Muck Rack report outlines important factors to consider in producing measurable results
Measuring public relations results continues to be critical to the efforts of PR professionals, according to Muck Rack’s annual State of PR Measurement 2023 report.
Taking stock of PR data is of increasing importance in the digital media age, with online platforms increasingly taking center stage in the distribution of content. The proliferation of news on new mediums, including social media and digital outlets, has presented PR specialists with more opportunities to make a splash. But with these opportunities comes the need to dig into data to decipher the best avenues for influencing audiences in 2024.
Muck Rack’s data is based on surveys of 1,034 PR professionals, who revealed varying opinions on which metrics are the most crucial for measuring public relations success. But there is overall unity on producing data to justify PR efforts, as 66% cited “producing measurable results” as the leading factor for increasing the value of PR with stakeholders.
Earned Media Remains King
A key question when setting off to prove the worth of PR campaigns is “what are we measuring?” According to the report, a variety of metrics such as social media engagement and website traffic are widely measured – but the most popular metrics include:
- Number of stories placed
- Reach/impressions
- Key message pull-through
Each of these areas, particularly the top-ranked “the number of stories placed,” revolve around traditional media relations – disseminating news releases and pitching reporters on attractive story ideas. The high value placed on earned media indicates that even as diminished newsrooms and sponsored content have made successful pitches more difficult to land, practitioners of the trade still know where their bread is buttered.
Overall, public relations specialists are still using media placements, and who is seeing the placements, as their lead attributes for measuring success. However, it remains critical for communicators to also measure the performance of social media and website campaigns to inform best practices in the ever-growing digital media space.
Executives Desire Data
Executives, clients, and other stakeholders are very invested in seeing PR results measured in a practical way. PR specialists know it, as 47% of them report spending at least a quarter of their time on media measurement and reporting.
Executives are clamoring for the data, as 70% of executives receive briefings on communications activities at least once a month, according to Muck Rack. Even more notably, over half of PR professionals brief their management on a weekly basis.
Additionally, 40% of those surveyed by Muck Rack reported one of their top challenges to be “justifying PR team value to stakeholders.” This reflects the reality that in many cases, PR professionals are fighting to prove their worth. Luckily for them, public relations efforts can shine by showcasing a variety of readily available performance metrics.
Utilizing Tools
Effectively measuring PR results requires using digital tools to identify what’s working, what isn’t working, and where the best opportunities lie.
For example, Muck Rack’s platform provides data vital to informing earned media efforts, and after a campaign, to measure how many eyeballs saw your content. Whether you’re targeting blogs, newspapers, or magazines, Muck Rack data can build reports displaying the size of your audience and quality of the coverage.
Similarly for social media, platforms like HubSpot and Sprinklr allow PR specialists to measure a variety of metrics key to determining the effectiveness of content. These tools can provide users with key insights relating to impressions, engagements, follower growth, and key individuals engaging with content.
Thanks to the increasingly diverse communications landscape and more data collection tools than ever before, measuring the impact of PR is in high demand. By prioritizing producing clear and measurable results from PR campaigns, communicators can remain at the top of their game and effectively prove their worth to stakeholders amid a crowded media landscape.