Rather than aiming to appear in as many publications as possible, firms should use media monitoring to gain meaningful insights and identify the right conversations to engage with.
In an interview with Financial Promoter, Jennifer Sanchis, insights consultant at CARMA, says the biggest misconception firms have about media monitoring is believing that simply tracking mentions and volume is enough, when in reality, it’s just the starting point.
“There’s a world of difference between seeing your name pop up in 100 articles and actually understanding the message and the meaning that this has,” she says.
For example, firms should assess whether coverage is positive or negative, if their key messages are coming through, whether they’re appearing in the right outlets and if the tone of conversation aligns with their brand, she recommends.
“Monitoring is just step one, it’s not the end goal,” she adds. “You’ve got to go beyond the monitoring and extract meaning and insights, otherwise it’s not really useful.”
Shaping marketing strategies
Extracting meaning from media monitoring is crucial, says Sanchis, as strong insights reveal which messages are landing, which audiences are engaging with the content and what competitors are doing. This helps firms shape more effective marketing and PR strategies, she adds.
“Instead of guessing what story might blend, you’re also building strategy based on what is actually resonating out there with the right audiences,” she says.
Sanchis explains that these insights help shape not just what a firm says, but how they say it and who they target. They also make it easier to spot relevant trends and identify topics where the organisation can confidently speak out and take ownership.
“When the insights come and marketing teams have that, that really gives them an extra competitive edge. That’s how that can help your strategy,” she says.
Going beyond media mentions
CARMA’s research shows the value of deeper media monitoring as it shows that the brands that generated the most positive media coverage weren’t always the ones most trusted by consumers.
Sanchis notes that when media analysis is combined with consumer insight data, it becomes clear that visibility alone isn’t enough. Just because a brand appears in multiple publications, this doesn’t mean it’s resonating with consumers or building brand familiarity.
For example, Lloyds Banking Group was one of the brands that ranked high for brand familiarity, according to Sanchis. She notes that the this is because the bank effectively addresses fraud and security, which are topics that people actually care about. Meanwhile, the media tends to be more concerned about products and services and performance from a bank, she says.
This highlights the importance for firms to communicate on topics that resonate with consumers, rather than just chasing media mentions.
Key metrics for meaningful insights
While Sanchis acknowledges that there’s no “silver bullet” metric for firms and that all chosen metrics should align with each firm’s goals, she says there are a few key measures firms can consistently rely on.
For example, on the qualitative side, message pull-through measures whether the firm’s intended story is reflected in the coverage. Media quality is another key metric, as it assesses if the firm is featured in the right publications based on the audience they reach as well as the tone and sentiment of the mentions.
Meanwhile, on the quantitative side, outcomes are crucial. This measures whether increased engagement from the target audience leads to a rise in sales, donations, event attendance, or whatever the firm’s specific goal may be.
Though, Sanchis explains that the real key to understanding these metrics is combining different data sets to create a complete picture. This approach helps firms identify meaningful opportunities to grow their presence while ensuring they focus on topics that truly matter to consumers, not just those that generate media coverage.