PR Measurement (Taylor’s Version)

Taylor Swift, icon of red lipstick and heartbreak, is on track to earn a record-setting $1 billion on her Eras Tour. She’s also seeing a 79% boost in streaming.

The results of your last quarter of PR activity may not be as mind-blowing, but they are worth measuring and reporting. How do you report PR successes in a way that excites people?

Go Beyond the Basics. You could compile basic reports from your PR measurement solution. And Taylor Swift could have ended her concerts after the traditional 20-30 songs. Instead she sings 44. Because over-delivering wows audiences and bosses. Successful PR teams understand the importance of digging deeper and going beyond expectations. Instead of just reporting placements, consider including metrics such as potential impressions, share of voice against competitors, message pull-through, and year-over-year growth. Check with your PR platform’s rep for help in setting up these metrics – my favorite tool is Muck Rack (here’s why).

Craft Custom Reports. Does Taylor Swift strut onto the stage in a dress she pulled off the rack at Target? Of course not. Every outfit is custom made and meticulously crafted. Well-funded PR teams know that custom reports pack a bigger punch than what you get from a standard analytics platform. Instead of overwhelming stakeholders with lengthy lists of hits, focus on concise slide decks limited to 3-6 slides, each designed by a skilled graphic designer. Opt for a design-forward approach that captures attention and directs executives to the most pertinent information. Remember, visual appeal matters.

Implement Weighted Scorecards. So you don’t have $1 billion in concert revenue to report. Create a weighted scorecard that measures the results you do want to highlight. Assign scores to headline impact, visual appeal, tone, message alignment, spokesperson quotes, backlinks, and media tier. A maximum of 10 points per metric or 100 points overall can help evaluate placements more comprehensively. By presenting reports based on point totals, you provide a clearer evaluation rather than relying solely on the number of hits.

Connect PR to Bottom-Line Impact. While tracking web traffic and lead generation is important, the best teams strive to demonstrate the actual impact of PR on the bottom line. Go a step further to correlate media hits with traffic boosts and determine conversion rates of visitors to leads and leads to sales. Understanding the average cost per lead and sale, as well as customer lifetime value, can show the potential financial impact of your PR activities.

Focus on What Clients and Bosses Value Most. IMO, one of the biggest factors in Taylor’s success is her connection with her fans. She engages with them, understands them, and gives them what they want. To truly impress clients and bosses, consider what matters most to them. If there’s an outlet that means the world to your boss, make sure you’re showing up there. If execs are stressed about brand perception on social media, make social media your focus.

Effectively communicating the results of your PR efforts gets you one step closer to the career of your Wildest Dreams.