PR metrics and analytics: 10 trends to watch in 2019

Gathering data is fine, but deriving salient insights requires more than counting raw numbers. Consider these pressing realities and emerging approaches as you steam into the new year.

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We are rerunning the most-viewed articles of 2019. This was one of the top five most-popular public relations articles of the year.

Inadequate measurement has long plagued public relations.

PR, however, is adapting, as more PR pros are mastering measurement. With new tools and a greater awareness of the importance of metrics, PR pros have gained greater recognition for their value to the organization.

Here’s what to expect as 2019 beckons:

Less emphasis on measuring views, more emphasis on conversions. Savvy PR pros understand that conversions take precedence over metrics that track views. “Likes,” followers, blog comments will see a lower priority.

Impressions, a common PR and marketing metric, will fall out of favor due to its limited value. Impressions represent the number of potential viewers, and those viewers needn’t see the content to be counted as an impression. In addition, some PR agencies apply multipliers, which can produce outrageously high figures.

More PR pros will apply web analytics to track conversions.

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