PR has a measurement problem, and agencies created it. Inflated “impressions,” invented ad-value numbers, sentiment scores nobody can audit. If you want coverage to survive budget season, measure what survives scrutiny.
The five metrics that matter
- Linked placements. Coverage with a followed link from a real publication. Count it, list it, show the domain authority.
- Referral traffic. Sessions from earned coverage in your analytics — segmented, dated, and trended monthly.
- Branded search. Are more people searching your name? PR’s compounding effect shows up here first.
- Share of voice. Your coverage versus named competitors, tracked quarterly on the same terms.
- Pipeline assists. Deals where coverage appeared in the journey — self-reported “how did you hear about us” counts.
Report like a CFO is reading. Because eventually, one will be.
What to stop reporting
Advertising value equivalency multiplies editorial space by ad rates — a number that measures nothing and persuades no one. Potential reach (“this outlet gets 40M monthly visitors”) describes the outlet, not your outcome. Replace both with the five metrics above and watch PR conversations change from defensive to strategic.
A monthly report that fits one page
Our client reports open with placements and links, then traffic, then share of voice, then next month’s targets. One page, five minutes to read, zero vanity. If an agency can’t explain your results that simply, the results probably aren’t there.