Public relations efforts are crucial for building brand awareness, establishing thought leadership, and driving business growth. But how do you know if your PR strategies are working?
The answer lies in tracking the right key performance indicators (KPIs). As a PR pro, I’ve seen firsthand how impactful the right metrics can be. In this post, I’ll share my top recommended PR KPIs that every B2B leader should be tracking.
Media Coverage KPIs
Let’s start with traditional media coverage. While the digital space is essential, print and broadcast coverage still holds tremendous value for reputation building. Track both the quantity and quality of your coverage. Useful KPIs include:
- Number of placements in target publications
- Share of voice compared to competitors
- Sentiment and tonality of coverage
Pro tip: Prioritize high-authority publications read by your target buyers, like trade journals or national business outlets.
Digital Media KPIs
Next up is digital engagement across owned channels like your website, social media, and thought leadership content. Useful metrics include:
- Website traffic driven by PR activities
- Social engagement rate on PR-related posts
- Views, downloads, and shares of bylined articles
- Leads generated from gated assets like whitepapers
Pro tip: Set benchmark goals for social engagement and traffic growth from PR efforts.
Thought Leadership KPIs
Bylined articles and speaking engagements are hugely impactful for elevating executive thought leadership. Track:
- Number of contributed articles published annually
- Website visitors driven by contributed articles
- Number of speaking sessions at key industry conferences
Pro tip: Identify target publications and conferences to grow contributor relationships.
Crisis Management KPIs
Hopefully, it never happens, but effectively managing crises is crucial. Key metrics include:
- Response time to address brewing issues
- Sentiment tracking during and after crises
- Follower retention rate on social media
Pro tip: Establish protocols for crisis monitoring and rapid response.
The Bottom Line: PR ROI
PR impact and business growth must be tied together. Connect PR efforts to leads, talent acquisition, and revenue where possible. Top metrics include:
- Increased lead conversion rate from PR
- Lower cost per lead from PR channels
- Increased talent application rate after PR campaigns
- Referral website traffic and sales driven by PR
Pro tip: Correlate PR timelines with lead and revenue growth month-over-month.
Tracking the right PR KPIs ensures your efforts are moving the needle for your B2B. With the right analytics approach, you can confidently justify PR budgets and optimize efforts for maximum impact.
Feel free to reach out if you need any help identifying the perfect PR metrics for your B2B organization.
