How to Measure Public Relations Success

In our ongoing “back-to-basics” blog series defining PR and IR, this article helps explain how to best measure your public relations efforts. 

In a previous post, we explored how public relations can help businesses, brands and organizations shape their reputations and build relationships across a diverse range of audiences, from customers to investors.

Measuring success in public relations is not an exact science. And contrary to what some believe, it most often does not correlate to the sheer volume of media coverage.

Tracking milestones, metrics and sentiment can be used to assess the impact of PR efforts on an organization’s reputation, visibility and relationships with stakeholders. Consider these benchmarks for measurement:  

• Message penetration: Pre- and post-campaign surveys assess PR impact on brand reputation, share of voice, as well as attitudes and behaviors.
• Website traffic: Monitor SEO and traffic changes after company events or news to measure brand awareness and interest.
• Social media engagement: Track likes, shares, comments and follower growth to gauge audience interaction.
• Media relations: Beyond impressions and coverage, quantify journalist engagement and feedback for long-term media success.
• Blog development: Consistent content and delivery reinforce brand messaging for customers, partners and investors.
• Speaking opportunities: Securing keynotes or panel appearances help to position companies and their spokespeople as industry experts and thought leaders.
• Lead generation: Attribute new leads or sales spikes to concentrated PR efforts.
• Earned media value: Consider assigning a dollar value to PR coverage based on what similar advertising would cost.
• Programming: Assign value to completed PR tactics to track progress and effectiveness.
• Feedback: Collect insights from stakeholders via reviews and direct communication.

PR success can be measured through various benchmarks but remains more art than science. Metrics such as media coverage, SEO and website traffic provide tangible indicators, but the true value of public relations often lies in less quantifiable factors—shaping perceptions, building trust and strengthening relationships over time.

The same applies to investor relations, where success isn’t solely defined by stock performance or analyst coverage. Effective IR strategies focus on transparent communication, fostering investor confidence and maintaining long-term credibility.

Effective PR doesn’t always deliver immediate or easily measurable results, yet its impact on brand reputation and stakeholder sentiment can be profound. By combining data-driven insights with an understanding of these intangibles, organizations can gain a more holistic view of their PR effectiveness.

George Medici, gmedici@pondel.com