Ragan Research: Measurement elevates communicators’ influence

Effective measurement provides critical insights into the impact of communications strategies and gives communicators the ability to assess whether their messages are reaching the target audience and ultimately having the desired effect.

Data from Ragan’s 2025 Communications Benchmark Report, a signature research project conducted for members of Ragan’s Communications Leadership Council, finds many teams tracking easy metrics, but few measuring impact on behavior or business outcomes.

While 79% of respondents measure internal or external communications in some way, only 3% describe their measurement practices as mature. Fewer than four in 10 track behavior change (39%), and a third (30%) tie communications data to specific business results.

Most rely on open rates, clickthroughs or social engagements, metrics that are readily accessible but don’t always show deeper impact or underscore the enterprise-wide influence that communicators can wield.

A closer look at the benchmark data reveals that organizations that connect those metrics to business and behavioral results strengthen the case for investment, secure leadership buy-in and build credibility.

The full Communications Benchmark Report is available to members of Ragan’s Communications Leadership Council. Non-members can download the executive summary.

How frequently do communicators measure?

 While there is substantial variation, measurement remains a common practice across communications organizations. A clear majority (79%) say they measure internal and/or external effectiveness, according the benchmark report.

More than half say they measure monthly (33%) or quarterly (26%), with 17% measuring at least weekly. Only 6% say they measure annually.

Communicators employ a broad range of tools for these measurements, varying significantly depending on whether they are measuring internal or external communications.

Surveys are the most popular method for internal measurement, with two-thirds (60%) using them. Newsletter metrics (59%) and readership traffic (54%) were the next highest.

On the external side, social media engagement and website traffic (each 65%) are the most commonly used measurements, followed by earned or paid media mentions (58%).

What stands in the way of better measurement?

The biggest challenges to measurement are lack of time (58%) and lack of proper technology (42%), followed by budget, lack of expertise and staffing challenges.

Analysis paralysis is near the bottom of the list, followed by lack of leadership support, which suggests that communicators largely feel aligned with senior leadership on measurement objectives.

One significant difference this year is the number of survey respondents who said technology is their biggest challenge, down 12 points from last year to 42% in 2025. This change indicates that the measurement challenge is increasingly not a question of tools. Communicators have a sophisticated set of technologies to collect and analyze data.

Measurement maturity delivers strategic advantage

For this year’s report, we asked survey respondents to describe the maturity of their measurement practices on a scale starting from basic to intermediate to advanced and mature.

Those who are more advanced or mature share a common set of differentiating characteristics from their peers. These organizations:

• Measure their communications more frequently than the average (16% measure daily and 17% measure weekly).
• Are 23 percentage points more likely to have communications key performance indicators tied to organizational growth.
• Are much more likely to measure internal and external communications effectiveness relative to behavioral and business outcomes.
• Are much less likely to cite lack of proper technology as a challenge for measuring communications (25% vs. 42% of their peers).
• Are more likely to collaborate across business functions to shape organizational culture and behavior change (15 percentage points higher than the average).
• Are more likely to have responsibility for educating and aligning leadership on communication strategies during transformation efforts (72% vs. 50% for their peers).
• Are more likely to have senior communicators on innovation or transformation teams (49%).
• Are more likely to expect their professional development spending to increase (23%).

By itself, measurement maturity doesn’t determine the success of a communications team. But this data indicates that communications teams that deploy a robust set of measurement practices clearly aligned to organizational objectives are more likely to have influence across the business and the executive level.

They are also more likely to be involved in critical business initiatives such as transformation and innovation. These practices in sum give communicators the data and insight to shape organizational strategy and secure the resources to ensure a strong communications team.