Is Measuring the Impact of Digital PR Difficult, or Are You Just Tracking the Wrong Metrics?
When it comes to measuring digital PR success, many brands and agencies fall into the trap of tracking the wrong metrics. Too often, the focus is on the sheer number of links or pieces of coverage secured, rather than the quality and relevance of those links.
Common Measurement Mistakes in Digital PR
A mistake we see all too often in digital PR measurement is equating success with quantity. Brands and agencies often count the number of links or media mentions they secure as a primary measure of success. Butttt, not all links and coverage are created equal. A single link from a well know, trusted, high-authority site with a Domain Authority (DA) of 90 that is highly relevant to your industry can be far more valuable than multiple links from low-quality or irrelevant sites. We’ve discussed this before in our blog about granny’s bingo site. The same logic explains that links from niche, super-targeted and relevant sites can often drive more meaningful results than those from larger, but unrelated, sites.
Another mistake is trying to measure direct sales from digital PR efforts. Digital PR can be, but is not intended as a direct sales channel; it’s a tool for boosting SEO performance and should really form part of an SEO strategy not as a stand alone marketing activity. If you focus solely on the number of direct sales you receive from the links and coverage you’re landing, you’re setting yourself up to be disappointed. In reality, if you looked at the right metrics, and the bigger picture in terms of SEO (and if your agency is doing a good job) the benefits should be impossible to miss.
Alternative Metrics
Instead of counting links and coverage, consider the quality and relevance of those placements. Evaluate whether the links are from authoritative sites that align with your brand’s goals and target audience. You own a boat hire company – so is that link in Daily Star that impressive? Would it have been better placed on a site covering luxury travel?
To get a decent idea of progress, look at how your PR work supports your SEO performance. For instance, monitor the rankings of the pages that have had links built to them and track the conversions on those pages. Google Analytics can help you to analyze referral traffic and user engagement.
Tools and Techniques for Effective PR Measurement
Analyzing metrics like rankings, session duration, and conversion rates on linked pages, will give you a clearer picture of how well your PR efforts are contributing to your broader SEO goals. Ahrefs is a great tool to measure how your backlink profile compares to that of your competitors, and the quality of the links you’ve built.
Social listening platforms are a good way to measure how your content is performing in other areas, and many of them (we use Meltwater) offer comprehensive media monitoring and sentiment analysis. It’s not just about tracking the number of mentions but understanding the quality of coverage—whether the sentiment is positive, neutral, or negative. This insight should influence how you refine your strategy moving forward.
Ultimately, Digital PR success should be presented alongside SEO metrics. Focusing on the quality and relevance of links and coverage, and by understanding how these elements support your SEO strategy allows you to gain a more accurate picture of your Digital PR efforts’ impact. With the right tools and a focus on data-driven insights, you’ll be better equipped to measure success and drive meaningful results for your brand/clients, rather than just another link on a spreadsheet.
To discuss how we approach Digital PR, get in touch.
