How to Measure Press Release ROI and Other KPIs
You've just sent out a press release announcing your company's groundbreaking new product. The content looks great, and you feel confident it will make an impact. But when your CMO asks about the return on investment (ROI), you freeze. How exactly do you measure the success of a press release? What metrics should you be tracking? So, how do you prove your press release ROI?
Why Measuring Press Release ROI Matters
In today's data-driven world, simply sending out press releases isn't enough—you need to show they're making an impact. Your leadership team wants to see concrete results that justify your PR spend, especially when budgets are tight. Plus, having data to back up your PR success stories makes you more credible when advocating for your department's resources. Measuring ROI also helps you understand which press releases perform best for your brand so you can refine your approach over time.
Key Press Release KPIs to Evaluate Performance
The right key performance indicators (KPIs) will help you track how well your press releases are performing. Here are the most important press release KPIs to watch.
Website Traffic
Whether you’re driving people to a landing page, your main website, a branded campaign page or an investor relations page, high traffic from your press release shows that people want to learn more. You can track this by using UTM parameters in your press release links and monitoring your traffic using PR analytics tools. Website traffic translates to brand awareness, which is the first step in connecting your press release to business results.
Leads and Conversions
Awareness is great, but it can be hard to directly connect it to press release ROI. Once customers land on your digital properties, you need to continue to track what they do. You can use form fills, sign-ups or booked meetings that originate from your press release to track lead generation, while sales typically count as conversions. Tracking these metrics, particularly those reflecting financial outcomes, is often the most compelling for executives because it directly shows the ROI of a press release.
Earned Media Value
It would be excellent if you could connect every press release to a sale, but that’s often not how it works. Engagement is also important because it shows that you’re expanding your audience. The good news is that you can put a monetary amount on this press release KPI by using earned media value (EMV).
EMV is the estimated monetary worth of publicity you gain through unpaid media coverage, like press mentions or social media shares. To measure EMV for a press release, calculate the equivalent cost of the same exposure through paid advertising using metrics like impressions, reach and ad rates. EMV is powerful because it translates your results into language that finance teams and executives understand.
Best Practices for Calculating Press Release ROI
A combination of the KPIs above can give you the ROI of a press release. But before you dive in, you should also understand a few basic concepts of press release measurement.
Understand Costs vs. Returns
The cost versus return equation forms the foundation of any ROI calculation. Your costs include distribution fees, content creation time, multimedia production and any paid promotion of the release. Returns include both direct value (like leads and sales) and indirect value (like EMV). To capture the full ROI of your press release, track both short-term returns that appear right after distribution and long-term benefits that build over time.
Track Media Pickups and Syndications
Media pickups and syndications extend the reach of your press release far beyond its initial distribution. You can track pickups using press release distribution platforms like PR Newswire, as well as media monitoring tools that scan for your company name or specific keywords from your release. Factor these into press release ROI by estimating the cost of placing an ad on that same property. Be sure to note both the quantity of pickups and the quality of the outlets, because premium publications often carry more influence.
Analyse Long-Term Brand Impact
One of the biggest benefits of press releases is to help shape how the public perceives your company over time. The long-term brand impact of your press releases may be harder to measure but is often more valuable than immediate results. You can track brand impact through regular brand awareness surveys, changes in search volume for your brand terms and shifts in sentiment over time.
Best Tools for Measuring Press Release ROI
The right press release measurement tools make tracking performance much easier and more accurate. Here are some essential tools for calculating ROI.
Web Analytics and UTM Tracking
Web analytics platforms like Google Analytics can provide deep insights into how your press release drives traffic to your website. You can set up custom UTM parameters for links in your press release to track exactly where visitors come from and what they do on your site.
These tools show you important metrics like bounce rate, time on page and conversion rates, which helps you understand not just how many people clicked but how engaged they were with your content. Press release platforms like PR Newswire also let you track views, engagement and traffic.
Media Monitoring and Analytics
Media monitoring tools track where and how your press release gets picked up across news sites, blogs and social platforms. They scan the internet for mentions of your brand, keywords and competitors, giving you a complete picture of your media footprint.
Monitoring tools save you countless hours of manual searching and provide data you can't easily gather yourself. Some platforms now include sentiment analysis to evaluate whether coverage is positive or negative, plus other features to save you even more time.
Press Release Distribution Platforms
Many distribution platforms, including PR Newswire, offer built-in analytics that help you measure press release ROI. They track metrics like views, clicks and engagement right from an intuitive dashboard, even including geographic and demographic data about who is viewing your release.
Beyond that, reporting features can help you present your results to key stakeholders in an easy-to-understand format. PR Newswire offers reports that provide critical insight into how your stories are resonating with your target audiences and help you determine ROI. Plus, we’ll walk you through the results and help you refine your strategies.
Measure Your Press Release ROI Like a Pro
Taking a data-driven approach to press release measurement doesn't just prove the value of public relations—it helps you create better, more effective releases in the future. By tracking the right KPIs and using the right tools, you can show leadership exactly how your PR efforts contribute to business goals.
PR Newswire doesn't just help you distribute press releases. We also provide the analytics and insights you need to measure and improve your ROI. Our comprehensive distribution network has global reach with targeted capabilities, while our analytics and reporting break down how your releases perform. Ready to start demonstrating press release ROI? Contact us today and start showing the true value of your work.
FAQs
How do you measure the success of a press release?
You measure press release success by tracking metrics like media pickups, website traffic, social shares and lead generation. A comprehensive press release ROI considers both immediate metrics (clicks, coverage) and long-term effects (brand awareness, sentiment).
What's a good ROI for a press release?
A good press release ROI varies based on your goals, industry and the specific news you're sharing. Many PR professionals consider a press release successful if the earned media value is at least three times the cost of distribution and creation. Your ROI should improve over time as you refine your approach based on what works best for your specific topic, audience and media contacts.
What tools can help track press release performance?
The most useful tools for press release measurement include Google Analytics for website traffic, media monitoring platforms for coverage tracking and social listening tools for engagement metrics. PR distribution platforms like PR Newswire also offer built-in analytics dashboards that show performance at a glance, plus in-depth reporting that helps you present results to key stakeholders.
How can I improve press release ROI?
You can improve press release ROI by targeting the right media contacts, writing compelling headlines that grab attention, including multimedia elements like images and videos and timing your release strategically. Adding a clear call to action drives more measurable responses from readers. Working with an experienced distribution partner like PR Newswire helps your release reach the most relevant audience, maximising your potential return.
Your strategy shouldn’t end with simply measuring press release ROI. By making sure your press releases are newsworthy and engaging, you can continuously improve your ROI. Download The Ultimate Toolkit for Getting Your Press Release Noticed and start capturing more attention, engagement and results with your press releases.
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