Working in the field of communications means being in a constant stream of changing information every day. How do you navigate it and how do you know if you are working effectively in the information field? The answer to both of these questions is media monitoring and the correct interpretation of its results.

Media monitoring is not just a tool for statistics and reporting. By tracking publications in the media and social networks, we can monitor the effectiveness of communication campaigns, audience sentiment, the state of the market, and the quality of our work as a PR professional. And this, in turn, allows us to prove the value of PR for business without water – in facts and figures.

KPIs for media monitoring: what to pay attention to? 

What should you focus on when studying the media field? The key indicators that are used in the formation and analysis of KPIs are: 

• Number of mentions. The total number of mentions of a brand/company/person in the media and social networks.
• Tone of mentions. In what context was your brand mentioned: positive, neutral, negative.
• Audience reach. How many people potentially saw mentions of your brand.
• Share of Voice. The share of brand mentions compared to competitors in the market.
• Key topics and messages. What topics and messages are most often associated with your brand? Does this align with your strategic goals and positioning?

In addition to these indicators, media monitoring also takes into account others for deeper analysis. For example, source authority shows the influence that a media outlet or blog that contains information about a brand has: a mention in Forbes is worth much more than a mention in a Facebook account with 150 followers. Media type shows which category of media outlets or social networks a platform belongs to: for example, radio and YouTube have very different audiences. Dynamics of mentions in media monitoring shows in which periods the brand is talked about the most: this makes it possible to track the effectiveness of campaigns.

Why is it important to monitor mentions in the media? 

At first glance, it may seem that media monitoring is just a collection of news and articles. But it is a powerful analytical tool, important for both PR professionals and business in general.

What tasks does media monitoring solve for a brand?

• Assessing the effectiveness of communication campaigns.
• Assessing the quality of work of PR specialists and demonstrating its value.
• Timely response to crisis situations, reputation management.
• Understanding the needs and requests of the audience, market trends.

Conclusion

Media monitoring provides a wide range of opportunities for analyzing the manifestation of a brand in the information space. In order for it to bring benefits and highlight the value of the work of PR and communication specialists, it is important to determine priorities and choose the right KPIs for analysis. In this case, media monitoring will become an indispensable tool in business development and maintaining its reputation.