Press release analytics are a vital part of understanding how your press releases are performing. By tracking the different metrics associated with press releases, you can improve your strategy and see what press release analytics are working and what aren’t. We will discuss what each metric means and how to use it to improve your press releases.
Press release analytics can be divided into two main categories : reach and engagement. Reach is the number of people who see your press release, while engagement is the number of people who interact with it. We’ll explain each metric’s sub-metrics below.
- Reach:
- Impressions: The number of times your press release is seen
- Shares: The number of times your press release is shared
- Views: The number of times your press release is viewed
- Engagement:
- Clicks: The number of times people click on your press release
- Conversions: The number of sales or leads generated from your press release
- Time on Page: The amount of time people spend reading your press release
Why do you need to understand press release analytics?
If you’re like most people, you probably assume that a press release is only successful if it gets picked up by a news outlet. However, the truth is that there’s a lot more to measure than just media coverage. In order to really understand how your press release is performing, you need to take a close look at the press release analytics.
By tracking press release analytics metrics such as pageviews, social shares, and conversion rates, you can get a much clearer picture of whether or not your press release is actually having an impact. And in today’s competitive market, that data can be the difference between success and failure. So next time you write a press release, make sure you take the time to analyze the data (press release analytics) afterwards. It just might give you the insights you need to take your business to the next level.
Key press release analytics you need to know
Your site’s impression differs from clicks
Impression occurs whenever your press release appears in a search, whether it’s clicked on or not. On the other hand, a click only occurs when someone clicks on your press release. You can think of reach as the potential size of your audience; it’s the total number of people who could have seen your press release. So clicks are a subset of impressions.
Clicks differ from reads
A read is counted whenever your press release is fully loaded. It happens after the click, and it can happen multiple times per press release (unlike a click, which can only happen once). A read also differs from an impression in that it’s not just a potential audience member – it’s someone who is actually engaging with your press release.
Not all media deliveries get coverage
A media delivery is when your press release is emailed to a journalist or other potential influencer. A coverage is when your press release is mentioned, shared, or cited by that same journalist or influencer. So media deliveries are a subset of coverages – not all media deliveries will result in coverage. It means that your press release was successfully delivered, but it doesn’t necessarily mean it was successful in getting coverage.
Press releases aren’t just for media anymore
Back in the daya, press releases were only sent to journalists – hence the name. But now, with social media and other online platforms, press releases can be (and should be) sent to anyone and everyone who might be interested in them. This includes not just journalists but also bloggers and even influencers.
Clicks vs. click-through rate (CTR)
CTR measures the percentage of people who saw your press release and clicked on it. A higher CTR means that more people who saw your press release were interested in it enough to click through. You can calculate CTR by dividing the number of clicks by the number of impressions.
Bounce rate
The bounce rate is the percentage of people who click on your press release and then immediately leave your site (“bounce” off of it). A high bounce rate means that people were not interested in what they saw on your site. A low bounce rate indicates that people found what they were looking for on your site and stuck around. You can calculate the bounce rate by dividing the number of bounces by the number of clicks.
How do you measure press release effectiveness?
Measuring the effectiveness of a press release can be tricky. On the one hand, you want to gauge how many people read it and how far its reach extends. But on the other hand, you also want to know how well it encouraged people to take action. To get a fuller picture of a press release’s effectiveness, it’s important to look at both its hard metrics and its softer effects.
Hard metrics might include things like the number of media outlets that picked up the release, the total circulation of those outlets, and the amount of web traffic generated by links to the release. Softer effects might include an uptick in positive customer sentiment or an increase in brand awareness. By taking both types of measures into account, you can get a more well-rounded view of how successful your press release was.
How do you analyze a press release for press release analytics?
Analyzing a press release can be in the form of providing an accurate portrayal of any event or announcement. It can also be that you don’t want to come off as too critical or negative. After all, the point of a press release is to generate positive publicity. So how do you strike the right balance?
There are a few key things to keep in mind when analyzing a press release. First, try to focus on the overall message that the press release is trying to convey. It is usually more important than any individual detail. Second, don’t be afraid to share your own opinion. Just make sure that you do so in a respectful and professional manner.
Remember that press releases are easy to come by these days. In order to stand out, your press release needs to be newsworthy and well-written. But even the most perfectly crafted press release is worthless if it doesn’t generate media coverage. So how do you track whether or not your press release is getting the attention it deserves?
How do you track press release coverage?
There are a few different ways to do this. One is to set up Google Alerts for your company name and the keywords associated with your press release. This will notify you anytime your company or the keywords are mentioned online, including in any news articles that mention your press release.
Another way to track media coverage is to use a service like Muck Rack. Muck Rack allows you to search for journalists who have written about topics similar to what you’re promoting in your press release. You can then reach out to those journalists directly and pitch them your story.
Moreover, don’t forget about good old-fashioned Google searches. A simple search for your company name or the keywords associated with your press release should turn up any news articles that mention your release.
Talkwalker is another great press release coverage tracking tool. It’s a bit more expensive than Muck Rack, but it offers a few more features, such as the ability to track social media mentions in addition to news articles.
No matter which method you choose, tracking press release coverage is essential for gauging the success of your press release. By keeping an eye on the coverage, you can quickly adapt and make changes to your press release strategy if necessary.
Bottom line: Press release analytics
Now that you know how to track press release analytics, it’s time to put that knowledge into practice. Start by crafting a press release for your next big event. Then, use the tips in this article to track its progress and measure its success.
If you are inexperienced in press release distribution, marketing, syndication, or analytics, Press Reach can be of help. We are a press release distribution company that specializes in small businesses and start-ups. We also offer detailed press release analytics so you can track the success of your press release. To learn more about our services, visit us today.
Featured Image: Megapixl © Alexmillos
