM to evaluate a value equivalent in branding terms.
- Publication quality: Assess the depth and journalistic relevance of the content.
- Backlinks: Measure inbound links generated by the campaign, categorising them as do-follow or no-follow.
- Equivalent advertising value (VPE): Calculate the advertising cost equivalent for the mentions resulting from your press office campaign. Keep in mind that media kit prices are often higher than actual market rates.
How to calculate ROAS in media campaigns
To define your ROAS (Return on Advertising Spend), you need to know your conversion rates, from visitor to lead and from lead to sale.
The formula is as follows:
ROAS = Revenue attributable to press actions / Total cost of actions
Key steps:
- Traffic sources: Combine direct traffic (website visits from press actions) and indirect traffic (e.g., SEO gains, offline media).
- Conversions: Multiply the total traffic by the conversion rates to calculate revenue from press actions.
- Comparison: Evaluate this revenue against a baseline period with no press or advertising actions.
Practical example of measuring ROAS for a press office campaign
- Media mentions: 15 mentions in luxury-specialised media.
- Average mention value: €500, resulting in a total VPE of €7,500.
- Web traffic: 2,000 online visits and 1,000 offline visits.
- Conversion rate: 3%, generating 90 sales.
- Average ticket value: €20, resulting in €1,800 in gross revenue and €1,000 in net revenue.
- Campaign costs: €3,000.
ROAS calculation:
- Global revenue = VPE + Net revenue from direct sales = €7,500 + €1,000 = €8,500.
- ROAS = €8,500 / €3,000 = 2.83
Conclusion on the evaluation of the media actions results
Measuring the results of press office campaigns from a professional and transparent perspective is essential to justify their value. This not only provides assurance to clients by demonstrating a tangible return on investment but also empowers public relations professionals to work towards measurable objectives with a scientific approach.
By implementing the methodologies outlined here, you can optimise your campaigns and showcase the real impact of your press actions in today’s digital landscape.