12 Must-Know PR Metrics to Set Your Brand Up for Success - Pt I

“Return on investment.”

It’s the holy grail of marketing. You budget, spend, and sales and new customers follow. But can public relations-the process of media pitching to earn mentions and coverage instead of buying ads-actually deliver on the hype?

For consumer products, online retailers, and other inventory-based businesses, every marketing dollar needs to move the revenue needle.

In a crowded marketplace, a public relations campaign can be tempting. And it’s substantially less expensive than buying advertisements in national and local media outlets in order to reach customers.

PR can sound like it promises the world: awareness, leads, sales, and more customer traffic! But talk is cheap without the data to back it up. PR can either be simply flash and bang 'noise' or can it deliver the gold – more sales at higher margins. It's critical to know what KPIs to analyze and track so that your business doesn't end up throwing money into the media void.

Read on to find out what you need to do BEFORE you start your first PR campaign or hire an agency for your brand.

Public relations can be a powerful driver of brand awareness, reputation, and sales for eCommerce and consumer product companies. But how do you know if your brand is ready to invest in PR? The key is examining your current marketing metrics and performance across critical areas.

Analyzing key performance indicators (KPIs) before you begin a public relations campaign gives you a benchmark to measure the impact of media coverage, mentions, and increased brand awareness.

It also helps shape realistic expectations on when you may see results and how a PR program can complement other marketing initiatives.

Tracking KPIs keep you from throwing money into a void.

Here are the first 6 critical KPIs every business owner should analyze before starting a PR campaign.

PRE-PR BENCHMARKS

Before initiating any PR efforts, it’s important to take stock of your current marketing position and performance. Analyzing key metrics and benchmarks will allow you to set realistic PR goals and have clarity on what you want to achieve. Here are some to consider:

1) Media Mentions

Track your current number of media mentions in relevant press outlets. This could include digital publications, print magazines, newspapers, broadcast segments, or industry influencer blogs. The goal is to assess your existing visibility and media relationships.

2) Website Traffic

Review website analytics to understand your monthly visitors, top referral sources, pages per visit, and bounce rates. Website traffic levels can set early expectations on how much a public relations campaign may be able to amplify brand awareness and increase customer interest.

3) Social Media Followers/Engagement

Audit followers and engagement rates across social platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Strong existing social presence expands PR possibilities.

4) Monitor Brand Sentiment

Monitor online conversations for positive, negative, and neutral sentiments around your brand name and products. This establishes a reputation benchmark and also helps you take into perspective the conversations that are happening around competitor brands.

5) SEO Performance

Assess organic search rankings and traffic for target keywords. PR and content boost SEO.

6) Competitor Benchmarking

Compare your KPIs against competitors. Gaps can help to reveal areas where your brand could benefit from a strong public relations campaign or where you need to strengthen your messaging so that customers understand you're a better choice.

In the next article, we'll break down what KPIs to track for sales and lead generation, as well as what needs to be in your annual PR roadmap.

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? Hello, there! I’m Cassandra Rosen, a top-tier PR agency owner turned brand strategist who helps products and people craft magnetic messages so they can attract dream clients and 3x their revenue without spending millions on ads.

I've driven billions of views for startups and legacy brands, and if you're looking for a clear, consistent brand communication strategy that scales, you're in the right place.

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