NEW YORK: In a survey of more than 500 PR and communications professionals, respondents said they focus on five metrics to measure the success of their earned media efforts and plan to add a sixth in 2022.
More than nine in 10 (94%) respondents to Muck Rack's State of PR Measurement survey said they measure coverage or stories placed. About half said they look at audience reach, website traffic, social media shares or mentions and social media engagement.
"We found that the vast majority (94%) of PR teams can agree that coverage is the top output to measure, but under a quarter say they're measuring the leading indicators that drive coverage like pitches," said Gregory Galant, CEO of Muck Rack. "This disconnect underscores how important it is to have a central hub of information that team members can view, share and update in real-time."
Moving into the new year, respondents nearly unanimously said they plan to continue to look at coverage or stories placed. More than half also plan to continue to focus on social media shares and mentions and social media engagement, marking a 9-point and 12-point increase respectively from the previous report.
They also mentioned new metrics. These include pitches opened or clicked, journalist reach and consumer sentiment. Interest in measuring consumer sentiment for 2022, in particular, increased by 10%.
Across the board, respondents overwhelmingly agreed that a data-driven approach to their work will be essential in the coming year.
Muck Rack has a public relations management platform that allows PR teams to identify journalist targets for their stories, send customized pitches and monitor news. It also allows journalists to create free profiles to showcase their work and provide contact information.
The platform recently added reporting features, including the option for PR teams to measure activity, including number of pitches and pitch performance, such as opens and clicks.
