PR Measurement in 2025: Disappointing, Misdirected and Still Divided

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By Katie Delahaye Paine

Measurement and Analytics Consultant at Paine Publishing

February 26, 2025

According to Bard AI, I’m not a great prognosticator so I won’t making any grand predictions this year, but I do want to share my perspective on the industry that has consumed my attention for the past 36 years. Right up front, I’ll admit I’m pretty disheartened about the state of PR measurement. Despite the ubiquity of AI and some advances in technology, it really hasn’t evolved very much in the last few years, despite all my prior more cheerful predictions.

I’m aware that when most people think of PR Measurement, they think of “monitoring” not actual measurement. But whatever you call it, that segment of the measurement market is nowhere near where I thought it would be, given all the AI hype. The reality is that most PR monitoring companies have been using some form of machine intelligence for years and it hasn’t made good PR measurement any easier. Here’s why:

Bad Metrics Just Won’t Go Away

Despite the fact that everyone purports to despise vanity metrics, they are still showing up on most industry platforms. Worse still, despite delivering no value people are still trying to use them to “prove value.”   “Reach” numbers just keep getting bigger, in inverse proportion to their credibility. No one I know trusts them, but they keep showing up on every platform I see.

And then there is this:

Yes, AVEs (Advertising Value Equivalencies) are still with us. This chart showed up on an “Instant Insights” dashboard for a client of mine, last week. Insight? Really? How on earth can you find insight in 2025 from a metric that the industry declared invalid the same year that floppy disks became obsolete.

You Can’t Find Insight in Pretty Charts

The one thing that most communications pros need most is insight, and, ideally, data that can tell the story that leadership needs to hear to convince them to renew your budget. But none of the major platforms are doing that. For example, Cision is finally migrating all its customers to its “integrated” platform called CisionOne that purports to solve all your problems by integrating all of its various services and technologies into a single interface. But what problem does that solve other than making it easier to create press releases which no one reads that get sent to reporters who don’t care, who work for media that your target audience doesn’t trust  – but more on that later.

Most platforms confuse visualizing data with actual insight. Insight requires looking at what happened and providing some data that allows you to move beyond the “what happened” report to actually answer the questions “so what?” and “now what”.

While most of these supposedly integrated platforms may display traditional and social media metrics in the same platform, and occasionally add in “activity metrics”  (i.e. how many presses releases you sent), you still need to download the data, combine it and then run an analysis and try to find some correlation that might reveal a connection between your activities and the results.

Never mind that most platforms make it incredibly difficult to download the data in a useful format. Take SurveySparrow – a good, cheaper alternative to Survey Monkey. They do allow you to download a spreadsheet, but it is incomprehensible unless you happen to be using SPSS. CisionOne requires you to save your dashboard as a PDF and then export that PDF as an Excel sheet if you want to further analyze it. This does not make my life easier!

Few are Measuring the Media that Matters

The biggest irony of all of these platforms is they measure things that may no longer matter to your audience. According to the most recent Pew data, more than half of Americans get at least some news from social media, 50 million Americans regularly receive news from online influencers and only 26% of U.S. adults reported getting news from “traditional” media.

Which means that most people are using their monitoring platforms to track media outlets that will have no influence on, or credibility with, your target audiences. The reality is that individuals only absorb information when they think that it’s worth their time to pay attention to what you have, and they trust the source of the information.

Which poses a significant problem for brands in 2025. The most recent election proved the power of niche podcasts and influencers, most of which are not on anyone’s “Top Tier Media List.”  According to the most recent Edelman Trust Barometer trust in media and corporations has plummeted in recent years. So might I recommend budgeting for a survey of your target audience to find out where they get trusted information these days, before you update your Top Tier Media list and/or sign up for a new monitoring service.

Sadly, silos aren’t going anywhere.

Last year, I fantasized that departmental silos would be crumbling by now. But sadly, the walls are as impenetrable as ever between communications, marketing, PR, Public Affairs, and everyone else in the organization that might influence your audience.

The only good news for earned media side of the fence is that the threats to the effectiveness of paid media are growing by the day. As it turns out, AI is already threatening to invalidate many of the usual paid media metrics.

The other staple of today’s marketing efforts, Email, which up until now has been somewhat immune from all the other threats to traditional communication methods, now has big problems of its own.  Stricter privacy rules, spam filters, and automatic blocking are making it harder to get into people’s inboxes, never mind having them open your missive. I don’t know about you, but I add about 5 emails a day to my “blocked” list because the senders seem to think that I care about every press release that they put out there. (GlobeNewswire and PRWEB are you listening?)

So, maybe there’s still hope for earned media, but to all my communications colleagues out there, good luck. I started my first measurement company, The Delahaye Group, in 1989. I’ve seen a lot of changes in the intervening years but maybe none as many as disrupting as are on the horizon in 2025.

New Member Profile: HAZEL KOCHOCKI

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Originally from: Plainfield, Illinois

Currently live in: Bedford, NH

 Work History/Background:

Thirty years ago, I kept a quote from Sharon Stone thumbtacked to my cubicle wall: “Today, I’m fast enough.”  That quote was from the movie, “The Quick and the Dead,” which was about a gunslinger in a deadly situation. The fact that I connected with that quote says it all: my public relations career was high stress and high stakes.

Early in my career, I worked for a few different public relations agencies, including Newsome & Co. (which became the Boston office of New York-based Hill & Knowlton) and Weber Group (now Weber-Shandwick). In those days, we talked about “publicity” rather than “earned media,” and I routinely accompanied executives to in-person interviews and backgrounders with press.  One of my most memorable clients was the World Wide Web Consortium at MIT, and I worked closely with HTML inventor Tim Berners-Lee in the mid-90s to spread the word about the World Wide Web and the need for interoperability standards.  It was exciting, but I also felt something was missing.

Taking time out for family needs gave me time to reflect and consider my personal goals and career path. I spent a decade at Malden Catholic High School near Boston, where I progressed from Director of Marketing to Director of External Affairs, overseeing Advancement, Marketing, and Admissions.  Finally, I had found a position that utilized my skills and background and resonated with my sense of mission.  My time at Malden Catholic came to an end when my husband and I moved to Los Angeles for his career.  I then worked for six years with California State University, Northridge, beginning in executive communications for the university president and later overseeing communications for the Office of Academic Affairs.

Having moved back east and settled in New Hampshire, I was delighted in 2023 to begin work with Easterseals NH & VT. As Senior Director of Communications, I love feeling like I contribute – even in some small way – to the organization’s mission to “elevate all abilities.” Easterseals NH & VT served the needs of nearly 19,500 individuals last year, and I lead a small, dedicated team of writers who are equally passionate about the work we do.  I no longer identify with gunslinger Sharon Stone, and I truly enjoy applying my skills to such a worthwhile organization.

Why I Joined PRSA: Networking, professional development

Bucket List Trip: I would love to visit Prague someday to explore my family heritage.

Hobbies/Interests: Birding and uploading lists to the Cornell Ornithology Lab; walking my two dogs, preferably on a local rail trail; hiking; reading American history (I am currently enjoying And There Was Light: Lincoln and the American Struggle by Jon Meacham.) 

Contact Information: hkochocki@eastersealsnh.org

Setting the Record Straight About the Ethical Practice of Public Relations

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By Teresa Valerio Parrot, Ed. D., APR

There was a time when someone asked what I did for a living, and I would give them a sly smile and say, “Do you watch Scandal?” and tell them I worked in crisis communications. Or if it were more of a policy or academic crowd, I would say, “Well, if you’re a fan of The West Wing, my job is basically an outsourced Toby Ziegler and CJ Cregg role.”

However, I quickly realized that this type of response was a disservice to the public relations profession, my work and my colleagues…

READ MORE HERE

New Member Profile: BRAD BELOTE, APR

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Originally from: Kingsport, Tenn.

Currently live in: Boston area

Work History/Background: I spent 20 years in a TV newsroom before jumping into corporate communications. I worked for a Fortune 350 innovation company for a decade before moving to New England. I am currently the senior manager for internal communications at the Planet Fitness Club Support Center in Hampton, N.J.

Why I Joined: I’ve been involved in PRSA for more than a decade, serving a variety of local, regional and national volunteer leadership roles. I find the networking and professional development to be more than worth the price of admission.

Bucket List Trip: Walking the Camino de Santiago

Hobbies/Interests: Brad loves the outdoors, exercising, and reading.

Contact Information: bradbelote@gmail.com

Note:  Brad will be serving as Yankee Chapter’s Ethics Officer in 2025.

NEW MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Hanna Blankenship

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Originally from:            Born in Harbel, Liberia but I grew up in Norwich, Vermont

Currently live in:          Burlington, Vermont


Work History/Background: I am the Communications Coordinator for DREAM, a non-profit that provides mentorship opportunities to youth, and a Marketing Associate for BootstrapVT, a marketing agency in Burlington, Vermont where I interned during college for two years.

Why I joined the Yankee Chapter: I first learned about PRSA through the Champlain College PRSSA chapter during my undergraduate studies. I had the honor of serving on the e-board of Champlain PRSSA all four years, first as Treasurer in my freshman year, then as Vice President from sophomore to senior year. Our chapter had the opportunity to collaborate with Yankee PRSA in various ways, which allowed me to see the great work they were doing and encouraged me to join PRSA after graduation.

Most Challenging PR Situation: I recently helped manage the challenge of containing internal excitement about DREAM’s new island acquisition in partnership with the Vermont Land Trust, ensuring no one prematurely shared the news before the official press release and legal papers were signed.

Bucket List Trip: I would love to visit Kyoto, Japan to see the cherry blossoms.

Hobbies/Interests: In my free time, I love traveling and exploring the outdoors, whether it’s hiking, biking, kayaking, or just going for a walk with my dog, Winston. I recently started yoga teacher training and am excited to become a certified yoga teacher in May and begin teaching classes.


Contact information: My personal email is hanna.j.blankenship@gmail.com. My DREAM work email is hblankenship@dreamprogram.org, and my BootstrapVT email is hanna@bootstrapvt.com.

 

PRxNE Conference 2024

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The Annual Conference of the PRSA Northeast District was held Friday, November 15 at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown and the Yankee Chapter was well-represented. Those in attendance and presenting included Robin Schell, APR, Fellow PRSA, Stacey Smith, APR, Fellow PRSA, and Lisa Lance, the 2025 Yankee Chapter President-elect. Thanks to all who made the journey and thank you to the PRxNE 2024 Conference host – the PRSA Central New York Chapter!

 

Report from Maine PR Council Annual Conference

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By Robin Schell, APR, Fellow PRSA, Yankee Chapter President

On Friday, Nov. 8th, I had the pleasure of representing Yankee Chapter PRSA at the Maine Public Relations Council annual conference, “Positivity and Progress: Adapting Your PR Strategy For A Changing World.”

Rebecca Emery, APR, Chair of MPRC’s Professional Development committee, and her crew put together an A-plus program of presenters, including a media panel discussion with moderator T.J. Winick, Essex Strategies, Morgan Sturdivant of WABI-TV, Micaela Schweitzer-Bluhm of the Maine Monitor/Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting and Megan Gray of the Portland Press Herald.

We also heard words of wisdom from Michael Smart, CEO of MichaelSMARTPR, who gave us an overview of “The Realist’s Guide to AI and Communication” and asked us to think about how we use AI in these categories:  “Training Wheels”, “10-Speed” and “E-Bike.”

Mark McClennan, APR, Fellow PRSA, General Manager of G&C talked about “Training Your Ethical Mind:  Preparing to Survive and Thrive in Our Dynamic AI Environment,” urging us all to include AI in our crisis plans and be clear on our AI policies.  As an added bonus, I had a front-row seat to watch Rebecca Emery receive the Edward L. Bernays Award for her outstanding work on behalf of MPRC.

I really enjoyed the presentation by Felicia Knight, President of The Knight Canney Group, entitled, “How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love PR”.  After a 20-year career in journalism, Felicia had a successful 27-year career in PR and shared these 8 Life Lessons:

Lesson 1:  Don’t be afraid to change your situation. It was scary to pivot from her broadcast journalism career to serving as Communications Director for Sen. Susan Collins in DC, and then Communications Director for the National Endowment for the Arts.  But she was passionate about being able to make a difference and “be a part of history” and loved that she learned something new every day in these new roles.

Lesson 2:  Recognize and believe in your own success. Tired of being on the road and missing family events, she founded Knight Vision International, strategic media solutions, in 2008.  Not the best timing to launch a new business in a recession, but she succeeded – and at this point in her career she overcame the “imposter syndrome”.  She also joined the PRConsultantsGroup and the peer support and opportunities to collaborate were invaluable.

Lesson #3:  Delegate!  Felicia realized she would rather spend her time working directly with stakeholders, getting clients and offering strategic advice.  She hired her first employee and used contractors to get the rest of it done.

Lesson #4:  It is helpful to have backup.   You never know when life will throw you a curveball, and you’ll be out of commission for health issues or other reasons.  She made the decision to merge with Canney Communications and form The Knight Canney Group.

Lesson #5:  If you’re unhappy, speak up.  Though The Knight Canney Group was a great partnership, the pressure to support employees meant Felicia was taking client assignments just to pay the bills – so she pivoted again, going from an S-Corp model to an LLC.  She was loving PR again!

Lesson #6:  Life Is Short, No Matter How Long You Live.  Felicia suffered traumatic grief when she lost both her father and her brother in 2016.   It was an “aha” moment and she began letting go of the things she didn’t want to do and making more time for the things she DID enjoy.  She got more engaged in her Board roles and did more traveling for fun.

Lesson #7:  Let Go of What You Can’t Control.   COVID-19 hit everyone hard, so she did what everyone else did – joined the great baking frenzy!   She also got help from PPP (the Paycheck Protection Program).  Her business was back at full strength 18 months later.

Lesson #8:  Plan for your retirement.  Her message to everyone in the room was, “start now.”  Get a financial planner, put money aside from every paycheck and take advantage of company retirement or pension plans and 401K matches.  Her official retirement date will be Dec. 2024 at which point she will be very selective of the client assignments she will be taking.  “No more phone calls at 11 p.m.!”

We wish Felicia the best in her next chapter.

 

ICON 2024 – Report from the PRSA National Conference

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Lisa Lance, MA, MBA, Yankee Chapter President-Elect

Last month, I had the honor of representing the Yankee Chapter as an Assembly Delegate during the PRSA ICON 2024 National Conference in Anaheim, California. This was my first time attending, and it was wonderful to meet so many members of our chapter and the Northeast District in person.

2025 PRSA National Slate of Officers Approved

We heard reports from PRSA leadership and voted to approve the slate of all 2025 Board of Directors nominees who were running unopposed. We then heard remarks from the candidate for Western District Director, Paula L. Pedene, APR, Fellow PRSA, who was nominated by petition for this role.  The delegates voted to elect Paula Pedene as the 2025 Western District Director.

Two well-qualified candidates ran for the role of 2025 Chair-Elect. Heide Harrell, MA, APR, was the candidate slated by the Nominating Committee, and Jessica M. Graham, APR, Fellow PRSA, was running by petition. The assembly delegates had the opportunity to hear from each candidate, as well as two endorsements for each followed by Q&A.  Members of our chapter leadership had voiced strong support for Jessica Graham, and I believed her presentation and statements of support were the most compelling, so I voted for her.  Ultimately, Heidi Harrell was voted in as Chair-Elect.

PRSA Announces 2025 Board of Directors at Annual Leadership Assembly | PRSA

 

Bylaws Amendments 2024

This year, there were two proposed amendments to the PRSA Bylaws. The first amendment, to Article IV, Section 10, focused on the role of the PRSA Board of Directors in officer nominations. The proposed change was that nominations of the candidates for Chair-Elect, Treasurer, and Secretary would be made to the Leadership Assembly by the Nominating Committee or by petition instead of by the Board of Directors.

The second amendment, to Article VIII, Section 1, focused on the composition of the Nominating Committee and proposed adding two voting directors (who would be appointed by the Board of Directors) as well as one member of the Board of Ethics and Professional Standards (BEPS), who would be selected by BEPS.

There was a lively discussion about the amendments. At the October Yankee Chapter Board meeting, the Board voted to oppose the proposed amendments and, as there were no changes to the proposals made on the floor at the Leadership Assembly meeting, I opposed the amendments. Both amendments ultimately passed.

The meeting ended with moderated panel sessions on topics including AI and university program accreditation, followed by chapter awards.

I found the Leadership Assembly to be a great example of the democratic process, as delegates had the opportunity to voice different views, ask questions, request clarification, and then vote. It was an engaging and positive process, and I am looking forward to everything PRSA National has to offer in 2025.

 

Reality Check! Real World Mash Up Arms Young Pros for Success

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What a great turnout for the Yankee Chapter’s Real World Mash Up! From free headshots to priceless advice from seasoned PR pros, the Mash Up brought together Communications students, young professionals and longtime Yankee Chapter members for a deep dive into the art and effort of getting that first PR job.

The event, held October 28 at Southern NH University, opened with a panel discussion about “Getting Hired in Today’s World.” Big thanks to our impressive panel of young PR pros and moderator Jon Boroshok, APR, professor in the SNHU Communications department. More than 20 students were on hand to hear our panel discuss the ways they used their contacts to land their first internships and jobs. Thank you to our panel:

  • Samantha Boselli, Freelance Consultant
  • Hannah Costello, Account Executive, Wireside
  • Sarah Davis, Marketing Specialist, Dartmouth Health Children’s
  • Lauren Materia, Social Media Coordinator, New England Center for Children

VIEW THE PANEL DISCUSSION HERE

Following the panel discussion, attendees engaged in a little “speed dating,” going from table to table to gain knowledge on topics of interest led by our industry experts. Thank you to our roundtable experts:

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI): Dave Humphreys, Director of AI Integration, SNHU
  • Communication Measurement: Katie Paine, Measurement, Insights, and Analytics Consultant, Paine Publishing
  • Crisis Communication: Lauren Keane, VP of Communications, SNHU
  • Effective Presentation Skills: Stacey Smith, APR, Fellow PRSA, Senior Counsel, Jackson Jackson & Wagner
  • Maximizing Social Media and LinkedIn: Keri Pappalardo, Director of Marketing, Lavallee Brensinger Architects
  • Personal Branding: Mary Flowers, Consultant.

    In case you missed it, you can view a recording of the panel discussion HERE

     

Member Mixer – Fall Fun at Mount Sunapee!

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Members of the Yankee Chapter of PRSA gathered at Mount Sunapee for the Upper Valley Member Mixer on Thurs. Oct. 24, 2024 – they worked with Ski NH to put on the event.

After a walking tour, Abi Allen, Communications Director of NH, spoke about “Navigating Change In The Ski Industry” and shared examples of how her team has used social media and campaigns to attract skiers to Vail Resort mountains. Thank you to our hosts for providing beautiful fall color and a fun time!