What are your Media Goals
Before distributing your press release, you should establish clear goals and key performance indicators (KPIs) aligned with your objectives. Are you aiming to increase brand awareness, generate leads, shape public opinion, or manage a crisis? Defining your goals will guide your tracking strategy.
Tracking Your Press Release Performance
Here are some key methods to track and measure the success of a press release that you distributed:
Media Coverage – Track how many media outlets pick up your story, both online and offline. Assess the quality and reach of the outlets that covered your story.
- Social Media Analytics – Is your firm name popping up on social media? Are you receiving any likes, shares, comments or clicks on links to your press release post? Are you gaining new followers after your press release distribution?
- Website Analytics – If your press release includes links, measure the number of clicks you receive. Monitor website traffic, focusing on unique visitors, time spent on site, bounce rate, page views, and referral traffic after press release distribution.
- Search Engine Ranking – Track changes in search engine rankings for relevant keywords to gauge the impact on online visibility.
- Intake & Lead Generation – Track inquiries, new client leads, and website contact form submissions following the release.
- Comparative Analysis – Compare the performance of your current press release with past campaigns to identify trends and areas for improvement.
- ROI Analysis: Evaluate the return on investment by comparing distribution costs with the value of achieved results.
By applying these measurement techniques, law firms can gain valuable insights into the effectiveness of their press release efforts, allowing them to optimize future PR strategies and achieve their communication goals.
Gools for Tracking Track Performance
Monitoring your media performance requires the right tools and sources to capture and analyze data and insights. Depending on your budget and needs, you can choose free or paid media monitoring tools.
PR firms and online press release distribution services typically provide some form of results reporting on your press release. If you use a PR firm, they offer more comprehensive reporting compared to online services. They track various metrics and present them in detailed reports, often accompanied by insights and recommendations. Online press release distribution services offer some form of reporting, but it is usually less detailed compared to PR firms. Make sure to inquire when hiring or using these services to understand what you will be getting.
Here are some tools that can assist you.
- Cison – for comprehensive earned media insights and reporting.
- Google Alerts – for free notifications about online mentions.
- Google Analytics – for website traffic, audience insight and audience engagement.
- Hootsuite – for managing social media presence and basic listening.
- Meltwater – for advanced media intelligence and comprehensive social listening.
- Mention – for dedicated social media listening and brand monitoring.
- SEMRush – for comprehensive media monitoring and competitive intelligence.
- Sprout Social – for social media monitoring and management.
Choosing the right tools depends on your budget and specific needs. Consider trying several options to find the best fit for your workflow.
Remember, regular monitoring and adjustments are crucial for optimizing your press release strategy and achieving your communication objectives.
Additional Resources
Watch for upcoming How to Set Up a Press Conference, How to Prepare for a Media Interview, How to Prepare for / Handle a PR Crisis and How to Hire and Work with a Public Relations Agency. In case you missed it you can also read How-Tos on Building a Legal Marketing Press / Media Database, Is Your Legal Case or Law Firm News PR Worthy, How to Pitch the Media, and How to Write a Press Release.
