How do you define the scope and goals of a media audit?

1 Determine your purpose

The first step is to clarify why you are conducting a media audit and what you want to achieve. Do you want to measure the impact of a specific campaign, product launch, or event? Do you want to benchmark your media presence against your competitors or industry standards? Do you want to assess the quality and sentiment of your media coverage and identify any gaps or risks? Your purpose will inform your scope and goals and help you focus on the most relevant and useful data.

2 Define your scope

The next step is to define the scope of your media audit, which means deciding what media outlets, platforms, channels, and formats you will include in your analysis. Depending on your purpose, you may want to focus on a specific type of media, such as print, broadcast, online, or social media, or a combination of them. You may also want to narrow down your scope by geographic region, language, audience, or topic. Your scope should be realistic and manageable, and aligned with your available resources and budget.

3 Set your goals

The third step is to set your goals for your media audit, which means defining what metrics and indicators you will use to measure and evaluate your media performance and reputation. Your goals should be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. For example, you may want to increase your share of voice, improve your sentiment score, generate more leads, or raise your brand awareness in a certain market or sector. Your goals should also be aligned with your overall media strategy and objectives, and reflect your key messages and values.

4 Choose your methods

The fourth step is to choose your methods for conducting your media audit, which means selecting the tools and techniques you will use to collect, analyze, and present your media data. You may use a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, such as media monitoring, content analysis, surveys, interviews, or focus groups. You may also use software or platforms that can automate or simplify some of the tasks, such as media clipping services, sentiment analysis tools, or dashboard applications. You should choose the methods that best suit your purpose, scope, and goals, and that can provide reliable and valid results.

5 Plan your timeline

The fifth step is to plan your timeline for your media audit, which means deciding when and how often you will conduct your media audit and how long it will take. You may conduct a media audit as a one-time project or as a regular activity, depending on your purpose and goals. You may also conduct a media audit before, during, or after a specific media campaign or event, to compare the results and evaluate the effectiveness. You should plan your timeline according to your available resources and budget, and allow enough time for each stage of the process.

6 Communicate your results

The final step is to communicate your results of your media audit, which means preparing and presenting a report that summarizes and interprets your media data and provides recommendations for improvement. You should tailor your report to your target audience, such as your management, team, clients, or stakeholders, and use clear and concise language, visuals, and charts. You should also highlight your key findings, insights, and learnings, and show how they relate to your purpose, scope, and goals. You should also provide actionable suggestions for enhancing your media strategy and performance.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?