Tayla Blackman, Account Director, Missive

If given the choice between securing 30 pieces of coverage or five, most businesses would instinctively choose 30. More coverage must mean greater success, right? 

Now apply the same thinking to lead generation. If a sales team was offered 30 new leads or five, they would immediately ask about the quality of those leads. Five highly qualified leads are far more likely to convert than 30 with no real buying intent. The same principle applies to PR.  

Success cannot be measured by volume of coverage alone. What matters is whether that coverage reaches the right audience, at the right time, with the right message - and whether it drives outcomes the business actually cares about. 

This article explores how organisations can move beyond counting coverage to implementing measurement frameworks that demonstrate the true business impact of creative communications. 

Beyond the numbers game 

PR has long struggled with meaningful measurement. Even in 2024, almost half (48%) of PR professionals say they find it difficult to prove the value of their work. Too often, campaigns are assessed using surface-level output metrics such as coverage volume, potential reach or social impressions. 

While these metrics offer a sense of activity, they rarely influence decision-making - and in some cases, they actively obscure impact. 

For example, a single feature in the Financial Times’ Banking Risk and Regulation publication, explaining a company’s fraud prevention solution to compliance and regulatory professionals, delivers exponentially more value than multiple generic mentions in outlets with little audience relevance. Traditional metrics cannot articulate this difference, which is why more robust measurement frameworks are essential. 

Building robust measurement frameworks

Effective measurement starts with clearly defined Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that align directly with business objectives. The most valuable frameworks focus less on what communications teams produce, and more on what they change.

That might include shifting brand perception in a priority market, influencing customer behaviour, supporting pipeline growth or accelerating commercial conversations. Without this clarity, measurement becomes a reporting exercise rather than a strategic tool. 

 Once objectives are defined, organisations can apply metrics that genuinely reflect progress against them. These may include share of voice, message pull-through, social engagement and qualitative engagement analysis - provided they are applied with intent and precision. 

Rethinking share of voice 

Share of voice remains a cornerstone PR metric, but in its traditional form it rarely provides meaningful insight. To be genuinely useful, it needs refinement. 

High-performing campaigns focus on: 

• Share of voice within publications that genuinely influence the target audience 
• Prominence of the brand - whether it leads the narrative or appears as a supporting reference 
• The tone and context of coverage, and how this shapes sentiment 
• The visibility and consistency of key messages within articles   

By narrowing the criteria, share of voice becomes a strategic indicator of relevance and influence - not just presence. 

If measurement doesn’t inform strategy, justify investment or guide future decisions, it isn’t doing its job. By focusing on quality, relevance and outcomes, businesses can move beyond counting coverage and start demonstrating the real value of PR. 

If you need support with ensuring your coverage reaches the right audience, at the right time, with the right message, get in touch with us today. Our team of media experts deliver tangible outcomes for technology scale-ups to superbrands.