Public Relations (PR) can be a powerful tool for small businesses, helping to raise awareness, build credibility, and ultimately attract new customers. However, without tracking and measuring the impact of your PR efforts, it’s difficult to know whether your activities are truly driving growth. For small business owners with limited time and budgets, understanding how to assess the effectiveness of your PR campaigns is essential to ensure you’re getting the best possible return on investment.
This guide is designed to help small business owners with zero marketing knowledge implement simple, low-cost methods to track and measure the success of their PR efforts. With step-by-step instructions and easy-to-use tools like Google Analytics (GA4), you’ll learn how to monitor media mentions, analyse website traffic, and tie PR activities directly to customer enquiries and sales. By focusing on the key metrics that matter most, you’ll gain valuable insights into which PR strategies are working for your business and which areas may need adjustment.
Download and print the 'Measuring PR Performance Checklist'. This way you can mark each task off as you follow each step of this guide.
By the end of this guide, you’ll be equipped with practical techniques to measure your PR performance and improve your future campaigns. Whether you’re featured in a local newspaper, mentioned on a blog, or tagged in a social media post, tracking your PR impact will help you identify what drives customer interest and ensure your efforts are contributing to real business growth.
Step 1: Why Tracking PR Impact is Crucial for Small Businesses
Understanding How PR Translates into Business Growth
As a small business, every effort you make to increase visibility should help you grow your customer base. Public Relations (PR) can be a powerful tool to get your business noticed, but without tracking its impact, you won't know if your efforts are working. Tracking your PR performance means seeing which activities (like press coverage or mentions) are driving interest and ultimately bringing in new customers. For example, if you’re mentioned in a local newspaper, do you see an increase in website visits or enquiries afterwards?
Why Measuring PR Impact is Key to Attracting New Customers
PR coverage, such as articles, blogs, or social media mentions, can lead to more customers if you know which activities work best for your business. Measuring this impact helps you:
Understand which media outlets or influencers bring in more attention.
See which stories or messages resonate most with your target audience.
Allocate your time and resources to the PR activities that actually drive customer growth.
Actionable Steps to Start Tracking PR Impact:
Set a Clear Goal for Your PR Efforts
Before tracking PR performance, define what success looks like. For example, if you’re aiming to increase website traffic, focus on measuring how many visitors come from your PR mentions. If you want to grow your social media following, track engagement (likes, shares, comments) after being mentioned in articles or blogs.
Example: If your goal is to increase online sales, you might look at how many visitors from PR-driven sources end up purchasing a product.
Track Media Mentions
Keep a record of when and where your business is mentioned in the media. This can be as simple as setting up a Google Alert for your business name, so you’ll be notified when any articles or posts mention you. Create a spreadsheet to log the following:
Date of the mention
Media outlet or website
Type of mention (article, blog post, social media, etc.)
Any noticeable effects (website traffic spikes, enquiries, etc.)
Example: If you’re mentioned on a local business blog, note down the mention and check your website traffic over the next few days.
Use Google Analytics (GA4) to Measure Website Traffic from PR
Google Analytics (GA4) is a free tool that helps you track where your website visitors are coming from. You can use it to see if there’s an increase in visitors after a piece of PR coverage. To set up GA4 for tracking PR-driven traffic:
Go to your GA4 dashboard.
Under "Reports," click on "Acquisition" and select "Traffic Acquisition."
Look at the "Source/Medium" column to see if traffic is coming from specific media outlets, blogs, or PR-driven sources.
Example: If you notice a spike in website visitors from a news site that recently featured your business, you know your PR efforts are working.
By understanding how PR impacts your business and tracking these efforts, you’ll be able to see what works best for attracting new customers, allowing you to focus on the most effective strategies.
Step 2: Tools for Tracking PR Performance on a Tight Budget
Affordable Tools to Monitor Media Coverage
For small business owners, tracking PR performance effectively doesn’t require expensive software. There are plenty of affordable (and free) tools available that will help you monitor your media coverage, track website traffic, and measure the overall impact of your PR efforts. These tools are easy to set up and provide valuable insights into how well your PR is working to bring in new customers.
Here are some budget-friendly tools to help you start tracking PR performance:
Google Alerts (Free)
Google Alerts is a free tool that tracks mentions of your business or specific keywords across the web. It sends notifications whenever your business is mentioned in articles, blogs, or news stories.
Step-by-step to set up:
Go to Google Alerts.
Enter your business name or related keywords (e.g., "ABC Hardware London").
Choose how often you want to receive notifications (daily, weekly, etc.).
Click "Create Alert" to start receiving email updates whenever your business is mentioned.
Example: If you’re a salon owner, setting an alert for "Best Hair Salon Bristol" will notify you if someone mentions your business in an article or online review.
Mention (Free trial/Paid options)
Mention is a great tool for tracking your business across websites, blogs, and social media. The free version offers basic tracking and alerts when your business is mentioned, helping you monitor your online presence in real time.
Step-by-step to set up:
Sign up for a free trial account on Mention.
Set up alerts for your business name, products, or industry keywords.
Use the dashboard to monitor your mentions and review how people are engaging with your business online.
Example: If a local food blogger reviews your café, Mention will notify you, allowing you to monitor the impact that review has on your social media following or website traffic.
Hootsuite (Free trial/Paid options)
Hootsuite is primarily a social media management tool, but it also allows you to track mentions of your business across platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can monitor conversations about your business and see how people are engaging with your PR content.
Step-by-step to set up:
Sign up for a free trial Hootsuite account.
Add your social media profiles.
Create streams to track mentions of your business or related hashtags, such as "#BestCakesInLondon."
Example: If your restaurant is tagged in an Instagram post after being featured in a food magazine, Hootsuite will track the post’s performance and show how much engagement it generates.
BuzzSumo (Free trial/Paid options)
BuzzSumo helps you track online mentions of your business and analyse how content related to your PR efforts is performing. You can use it to monitor your competitors and see what types of PR are driving the most engagement in your industry.
Step-by-step to set up:
Sign up for a free trial account on BuzzSumo.
Use the search function to track mentions of your business or key topics.
Analyse the performance metrics, such as how many shares, backlinks, and comments your PR-driven content is receiving.
Example: If you publish a press release about a new product and it’s picked up by various blogs, BuzzSumo will show you which blog posts are being shared the most, helping you understand what content is resonating with your audience.
Google News Search (Free)
Google News Search is another free tool that allows you to find media coverage of your business by searching for articles and news reports where you’ve been mentioned. It’s particularly useful for finding mentions in smaller, niche publications or local news outlets.
Step-by-step to set up:
Go to Google News.
Enter your business name or relevant keywords into the search bar (e.g., "XYZ Plumbing Birmingham").
Review the articles and news pieces that feature your business or topic. You can filter results by date or source to find the most relevant mentions.
Example: If a regional news website features an interview with you about your business, you can use Google News Search to locate the article, track its readership, and see if it leads to any direct increase in customer enquiries.
Google Analytics (GA4) (Free)
Google Analytics (GA4) is a vital tool for tracking how much traffic your website is receiving from PR activities. If a news article or blog links to your site, GA4 will show you how many visitors are coming from that source and what they do once they reach your site.
Step-by-step to track in GA4:
Log in to your GA4 dashboard.
Under "Reports," click on "Acquisition" and then "Traffic Acquisition."
Look at the "Source/Medium" column to see where your website traffic is coming from. GA4 will allow you to identify visitors arriving from specific media outlets or blogs.
Example: If a local lifestyle blog features your business and links to your website, Google Analytics will show you how many people clicked through from that blog and whether they engaged with your site by browsing, making a purchase, or signing up for your mailing list.
By using these affordable tools, small business owners can easily track the performance of their PR activities, helping them focus on strategies that bring in new customers and contribute to business growth.
Step 3: Monitoring Media Mentions that Drive Customer Interest
How to Measure the Value of Each Mention for Your Business
Not all media mentions will have the same impact on your business. Some may result in increased traffic, while others may lead to customer enquiries or sales. To measure the value of each mention, focus on how it directly influences your business outcomes.
Track Website Traffic from Mentions Using Google Analytics (GA4)
Google Analytics (GA4) allows you to measure the traffic generated by PR coverage. If a media outlet or blog includes a link to your website, you can track how many people visit your site from that mention and what they do when they get there.
Step-by-step to track PR-driven traffic in GA4:
Log into your Google Analytics (GA4) dashboard.
Go to "Reports," then click on "Acquisition" and select "Traffic Acquisition."
In the "Source/Medium" column, look for the media outlets or blogs that referred visitors to your website.
Analyse the behaviour of those visitors. Did they browse multiple pages, make a purchase, or fill out an enquiry form?
Example: If a local food blog writes about your bakery and includes a link to your website, GA4 will show you how many people visited your site from that blog post. You can then track if any of these visitors made an online order or signed up for your newsletter, helping you understand the value of that mention.
Measure Engagement and Conversions from Social Media Mentions
If your business is mentioned on social media, use tools like Hootsuite to measure the engagement that mention generates. Track metrics such as likes, shares, comments, and direct messages. Mentions that drive conversations or lead to customer interactions are more valuable than those with little engagement.
Example: If a local influencer posts about your products on Instagram and you notice a spike in followers or direct messages enquiring about your services, that mention has clear value. You can also track if these new followers turn into paying customers over time.
Log Mentions and Their Impact
To keep track of how valuable each media mention is, create a simple spreadsheet to record:
The date of the mention.
The media outlet or social platform.
The type of mention (article, blog, social media post).
Any noticeable impact (e.g., increase in website traffic, social media engagement, enquiries, or sales).
Example: After receiving a mention in a local newspaper, log the details and check whether there’s an increase in foot traffic to your shop or website visits in the days following the publication. If you receive more enquiries or bookings, it indicates that the PR coverage had a strong impact.
By effectively monitoring and measuring the value of media mentions, you’ll gain insights into which PR efforts are driving the most customer interest and can tailor your future PR strategies for maximum impact.
Step 4: Measuring Website Traffic from PR Campaigns
Using Free Tools Like Google Analytics (GA4) to Track Visitors From PR Efforts
Tracking the website traffic generated by your PR campaigns is crucial for understanding their effectiveness. Google Analytics (GA4) is a powerful, free tool that can help you monitor how visitors are arriving at your site, specifically from PR activities such as online articles, blog posts, or social media mentions. By analysing this data, you can see which PR efforts are attracting potential customers and which are not performing as expected.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to using Google Analytics (GA4) to measure traffic from your PR campaigns:
Set Up Google Analytics (GA4) for Your Website
If you haven’t already set up Google Analytics (GA4) for your website, you’ll need to do so to start tracking visitors.
Step-by-step to set up Google Analytics (GA4):
Visit the Google Analytics website and sign up for a free account.
Follow the instructions to create a new property for your business and add your website.
Google will provide you with a tracking ID. Add this ID to your website by following the integration steps, or ask your web developer to help.
Example: If you run a local gym, you’ll want to track how many people visit your site after reading a feature in a fitness magazine. Google Analytics (GA4) will show this data once your account is set up.
Track PR-Driven Website Traffic in Google Analytics (GA4)
Once your account is set up, you can start tracking where your website visitors are coming from, specifically those driven by your PR efforts.
Step-by-step to track traffic from PR:
Log in to your Google Analytics (GA4) dashboard.
Under "Reports," select "Acquisition" and then click on "Traffic Acquisition."
Look for the "Source/Medium" column to see the different websites or platforms sending traffic to your site. Media mentions from PR campaigns will appear here (e.g., a blog post, online article, or social media link).
Example: If a popular local lifestyle blog writes about your bakery and links to your site, Google Analytics (GA4) will show you how many visitors clicked through from that blog. You can also see how these visitors behave once on your site, such as browsing different products or making a purchase.
How to Connect PR Activities to Customer Conversions on Your Site
Once you’ve tracked the visitors coming from PR-driven sources, the next step is to measure whether those visitors are converting into actual customers. Conversions can include actions such as making a purchase, signing up for your newsletter, or filling out a contact form. Google Analytics (GA4) helps you connect PR efforts directly to these valuable outcomes.
Here’s how you can do it:
Set Up Conversion Goals in Google Analytics (GA4)
To measure customer conversions, you’ll need to set up specific goals in Google Analytics (GA4) that reflect the actions you want visitors to take. This might be a purchase, enquiry, or newsletter signup.
Step-by-step to set up conversion goals:
In your Google Analytics (GA4) dashboard, go to "Configure" and select "Events."
Click on "Create Event" and define the actions that represent a conversion (e.g., making a purchase, completing a contact form, or signing up for a newsletter).
Once set up, Google Analytics will track when visitors from PR-driven sources complete these actions.
Example: If your goal is to get customers to book an appointment at your hair salon, set up a conversion event for when someone completes the online booking form. GA4 will track how many people who visited your site through a PR mention actually made a booking.
Monitor PR-Driven Conversions in Google Analytics (GA4)
After setting up your conversion goals, you can monitor how many of the visitors from PR sources are converting into customers.
Step-by-step to track conversions from PR:
In the Google Analytics (GA4) dashboard, go to "Reports" and select "Acquisition."
Click on "Conversions" to see how many visitors from specific sources (such as PR campaigns) have completed the desired actions on your site.
This report will show how effective each PR mention has been in driving conversions.
Example: If a PR campaign generates a feature in a local newspaper and includes a link to your online shop, you can track how many visitors from that article made a purchase. If you see a clear increase in conversions from this source, it shows the PR campaign is driving real customer growth.
Analyse the Behaviour of PR-Driven Visitors
Besides tracking conversions, it’s important to understand how visitors from PR campaigns behave on your site. Are they exploring different pages, spending time reading your content, or leaving quickly? This behaviour can help you assess the quality of traffic your PR campaigns are bringing in.
Step-by-step to analyse behaviour:
In your Google Analytics (GA4) dashboard, go to "Reports" and then "Engagement."
Check metrics such as the average time spent on site, number of pages viewed, and bounce rate (the percentage of visitors who leave after viewing just one page).
Example: If visitors from a PR article about your café spend a lot of time on your site browsing your menu or reading customer reviews, it suggests that the article is attracting genuine interest. On the other hand, if they leave quickly, the PR source might not be reaching the right audience.
By using Google Analytics (GA4) to track website traffic and conversions from your PR campaigns, you can measure the direct impact of your PR efforts on customer growth. This data will help you refine your PR strategy and focus on activities that generate the most valuable results for your business.
Step 5: Tracking Social Media Reach and Engagement from PR
How to Measure Social Media Reactions to Your PR Mentions
Social media can be a powerful platform for amplifying your PR efforts, but to understand its impact, it’s essential to track how your PR mentions are performing across social platforms. Monitoring social media reach and engagement will help you see whether your PR activities are generating conversations, attracting potential customers, and driving interest in your business.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to measure social media reactions to your PR mentions:
Track Social Mentions Using Hootsuite
Hootsuite is a free and easy tool that allows you to monitor mentions of your business across social media platforms such as X (Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook. This lets you keep track of when your PR coverage gets shared or commented on by users.
Step-by-step to set up Hootsuite:
Sign up for a free account on Hootsuite.
Add your social media accounts (e.g., X (formally Twitter), Instagram).
Set up streams to track mentions of your business name, relevant keywords, or hashtags that relate to your PR campaign.
Example: If a local blogger tweets about your restaurant after attending a press event, Hootsuite will notify you of the mention, and you can monitor the engagement it receives in real time.
Use Native Analytics on Social Platforms
Many social platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter), provide built-in analytics tools that allow you to track engagement with posts that mention your business. These tools can show how your PR mentions are being shared and interacted with.
Step-by-step to use native analytics:
Log in to your social media accounts.
For Facebook and Instagram, use "Insights" to view engagement metrics.
On X (Twitter), click on the "Analytics" tab to see how many people are engaging with tweets that mention your business.
Example: If a PR story about your shop is shared on Facebook by a local magazine, check the post's engagement on Facebook Insights to see how many likes, comments, and shares it generated. You can also see how many people clicked on the post to learn more about your business.
Tracking Shares, Likes, and Comments That Lead to New Customer Interest
Tracking how people engage with your business on social media can give you insights into which PR efforts are resonating with your audience. Shares, likes, and comments are key indicators of interest, and high engagement suggests that your PR message is being noticed. But beyond just the numbers, you want to focus on how these interactions can translate into new customer interest.
Here’s how to measure and interpret social media engagement:
Measure Social Media Reach
Reach refers to how many people have seen posts about your business, whether it's through shares, retweets, or reposts of your PR mentions. The greater the reach, the more people are exposed to your brand.
Step-by-step to track reach:
On Facebook and Instagram, use "Insights" to check the reach of posts that mention your business. You’ll see how many people have viewed or interacted with the content.
On X (Twitter), use "Analytics" to measure how far tweets mentioning your business have spread.
Example: If your PR story is shared by a popular local influencer, check how many of their followers saw or interacted with the post. If it’s getting a lot of views, you’re reaching a broader audience who may become interested in your business.
Track Engagement Metrics: Likes, Shares, and Comments
Likes, shares, and comments reflect how well people are engaging with your PR mentions. A high number of shares, in particular, can be a sign that people find your content valuable and are helping to spread the word to their own networks.
Step-by-step to track engagement:
Use the analytics tools in Hootsuite or native social media platforms to track the number of likes, shares, and comments your PR mentions receive.
Focus on posts that generate conversations. Comments and questions are strong indicators of interest from potential customers.
Example: If a local news outlet shares an article about your small business on Instagram, and the post gets shared multiple times or receives lots of comments asking about your products or services, it’s a clear sign that people are interested in learning more.
Measure Click-Throughs and Website Visits from Social Media
One of the most effective ways to track whether social media engagement is translating into customer interest is by measuring how many people click through to your website from PR-related social media posts.
Step-by-step to track website visits from social media:
Use Google Analytics (GA4) to track traffic coming from social media platforms.
In GA4, go to "Reports," select "Acquisition," and then click on "Traffic Acquisition."
Look at the "Source/Medium" column to see how much traffic is coming from Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), or any other social platform.
Example: If an online review about your restaurant is shared on Twitter and includes a link to your website, use Google Analytics to track how many people clicked on the link, visited your site, and browsed your menu or made a reservation.
Respond to Comments and Start Conversations
Engagement is a two-way street. When someone comments on a social media post about your business, respond promptly and professionally. This can help you start conversations and build relationships with potential customers.
Step-by-step to engage with your audience:
Monitor social media comments and messages through Hootsuite or the native platform.
Respond to questions or comments that show interest in your business. Be helpful and provide more information about your products or services.
Example: If a customer asks about opening hours in the comments of a shared article about your shop, respond quickly with the details and invite them to visit. This type of engagement can lead to new customers and shows you’re attentive to their needs.
By tracking social media reach and engagement, you’ll be able to see which PR activities are generating real interest in your business. Analysing likes, shares, and comments will help you understand which messages resonate with your audience, and tracking website clicks will show if that engagement is leading to potential new customers.
Step 6: Analysing Inbound Enquiries and Sales from PR
Tracking How PR Coverage Translates into Customer Enquiries or Sales
One of the key ways to measure the success of your PR efforts is by tracking how media coverage leads to direct customer actions, such as enquiries or sales. When your business is mentioned in the media, whether it’s a feature article, blog post, or social media shout-out, it’s important to monitor the customer response that follows. This helps you understand which PR activities are contributing to real business growth.
Here’s how to track and analyse inbound enquiries and sales driven by your PR efforts:
Track Customer Enquiries Using a Simple Log
Whenever a customer enquires about your business after seeing PR coverage, make sure to log the enquiry. This could be a phone call, email, website form submission, or even a message on social media. A simple way to do this is by keeping a digital or physical log where you record each enquiry and ask how the customer found out about your business.
Step-by-step to set up an enquiry log:
Create a spreadsheet or use an enquiry form to capture customer details.
Include fields such as the customer’s name, contact details, and their reason for contacting you.
Most importantly, ask how they heard about your business (e.g., “I saw your article in the local newspaper” or “I found you through a blog post”).
Example: If you run a hair salon and you receive a phone call for a booking, ask the customer if they heard about you through the recent feature in a local lifestyle magazine. Log this information so you can track how many bookings are directly linked to your PR coverage.
Use Google Analytics (GA4) to Track Sales and Enquiries from PR Mentions
Google Analytics (GA4) is a valuable tool for measuring how website visitors from PR sources convert into customers. By setting up conversion goals, you can track specific actions, such as filling in a contact form or making a purchase, that result from visitors who clicked through from a PR mention.
Step-by-step to track PR-driven conversions in GA4:
Log in to your Google Analytics (GA4) dashboard.
Go to "Configure" and then "Events" to set up conversion goals based on the actions you want to track (e.g., completed sales, contact form submissions, or newsletter sign-ups).
Once your goals are set, go to "Reports" and then "Acquisition" to see which media outlets or blogs are driving traffic to your site.
Check the "Conversions" section to see how many visitors from PR sources completed the desired actions.
Example: If an article about your business is published on a well-known local website and includes a link to your online shop, Google Analytics (GA4) will show how many people clicked on the link and how many of them made a purchase. This way, you can measure the direct impact of the article on your sales.
Simple Methods to Tie PR Efforts Directly to Revenue Growth
To understand how PR activities contribute to your business’s revenue, it’s important to track the financial impact of those activities. By linking your PR coverage to specific sales or bookings, you’ll get a clearer picture of how well your efforts are working and which campaigns are generating the most income.
Use Unique Discount Codes or Offers in PR Campaigns
One simple method to tie PR directly to sales is by offering a unique discount code or promotional offer that’s mentioned exclusively in the media coverage. This allows you to track how many people redeem the code and link those purchases directly to the PR effort.
Step-by-step to use discount codes for PR tracking:
Create a special discount code or offer (e.g., "MAGAZINE10" for 10% off).
Ensure the code is only mentioned in specific PR materials, such as articles or blog posts.
Track how many times the code is used at checkout, allowing you to measure the sales generated from that particular PR mention.
Example: If you own a clothing boutique and a fashion blog runs a feature about your store, include a 10% discount code in the article for their readers. Track how many times the code is used to make a purchase, which will tell you exactly how much revenue the PR article brought in.
Ask Customers How They Found You
Sometimes, the most direct way to tie PR to revenue growth is to simply ask customers how they found out about your business. Whether they’re making a purchase online, booking a service, or calling to enquire, ask if they were referred by a recent article, social media post, or other PR activity.
Step-by-step to implement this:
Train your staff or include a question on your website’s checkout or contact form asking, “How did you hear about us?”
Record the responses and track how many customers mention specific PR activities (e.g., “I saw your feature in the newspaper” or “I read about you on a blog”).
Example: If you own a bakery and customers regularly mention seeing your feature in a local magazine when they place orders, you can start to quantify the revenue generated directly from that coverage.
Use CRM Software to Track PR-Driven Sales
If your business uses customer relationship management (CRM) software, you can track leads and sales that come from PR efforts. CRM systems allow you to log customer interactions, including how they heard about your business, making it easier to analyse PR-driven enquiries and sales over time.
Step-by-step to track PR-driven sales in a CRM system:
Log all new customer enquiries or sales in your CRM software, ensuring that the source of the lead is recorded (e.g., PR article, blog post).
Run regular reports to see how many new leads or sales can be directly attributed to specific PR activities.
Example: If you run a wedding photography business, use your CRM to track how many enquiries are generated after being featured in a wedding blog. The CRM will show how many of those leads convert into paying customers, helping you understand the revenue impact of that PR coverage.
By tracking inbound enquiries and sales from PR campaigns, you can clearly see how media coverage contributes to your business’s growth. Whether you’re using simple logs, discount codes, or advanced tools like Google Analytics (GA4) and CRM software, these methods will help you tie your PR efforts directly to revenue, enabling you to focus on the strategies that deliver the biggest results.
Step 7: Reporting on PR Performance: Easy Metrics to Measure Success
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to Track PR Success
To effectively measure the success of your PR efforts, it’s essential to track key performance indicators (KPIs) that show how your PR activities are contributing to your business growth. These metrics will help you understand what’s working and what isn’t, allowing you to adjust your PR strategies for maximum impact.
Here are some simple KPIs to track PR success:
Media Mentions
Track how often your business is mentioned in the media, whether that’s in online articles, blog posts, social media, or traditional print. Keeping track of your media mentions helps you gauge the visibility your PR efforts are generating.
How to measure:
Use Google Alerts to monitor online mentions of your business.
Use social media management tools like Hootsuite to track mentions across platforms.
Example: If your café is mentioned in five local food blogs within a month, log each mention to see how your media visibility is growing. This can help you spot patterns in the types of PR that attract the most attention.
Website Traffic from PR Sources
Website traffic is a key indicator of whether your PR efforts are driving potential customers to your site. By using Google Analytics (GA4), you can see how many visitors are coming from PR-related sources, such as links in articles, blog posts, or social media mentions.
How to measure:
Log in to your Google Analytics (GA4) dashboard.
Go to "Reports" > "Acquisition" > "Traffic Acquisition."
Look at the "Source/Medium" column to see how many visitors came from PR sources (e.g., specific media outlets, blogs, or social platforms).
Example: If an online magazine links to your beauty salon’s website in a feature article, you can track how many people clicked through to your site from that link. If the traffic spikes after the article’s publication, you’ll know the PR coverage was effective in driving interest.
Social Media Engagement
Measuring likes, shares, comments, and interactions on social media posts related to your PR mentions can show you how well your message is resonating with your audience.
How to measure:
Use Hootsuite or native social media analytics (such as Facebook Insights or Twitter Analytics) to track engagement on posts mentioning your business.
Example: If your PR campaign led to an influencer sharing a post about your handmade jewellery business, track how many likes, comments, and shares the post received. High engagement suggests the PR activity successfully grabbed attention.
Customer Enquiries and Sales
One of the most direct KPIs for measuring PR success is the number of customer enquiries or sales generated from your media coverage. By linking specific PR activities to increases in customer enquiries or purchases, you can see how your PR efforts are contributing to revenue growth.
How to measure:
Log customer enquiries and sales in a spreadsheet, noting where the customer heard about your business (e.g., "I read about you in the local paper").
Use Google Analytics (GA4) to track conversions from PR-driven traffic, such as form submissions or online purchases.
Example: If a recent feature in a local newspaper brought in five new sales at your online shop, you can log these as direct results of your PR efforts and track the revenue generated.
How to Create Simple Reports That Show PR’s Impact on Your Business
Once you’ve collected data on the success of your PR efforts, it’s important to create reports that summarise this information in a clear and simple way. These reports will help you review the effectiveness of your PR activities and make decisions about future strategies.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to creating a simple PR performance report:
Create a PR Performance Spreadsheet
Start by organising your data in a simple spreadsheet that captures key metrics such as media mentions, website traffic, social media engagement, and sales.
Step-by-step to set up:
Open a spreadsheet tool like Google Sheets or Excel.
Create columns for the following metrics:
Date of PR activity
Media outlet or platform
Number of mentions or posts
Website traffic from PR sources
Social media engagement (likes, shares, comments)
Customer enquiries or sales
Revenue generated (if applicable)
Example: If your bakery received a feature in a local magazine, you would log the publication date, track any increase in website traffic or customer enquiries following the feature, and note if any new sales can be linked to that media mention.
Summarise Your KPIs
At the end of each month or PR campaign, summarise your KPIs to get a clear view of your PR performance. Look for trends or standout successes, such as which PR channels (e.g., blogs, social media, newspapers) drove the most engagement or customer enquiries.
How to summarise:
Total the number of media mentions and customer enquiries for the reporting period.
Review the increase in website traffic from PR sources.
Note any spike in social media engagement following PR activities.
Identify the sales or revenue generated from PR-driven customers.
Example: After three months of tracking, you might see that local food blogs generated more website traffic and customer enquiries for your café than print magazines. This insight will help you decide where to focus future PR efforts.
Include Visuals for Easy Understanding
Use simple visuals, such as graphs or charts, to make your PR report easier to understand. Visual representations of your KPIs can help you quickly identify which PR activities are making the biggest impact.
Step-by-step to create visuals:
In your spreadsheet, use the "Insert Chart" function to create graphs that show trends in website traffic, social media engagement, or customer enquiries over time.
Create pie charts or bar graphs that break down which PR channels (e.g., blogs, social media, newspapers) delivered the best results.
Example: If you create a bar chart showing the number of website visitors from PR sources over three months, you can easily see whether your media coverage is growing your online presence.
Share Insights and Take Action
Use the insights from your report to improve your PR strategy. If certain PR activities performed well, consider investing more time or resources in those channels. If others didn’t generate much interest, you can adjust or drop them for future campaigns.
Example: If you notice that articles in online magazines are consistently driving customer enquiries, but social media mentions aren’t leading to sales, focus on pitching more stories to digital publications.
By tracking key metrics and creating simple reports, you’ll have a clear understanding of your PR performance and be able to make informed decisions that help you grow your customer base. This approach ensures that you can see the real business impact of your PR efforts and fine-tune your strategy for even better results in the future.
Step 8: Adapting Your Measurement Strategy for Continuous Improvement
Fine-Tuning Your Tracking Process to Get Better Insights
Once you’ve set up a system to track your PR performance, it’s important to continually improve how you measure and analyse your results. By fine-tuning your tracking process, you can gain deeper insights into which PR activities are most effective in attracting new customers. This allows you to make smarter decisions about where to focus your efforts and improve the overall impact of your PR campaigns.
Here’s how to adjust and improve your PR tracking process for better results:
Review Your KPIs Regularly
Don’t just set and forget your key performance indicators (KPIs). It’s essential to review them regularly to ensure they are providing the insights you need. If you find that some KPIs aren’t giving you useful information, adjust them to focus on what really matters—whether that’s tracking customer enquiries, website traffic from specific sources, or sales generated from PR.
Step-by-step to review your KPIs:
At the end of each month or after a PR campaign, review your metrics (such as media mentions, website traffic, and customer enquiries).
Identify any gaps in your tracking—are you missing any important data? For example, if you’re not tracking conversions from social media, consider adding this as a new KPI.
Example: If you’ve been focusing mainly on tracking website traffic but haven’t measured how many of those visitors are actually converting into sales, consider adding conversion tracking through Google Analytics (GA4) to get a clearer picture of your PR’s impact on revenue.
Use Google Analytics (GA4) to Refine Your Traffic Analysis
Google Analytics (GA4) is a powerful tool for tracking PR-driven traffic, but to get the best insights, you need to make sure you’re using it effectively. Regularly check and update your tracking settings to ensure you’re capturing the most relevant data, such as where your visitors are coming from and what actions they are taking on your site.
Step-by-step to refine your GA4 tracking:
Log in to your Google Analytics (GA4) dashboard.
Go to "Reports" > "Acquisition" > "Traffic Acquisition" to review which PR sources are driving traffic.
Check that you’re tracking the right conversion goals, such as form submissions, purchases, or bookings. If necessary, add new goals based on recent PR campaigns.
Use the "Events" feature in GA4 to track specific visitor actions, such as clicking a link to your website from a media article or engaging with a particular PR-driven post.
Example: If a recent blog post featuring your handmade products generated a lot of traffic, but most visitors left without purchasing, you might adjust your website’s landing page to include a special offer for readers of that blog. By refining your tracking, you’ll be able to see if this change leads to more conversions from similar PR articles in the future.
Evaluate the Quality of Your Media Coverage
Not all media mentions are created equal. Some may bring in lots of traffic but few conversions, while others may reach a smaller but more engaged audience that’s more likely to make a purchase. Regularly evaluate the quality of your media coverage to ensure that you’re targeting the right outlets and audiences.
Step-by-step to evaluate media coverage quality:
Use your Google Analytics (GA4) and media monitoring tools (such as Google Alerts or Hootsuite) to compare the performance of different media outlets.
Track how long visitors from different media sources stay on your site, how many pages they view, and whether they complete any conversion goals (e.g., purchasing, booking an appointment).
Rank your media sources by their effectiveness in driving high-quality traffic and conversions.
Example: If a feature in a small niche blog brought in fewer visitors than a large publication but led to more sales, this indicates that the niche blog has a more engaged audience. You may decide to focus future PR efforts on similar niche outlets rather than large, general publications.
How to Use Your Data to Refine Future PR Campaigns
The data you collect from tracking your PR performance is valuable, but only if you use it to inform and improve future PR campaigns. By analysing past results, you can identify which strategies are working best and adapt your PR efforts for even greater success. Here’s how to leverage your tracking data to refine your future campaigns:
Identify Successful PR Channels
Your tracking data will reveal which media outlets, blogs, or social media platforms are driving the most customer engagement and conversions. Use this information to focus your PR outreach on the channels that are delivering the best results.
Step-by-step to identify top PR channels:
Review your Google Analytics (GA4) reports to see which sources are sending the most valuable traffic (i.e., visitors who convert into customers).
Compare the performance of different channels (e.g., blogs, news websites, social media) and focus on the ones that consistently lead to conversions or enquiries.
Example: If your data shows that local blogs consistently drive more customer enquiries than national news websites, adjust your PR strategy to pitch more stories to similar local bloggers, who have a more engaged audience.
Optimise Your Messaging
Analysing the data can also help you refine the messaging in your PR campaigns. If certain headlines, story angles, or types of content are getting more attention and driving more conversions, adapt your messaging to match what resonates with your audience.
Step-by-step to optimise your PR messaging:
Look at which PR campaigns generated the most engagement and conversions.
Analyse the type of content and messaging used in those successful campaigns—what story angles or key messages worked best?
Use this insight to craft future PR pitches that mirror the successful content.
Example: If a press release highlighting your business’s community involvement generated a lot of positive attention and customer interest, focus more on similar community-based stories in your future PR efforts.
Set Clear Goals for Future Campaigns
Based on your analysis, set specific, measurable goals for your next PR campaigns. These goals should align with the KPIs you’re tracking, such as increasing customer enquiries, driving more traffic from niche media outlets, or boosting sales from PR-driven sources.
Step-by-step to set PR goals:
Review your previous campaigns and note where you saw the biggest successes (e.g., most traffic, highest sales).
Set realistic goals for your next campaign based on these successes, such as doubling the number of conversions from PR-driven traffic or increasing the volume of media mentions in high-quality outlets.
Example: If your goal is to increase footfall to your local shop after being featured in the local press, track how many customers mention the article or use a special offer related to the PR campaign. Use this data to refine future campaigns and set more ambitious targets.
By continuously refining your tracking and using your data to guide future decisions, you’ll be able to improve the effectiveness of your PR efforts. This approach ensures that each campaign builds on the successes of the previous ones, helping you grow your customer base and achieve even better results from your PR activities.
Conclusion: Maximising PR Impact Through Effective Tracking and Measurement
Tracking and measuring the impact of your PR efforts is crucial to ensuring that your time and resources are well spent. By using simple, affordable tools and focusing on key metrics like media mentions, website traffic, and customer conversions, you can gain a clear understanding of how your PR activities are contributing to your business growth. This data-driven approach allows you to make informed decisions, refine your strategy, and focus on the PR channels that deliver the biggest returns.
As a small business owner, you don’t need advanced marketing knowledge to implement these methods. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you’ll be able to track your PR performance effectively, adapt your campaigns for better results, and start meaningful conversations with your target customers. Consistently monitoring your PR efforts will enable you to fine-tune your messaging and target the right media outlets, maximising your chances of attracting new customers and driving business success.
Remember, PR is an ongoing process. As you continue to track and measure your PR impact, you’ll gain valuable insights that will help you improve your strategy over time. With each campaign, you’ll become more efficient and effective in engaging your audience and achieving your business goals. Keep refining your approach, and you’ll see the results in growing customer interest and increased sales.