Last week, we looked at some pretty sobering statistics about the state of PR measurement. The data from Muck Rack painted a clear picture: while we all know measurement matters, most of us are stuck in a cycle of tracking metrics we don’t even trust.
But knowing there’s a problem and solving it are two very different things. So, let’s talk about what happens next—how we transform our approach to measurement to win that coveted seat at the strategic table because we understand how the organization makes money, we know what’s important for growth, and we can prove our work is directly correlated.
I’ve spent the last decade helping marketing comms teams make this exact transition, and I can tell you one thing with absolute certainty: this isn’t an overnight fix. It’s a journey. A long, long journey. It takes about 90 days to determine the benchmarks and how to measure against them. It takes time to gather the data and analyze it. It takes time to implement new systems and to change habits and mindsets. And it takes time to get the senior leadership team on board.
Pretty Graphics ≠ Results
We have a SaaS client whose PR team was producing beautiful monthly reports. They were filled with pretty graphics that highlighted media impressions, share of voice, and story counts. The chief communications officer required the team to spend hours every week on these reports, but they quickly learned they were largely ignored by the C-suite—even though she continued to ask them to produce them. When we started working with them, I asked the CCO why they were doing this, and she said, “Because that’s what we’ve always done.”
Sound familiar? Wah, wah, wah.
She didn’t love my counsel to change the approach, but she also knew her team was frustrated by the lack of attention the CEO gave it.
So we scheduled a meeting with the CEO—just the two of us—and then got to work. I had the team provide the previous three measurement reports, and then we counted how many metrics they were tracking that were tied to business outcomes rather than activities.
I think you can predict the result. None of the metrics were tied to business outcomes. They tracked 22, and a big, fat zero was anything the CEO cared about.
This was a humbling exercise, but I also think her team secretly cheered. Finally, they could save all those hours every week doing something—anything—else.
Making Execs Believers
When she and I met with the CEO, we discussed the business goals for the year and his expectations of the PR team (leads, leads, sales, sales, and more leads), and then we discussed what he believed would get them there.
That last one is a biggie because you can report all the data in the world, but if the receiver doesn’t believe it, it won’t matter.
In this case, he was a strong proponent of brand awareness and market share (earned media) to drive leads, and he believed content and community (owned and shared media) would help convert sales. Because I selfishly wanted them to implement a fully integrated PESO Model© program, we talked about how paid could help them reach new audiences and grow their reach.
He was all in.
Then, we met with the leads of the finance and sales teams. I’ve mentioned before that I meet at least twice a month with our clients’ sales leaders because a relationship with them is imperative to ensuring that your work affects business goals.
How to Create Business-Aligned Metrics
One of the biggest mistakes we tend to make is creating business-aligned metrics without actually understanding the business. You need to spend time with the people who live and breathe it every day.
Schedule meetings with these partners and ask questions—lots of them. What metrics matter most to the business right now? What do they think keeps the CEO up at night? How does the sales team measure success? What financial metrics drive decision-making? Take notes—lots and lots of notes.
After about 30 days, you should have a clear picture of what matters to the organization and how your current measurement system aligns (or doesn’t) with those priorities. This is your foundation for change.
The second month is where things get interesting. This is when you start rebuilding your measurement approach from the ground up. Remember that statistic from last week that only 13% of PR teams hold joint meetings with marketing to discuss metrics? That’s about to change.
Start by creating a shared dashboard with your marketing team. This doesn’t need to be fancy—a simple spreadsheet can work to start. The key is to begin tracking metrics that matter to both teams and, more importantly, the business. Include traditional PR metrics if you must, but make sure they’re not the focus.
During this phase, I recommend running parallel reports—keeping your old metrics alongside your new ones. This is because, even though leadership is aligned, change is hard, and you need to give them time to adjust. Plus, you might discover that some of your traditional metrics are more valuable than you thought when viewed through a business lens.
For instance, you might find that your media placement metrics, when correlated with website traffic patterns and sales data, actually predict customer interest three months out. So don’t abandon your traditional metrics entirely. Those are the beginning, not the end.
The third month is where the rubber meets the road. This is when you start implementing your new measurement system across your team and integrating it into your weekly workflows. Remember that stat about only 6% having executive involvement in measurement? That’s about to change, too.
Set up weekly measurement check-ins with your team. These shouldn’t be long meetings—15 minutes is plenty. The goal is to make measurement a habit, not a monthly scramble. Have team members share one metric that moved and one action based on that movement.
This is also when you start the real integration with marketing. Those shared dashboards you created? You’ll use them in joint meetings now. Start monthly, then adjust the frequency based on what works for both teams.
Common Excuses
By the end of 90 days, you should have a completely new approach to measurement.
But this is just the beginning. At this point, you only have benchmarks, and you’ve started to make this a habit. The real work begins when you start fine-tuning your system. You’ll discover that some metrics that seemed important aren’t. You’ll find correlations you never expected. Based on stakeholder feedback, you’ll need to adjust your reporting frequency and format.
Now, I know what some of you are thinking. “This all sounds great, but I don’t have sophisticated tools!”
Good news—you don’t need them. Start with Google Analytics, a spreadsheet, and good relationships with sales, finance, and marketing. Some of the best measurement transformations I’ve seen started with the basics.
“This all sounds great, but my team is too small!”
Even better. You’re nimble enough to make changes quickly. Start with one business metric that matters to your CEO. Perfect that, then expand.
“This all sounds great, but we’re an agency!”
Perfect. Make this your competitive advantage. Show clients you can connect PR to business outcomes, and you’ll never struggle with retention again. I’ve seen agencies double their retainers by making this shift.
The truth is, there will always be excuses not to change. The Muck Rack study showed us exactly where we are as an industry—measuring what’s easy instead of what matters, spending less than four hours a week on something that should be strategic, and struggling to prove our worth to leadership.
Moving from Measurement to Results
Remember the SaaS client I mentioned earlier? About four months into their measurement transformation, something interesting happened. The CEO, who had previously ignored their reports, started asking questions about their data. These are not just surface-level questions but deep, strategic questions about what the numbers mean for the business.
Why? Because instead of reporting on clip counts and impressions, they were showing him things like:
- How their thought leadership content was shortening the sales cycle by two months
- Which media placements were driving qualified leads
- What content formats were most likely to convert enterprise customers
- How their integrated programs were affecting market share
This happens when you stick with the process and push through the uncomfortable transition period. But getting there requires some specific steps.
Making Your Data Tell Stories
Working with dozens of communications teams taught me that data without context is just numbers. You need to turn those numbers into stories that resonate with your leadership team.
Instead of saying, “Our content engagement increased by 35% this quarter,” try this:
“Remember that series of thought leadership pieces we developed about artificial intelligence? They’ve been read by 72 CTOs from our target account list, and 15 of them have requested sales conversations. Three are now in the final stages of contract negotiation.”
See the difference? The first statement is about what we did. The second is about business results. Plus, showing that kind of customer journey is much more fun!
Integrating Measurement Across Teams
One of the most powerful shifts happens when integrating measurement across departments. Remember how we got the sales and finance teams involved early on? Now, it’s time to deepen those relationships.
Here’s what this looks like in practice:
- Weekly or bi-weekly check-ins with sales to understand which content is helping close deals—or the types of content they need to help with sales
- Monthly meetings with finance to track how PR activities affect the sales pipeline
- Quarterly planning sessions with marketing to align on shared goals and metrics
- Regular updates with product teams to ensure messaging alignment
The Power of Predictive Measurement
Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can start using your measurement to predict trends rather than just report on them. This is where you become truly invaluable to your organization.
For instance, one of our manufacturing clients noticed that increases in certain types of media coverage consistently preceded spikes in lead generation about six weeks later. By tracking these patterns, they could predict—and prepare for—busy periods in their sales cycle. This allowed them to adjust their content calendar, prep their sales team with relevant materials, and even plan their paid social budget to amplify the momentum.
But it gets even better. Another client, a B2B software company, discovered that when their thought leadership content got shared by certain industry influencers, they could expect a 40% increase in demo requests within two weeks. They used this insight to build stronger relationships with these influencers and create content designed to engage their audiences.
How to Use Predictive Measurement
Here’s what predictive measurement might look like for your organization:
- Content engagement patterns that signal buying intent
- Social media conversations that indicate emerging industry issues
- Email open rates that predict customer churn
- Media coverage themes that correlate with market share growth
- Website behavior patterns indicate sales readiness. For instance, we learned for another client that if someone visits one particular page on their website, 90% of the visitors convert. NINETY PERCENT! Guess how much of our bottom-of-the-funnel content leads that page?
The key is looking for correlations between your communications activities and business outcomes. Maybe you notice that when three or more trade publications pick up your executive team’s content, your sales team reports easier conversations with prospects. Or perhaps you see that increased social engagement with your how-to content leads to higher customer retention rates three months later.
When you can say, “Based on our current media coverage patterns, we should prepare for a 30% increase in qualified leads next quarter,” you’re no longer just reporting results. You’re helping the organization prepare for and capitalize on opportunities.
And here’s where it gets really interesting: once you start predicting trends accurately, you can start influencing them. You can time your biggest announcements for maximum effectiveness, align your content strategy with anticipated market needs, and ensure your sales team has the right resources at the right time.
This is how you move from being a communications professional to a strategic business advisor. And it all starts with paying attention to the patterns in your measurement data—and it can all be done today with AI!
The Future of PR Measurement
Before I let you go, let’s discuss where PR measurement is heading. While only 7% of PR pros feel extremely confident in their metrics today, I believe that number will increase dramatically in the next few years.
This is because we’re finally starting to measure what matters instead of what’s easy. We’re moving from counting clips to tracking business results, from impressions to influence.
Your Action Items for This Week
Last week, I asked you to do three things. This week, I have another assignment for you.
If you haven’t done the assignment from last week, please do that. Then, you can do the following:
- Start building your integrated dashboard, even just in a simple spreadsheet. I have a template you can use, if you want it. Just email me, and I’ll send it along.
- Begin documenting your wins in business terms, not PR terms.
With that, you’ll turn from communications expert to business advisor, and your world, as you know it, will change…for the better.
