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Entrepreneur
5 days ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Your Competitors Are Winning with PR — You Just Don't See It Yet
While PR might not generate immediate clicks or sales, it builds something far more enduring. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. The pursuit of a return on investment drives nearly every strategic business decision. However, when it comes to PR campaigns, short-term ROI proves notoriously tricky to measure. This does not mean that PR's ROI is immeasurable, and it certainly does not mean PR is not worth the investment. Unlike advertising, PR is rooted in earned — not paid — exposure. It's about building credibility, shaping perception and creating longterm visibility. That's also what makes measuring its return on investment (ROI) uniquely complex. A single feature in a respected publication can have a far longer-lasting impact than a paid advertisement. While advertising aims to maximize exposure through financial investment, PR builds trust through third-party validation. Consumers often view ads with skepticism, but earned media offers credibility that money can't buy. Related: The 5 Answers You Need Before Hiring a PR Agency How PR influences sales PR doesn't drive immediate sales in the same way that direct-response ads do. Its influence is subtle, cumulative and embedded in every stage of the sales funnel. Effective PR efforts — press releases, media outreach, thought leadership — are often a customer's first point of contact with a brand. These touchpoints shape perception and plant the seeds of trust. Case studies, customer success stories and founder features help potential buyers evaluate the brand before a sales rep even enters the picture. And while sales teams close deals, PR often lays the groundwork. It establishes brand awareness, communicates core values and nurtures longterm loyalty. Even post-purchase, PR plays a role — supporting customer retention and encouraging advocacy through ongoing storytelling. Key metrics for measuring PR ROI To quantify PR's impact, brands must look beyond immediate conversions. Here are some useful ways to assess ROI: Media mentions : Track how often your brand is featured in online, print or broadcast media. More mentions generally signal growing visibility. : Track how often your brand is featured in online, print or broadcast media. More mentions generally signal growing visibility. Reach and impressions : Use tools to estimate the size of the audience exposed to each media placement. : Use tools to estimate the size of the audience exposed to each media placement. Share of voice : Compare your media presence with competitors to gauge relative influence. : Compare your media presence with competitors to gauge relative influence. Website traffic : Monitor spikes in site visits following major press coverage. : Monitor spikes in site visits following major press coverage. Engagement metrics : Dwell time, social shares, and comments can reflect how well your messaging is resonating. : Dwell time, social shares, and comments can reflect how well your messaging is resonating. Lead attribution : Track leads coming through PR-driven sources like press releases, interviews, or speaking events. : Track leads coming through PR-driven sources like press releases, interviews, or speaking events. Sentiment analysis : Use media monitoring tools to understand how people feel about your brand across channels. : Use media monitoring tools to understand how people feel about your brand across channels. Conversion tracking: Connect PR-generated traffic to outcomes like demo requests, purchases, or sign-ups using analytics and CRM tools. Tools to support measurement Today's media monitoring platforms allow publicists to track earned media mentions, sentiment and overall reach. Social listening tools offer real-time insight into trends and audience perception. Web analytics reveal where visitors come from, what content they engage with, and how they convert. CRM systems tie PR-generated leads back to revenue. Combined, these tools help paint a fuller picture of how PR efforts move the needle. 4 PR Campaigns That Prove ROI 1. Airbnb — "Live There" Designed to promote local, authentic experiences over traditional tourism, this campaign leveraged user-generated content and social media. The results? A 9% boost in brand awareness, 15% increase in social media engagement, and a 20% spike in booking conversions. 2. Dove — "Real Beauty" Challenging conventional beauty standards, Dove featured diverse women to reflect real-world audiences. The campaign grew sales by $2.5 to $4 billion over ten years and made Dove bars the top-selling soap in the U.S. 3. Red Bull — Extreme Branding Red Bull aligned itself with extreme sports through high-impact content like documentaries and events. Its most iconic moment? The Felix Baumgartner space jump. The brand now holds 75% of the U.S. energy drink market, a direct result of its PR-powered brand storytelling. 4. IHOP — "IHOb" Stunt Temporarily rebranding as the International House of Burgers sparked a media frenzy. The result: burger sales quadrupled, 20,000 news articles were published, and 36 billion social media impressions were generated. Related: 3 Metrics That Matter When Measuring the Success of Your PR Campaigns The long game of PR Yes, PR ROI can be measured — but it requires patience, the right tools and a broader definition of impact. While PR may not deliver instant clicks or purchases, it builds something even more valuable: brand equity, trust and long-term influence. So, before dismissing PR as intangible, ask yourself: What is the value of credibility? If your answer is "priceless," then PR is not an expense — it's an investment.
Zawya
28-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Current Global MENAT continues growth trajectory and enhances offering with new agency hires
Dubai, UAE: Current Global MENAT, part of Middle East Communications Network (MCN), has made five new appointments in the last two months following several major client wins and continued development of its capabilities. Nick Watkins, former ARN News Editor and contributor to The National and Gulf News, joins as Senior Editor charged with leading the agency's storytelling capabilities and earned media engagement strategies. Mohammad Al Sayed joins as Account Director from Gambit Communications, while Aya Khaddam comes in as Senior Associate from Brazen MENA. Murdoch University graduate and MEPRA 'Outstanding Student Campaign' winner Aastha Kurup has been appointed Junior Associate. Sohailla Ossama begins as Account Coordinator based in Egypt to support the agency's client account teams. Peter Jacob, Managing Director, Current Global MENAT said, 'Since we started Current Global less than three years ago, we made a commitment to do things differently, built on a common-sense and human-first approach to how we think, act and deliver.' Current Global works with some of the region's most loved brands including Dubai Tourism, New Balance, Global Village, Roxy Cinemas, Kraft Heinz, Bentley, Bugatti and GymNation. ' As part of our vision to define what an earned-first agency in the Middle East looks like, we want to do continue to so what others are unwilling or unable. Moving away from the spray and play media dispatches. Leaving egos outside the room to deliver cut-through earned-first and integrated ideas. Freeing our junior teams from an over burden of reporting, whilst also providing them with vital team management experience. We want to provide the best place to work and be true and equal partners to our clients,' continued Jacob. Recently named PRWeek's Middle East Agency of the Year and winner of Best Middle East Bampaign at both the PRWeek and EMEA SABRE award for the second year running, Current Global MENAT combines the reach, ambition, and mindset of a big agency, with the attitude, speed, and passion of a smaller one. In the last 12 months the team has won over 35 industry awards and has recently been recognised as a Great Place to Work® in the Middle East for 2024–2025 and Best Mental Health Support in PR.
