Feature coverage, like this story on Casa Bonita Tropical Lodge in National Geographic Traveler, drives inquiries for small boutique hotels
How to best measure return on investment (ROI) has long been the subject of debate among PR agencies. From ad-equivalency to circulation and impressions, each firm adopts its own strategy for demonstrating the power of its campaign results to clients. But the question still remains, what strategy is best and how can travel companies be confident in the method of reporting their PR firm employs?
Identifying Recommended PR Metrics
With over three decades of industry experience, we understand the importance of not only securing high-impact media results for clients, but also demonstrating campaign results through an organized system of reporting. Below we breakdown the top five tips for travel companies to measure the impact and success of their PR campaigns.
1. Communication – Constant written and verbal communication with your publicist keeps you updated on the progress of the campaign, while also fostering a “team” approach. Your agency should make a point of speaking to you on a weekly basis to keep you up-to-date on all work related to the account.
2. Detailed Written Reports – Each month your public relations agency should provide a thorough, detailed written report outlining all media coverage that has appeared, all pending coverage and all coverage that is still in the works. Any other PR activities, such as events, press trip planning, press release scheduling, etc should also be included. Keeping constant track of the extent and frequency of coverage will enable you to better reflect upon your agency’s performance.
3. Overall Impressions – Request that your agency keep an up–to-date media tracker outlining all coverage that appears throughout the campaign. This will enable you to easily access all stories and calculate the exact number of media impressions the coverage garners.
4. Tracking the Source of Inquiries – For travel companies in particular, understanding what type of media coverage results in the most inquiries can help your PR firm support your sales efforts. Implement a system to efficiently track how traffic comes to your website and how travelers learned about your hotel or travel company, then report back to your PR team on a monthly basis.
5. Social Media Following and Engagement – In today’s social media age, your social media program has the potential to catapult your brand to the forefront of the industry. It is through social media that you can build a relationship with consumers, engaging in dialogue and building awareness for your brand. Tracking your weekly reach on social media, increases in followers, likes and comments, will help you to understand what works for your brand and what doesn’t. Your public relations firm, in planning and implementing your campaign, should guide your strategy – ultimately synchronizing your social media identity with your branding and building awareness for your company among your target market.
What metrics do you find most effective for measuring PR results and why? Sound off in the comments.