Nowadays, everybody is continuously online. So your brand can’t afford to improvise. A strategic communication plan is your first line of defense and a key part of your PR strategy.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to write a communication plan that keeps your messaging clear, consistent, and crisis-ready. So you’re always in control of the narrative.

TL;DR – what you’ll learn

• What a communication plan is and why it matters in PR
• How to make your communication plan work for AI search and GEO
• How to create a step-by-step communication plan
• Three communication plan templates (internal, campaign, product launch)
• Common mistakes to avoid
• How Prowly’s PR tools streamline the process

What is a communication plan?

A communication plan is is a strategic document that outlines how a brand communicates key messages to internal and external audiences. In other words–it'sa simple roadmap for how a brand shares messages with the public, media, employees, and other crucial groups.

It shapes what you say, who will say it, when, and through which channels. While a marketing communication plan is focused on selling products or services, a communications plan is about managing your brand’s image and building trust.

It’s especially relevant in PR, announcements, and dealing with crises.

Why is a communication plan important in PR?

Today, PR teams juggle tight deadlines, constant media buzz, and stakeholder pressure to show results. With multiple channels and rapid timelines, messages can get mixed or lost.

That’s why a solid communication plan is essential. It aligns messaging, ensures clarity, tracks effectiveness, and makes PR more measurable.

💡PR Tip: Juggling media outreach, internal updates, and brand messaging? A smart comms plan, paired with tools like Prowly, streamlines your work and boosts impact.

Future-proof your communication plan with Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)

A modern communication plan isn’t just about messaging—it’s about discoverability.

As AI tools like ChatGPT and search engines generate answers using trusted online sources, your brand’s visibility depends on being mentioned in the right places. That’s where Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) comes in.

💡 Prowly helps you optimize your communication strategy for GEO by making it easier to secure high-quality, searchable brand mentions.

To make your communication plan AI search–ready, here’s what to focus on:

• Use consistent, searchable language: Phrase your key messages using terms your audience would likely ask in a search query. For example, instead of saying “company updates,” say “product launch news” or “new feature announcement.”
• Earn mentions on authoritative sources: AI tools prioritize content from reputable outlets. Use Prowly’s journalist matching and pitching features to target high-authority publications more likely to be indexed by generative engines.
• Highlight your brand’s name and offerings clearly: Avoid jargon or vague metaphors in your press releases. AI summarizers pull concrete, clear details—like product names, brand benefits, and stats.
• Include structured data in your content: While mostly a task for web and SEO teams, making sure press releases and newsroom content are well-formatted, scannable, and include headlines, bullet points, and FAQs can increase their visibility in AI-generated summaries.

With features like AI-powered journalist matching, writing assistant, and multi-channel media monitoring across online, print, broadcast, and social media, that tracks sentiment and reach, Prowly supports your efforts to get mentioned in authoritative sources—boosting the chances your brand appears in AI-generated responses and search results.

What to include in a communication plan

A strong communication plan keeps your team aligned, your message clear, and your goals in focus. Here are the six essential elements every plan should cover:

• Goals
  What are you trying to achieve? (e.g., raise awareness, manage reputation, drive engagement)
• Target audiences
  Who needs to hear your message? (e.g., media, customers, employees, investors)
• Key messages
  What core points do you want to communicate to each audience?
• Channels
  How will you share your message? (e.g., press releases, social media, email, internal platforms)
• Timing
  When will messages go out? (e.g., timelines, sequencing, and key dates)
• Measurement & evaluation
  How will you track success? (e.g., media coverage, open rates, sentiment, engagement)

Now, let's cover several templates for a communication plan.

Communication plan templates you can use

Below you can find ready-to-use examples of a communications plan.

Template 1: internal communication plan

Goal: Improving employee understanding of new company values

Target audience: Employees, Department heads, Team leads

Key messages:

• Why the change matters
• What’s expected of employees
• How support will be provided (available support)

Channels:

• All-hands meetings
• Email newsletters
• Slack or intranet posts

Timing example:

Measurement & evaluation:

• Pulse survey results
• Engagement in Slack threads
• Attendance at all-hands meeting

Template 2: external campaign plan

Goal: Building awareness for a sustainability initiative

Target audience: Journalists, Customers, Industry influencers

Key messages:

• Our brand’s commitment to sustainability
• Impact goals and progress
• How audiences can get involved

Channels:

• Press release
• Social media (LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram)
• Email newsletters

Timing example:

Measurement & evaluation:

• Media coverage
• Social media mentions
• Newsletter open/click rates

Template 3: product launch

This template shows how to structure a product launch communication plan using Prowly's tools.

Goal: Drive media attention and customer sign-ups for new product

Target audience: Tech journalists, Existing users, Industry analysts

Key messages:

• What the product is and why it matters
• Unique features
• Launch offer (if applicable)

Channels:

• Press release (using Prowly's tool)
• Targeted e-mail pitch (you can do it with the help of the Prowly e-mail feature)
• Blog post and landing page
• Social media teaser campaign

Timing example:

Measurement & evaluation:

• Coverage from key outlets
• Media pitch response rate (track via Prowly)
• Sign-up conversions on the landing page

Each of these templates can be adapted to your specific goals, channels, and audiences. Use them as a base to build a communication plan that’s measurable, actionable, and aligned with your brand.

How to write a corporate communication plan (step-by-step)

An effective communication plan should be done thoroughly and involve some crucial points that make it usable and helpful. Such a plan should also be in line with the communication strategies of your brand.

Remember that the company communication plan is a core part of its messaging and communication.

Below we define the communication plan construction to help you create your own.

Step 1: Define your goal

👉 What are you aiming to achieve? Be specific.

In business, each process starts by defining the aim. By clearly stating what your organizational communication plan is trying to achieve, you are ready to draw a roadmap. This will guide everything from messaging to measurement. Keep it specific and outcome-focused.

Example: Secure 10 media placements in Tier 1 outlets in 30 days.

Step 2: Get to know your audience

👉 Tailor the plan to audience needs. Use segmentation.

To create effective communication strategies, you need to know who your audience is. Identify the key groups you're communicating with and what they care about. Tailoring your messaging and channels to each audience is crucial for impact and should be a solid point of your communication strategy.

Example: Tech journalists, early users, and the sales team.

💡 Tool Tip: Build segmented media lists using the Media Database. Filter journalists by beat, region, or past coverage to target only the right contacts.

Step 3: Craft your key messages

👉 Develop 2–3 concise messages per audience.

Now it's time for specifics. Make sure your messages are clear, relevant, and reflect your brand voice.

Example: Our new tool helps freelancers save 5+ hours a week, powered by AI, built for real work.

💡 Tool Tip: Use the AI Assistant to generate and refine key messages. You can use the AI Assistant in the release editor to create audience-specific messaging in seconds.

Step 4: Choose your channels

👉 Pick channels based on audience behavior and reach.

Your communication strategies and your plans are not just about the messaging. They are also about the way of sending it out. Decide where and how your messages will be delivered. Think about reach, relevance, and what’s proven to work for your audience.

Example: Press release for media, targeted email for users, Slack announcement for internal teams.

💡 Tool Tip: Publish on your Newsroom and pitch directly from the PR CRM.

Step 5: Set timing and responsibilities

👉 Assign owners, align timelines across teams.

Outline when each message will go out and who’s responsible for making it happen. But do not be overenthusiastic with this schedule. Keep it realistic and coordinated across channels.

Example: Day 1 – Press release, Day 2 – email, Day 3 – internal update

Step 6: Measure success

👉 Choose 3–5 KPIs to track the plan’s effectiveness.

Look at both reach (e.g., open rates) and impact (e.g,. engagement, signups, sentiment).

Example: 15 media mentions, 500 email opens, 50 demo requests within two weeks.

💡 Tool Tip:
➖ Use built-in analytics to track pitch responses, coverage, and newsroom traffic.
➖ Generate branded reports with a few clicks to share campaign results with stakeholders in minutes.
➖ Prowly’s AI Assistant helps you turn your goals into story ideas and ready-to-pitch press releases. You can draft the whole communication plan in one tool.

Avoid these common communication plan mistakes

Vague objectives

⛔️ If your goal is something like “get more visibility,” it’s too broad to guide real action or measure success.

How to fix it: Make your objectives specific and outcome-based. For example: “Secure 10 media placements in top-tier outlets within one month.”

No timeline

⛔️ Without clear deadlines or task owners, even great ideas stall.

How to fix it: Assign roles and dates to every deliverable. Use a shared calendar or campaign dashboard to keep things moving.

No audience customization

⛔️ One-size-fits-all messaging rarely works. Different audiences care about different things.

How to fix it: Shape your key messages and channels for each group, such as journalists, customers, execs, etc. Use the Prowly Media Database to segment contacts and the AI Assistant to tweak messaging by audience.

Ignoring follow-ups and feedback

⛔️ Launching isn’t the end, follow-up and feedback are essential for long-term impact.

How to fix it: Build in time for pitch follow-ups, internal check-ins, and performance reviews. With Prowly, you can track open rates and responses with the Media CRM and use Campaign Reports to gather insights.

💡 Tool Tip: Prowly lets you track open rates, auto-schedule follow-ups, and create stakeholder-ready reports.

Turning a plan into PR results: ShePR’s strategic communication plan case study

ShePR is a boutique, women-led PR agency focused on amplifying women-led companies and voices.

How did ShePR use Prowly to succeed?

• Planning & Research - they started by using the Media Database to find the right journalists fast.
• Press Release Distribution -the agency publishes and distributes releases from one place via Prowly's Newsroom + CRM.
• Reporting - they started to track success with real-time analytics, replacing tools like CoverageBook.
• Pitching - they switched from Gmail to Prowly’s pitching tool, improving deliverability and personalization.

Dive into their communication plan sample and strategy–learn all key details in the case study.

How Prowly supports smarter comms planning

From the first idea to the final report, Prowly helps in quicker and clearer creation of communication strategies and plans .

What you can get with Prowly

From strategy to reporting, Prowly helps teams:

• Generate ideas with the AI Assistant (brainstorm angles, improve clarity, or rewrite content on the fly, right inside your workflow)
• Write press releases with structured suggestions (follow a structured writing flow with built-in suggestions that guide your tone, format, and focus)
• Pitch journalists with smart subject lines and AI refinement (generate AI-powered subject lines, find journalist matches, and boost deliverability with best-practice prompts)
• Monitor media and sentiment (track brand mentions, measure sentiment, and refine your messaging based on real-time feedback)
• Report results with visual analytics and auto-generated coverage summaries (create visual, client-ready reports and complete with tags, sentiment analysis, and measurable outcomes)

FAQ - communication plan

💬 What should a communication plan include?
Goals, target audiences, messages, channels, timing, and KPIs.

💬 How do I write a communication plan quickly?
Use a tool like Prowly. Start with a goal, define audiences, write 2–3 key messages, select channels, and schedule messaging.

💬 What’s the difference between a communication plan and a marketing plan?
A communication plan focuses on internal and external message clarity. A marketing plan is about promoting products.

💬 What tools help with communication plans?
Prowly stands out with built-in planning, pitching, and analytics. Here you can get to know more AI tools for Public Relations.

💬 Can AI help me create a communication plan?
Yes—tools like Prowly’s AI Assistant generate press releases, segment contacts, and auto-track results.

Final summary: what is a communication plan?

What is a communications plan? Hope you now know the answer. But if not:

A communication plan is a key part of any PR and communication strategy.

It indicates how you’ll share the right message with the right audience at the right time, whether for a product launch, internal update, or crisis response. Unlike a marketing plan, it focuses on messaging clarity, stakeholder alignment, and efficient information flow.

A well-crafted plan includes goals, audiences, messages, channels, timing, and metrics.

Whether for a product launch or brand reputation management, having a comms plan means staying in control—even when things go off script.

The post How to Write a Communication Plan (with Templates & Tips for AI Visibility) appeared first on Prowly.

PR ROI (Public Relations Return on Investment) shows how your public relations efforts are helping your business grow. You can measure it by looking at things like media mentions, website visitors, search engine rankings, and how much your brand stands out compared to others.

Tools like Prowly make it easy to track these results, link them to your goals, and share clear reports on how well your PR efforts are paying off.

This guide breaks down what PR ROI is, why it’s tricky to measure, and the specific metrics that help you show impact—not guess at it.

What is PR ROI?

PR ROI, or return on investment in public relations, is about more than just money. It shows how your PR work helps build your brand’s reputation, increase awareness, and earn the trust of your audience.

While sales and revenue are important, PR ROI also includes these bigger-picture benefits that help your business grow over time.

Why is it so hard to measure PR ROI?

Measuring PR ROI may seem like a difficult task, but the path from your PR efforts to business results is often long and complex.

PR influences customers via multiple touchpoints over time. So there is no one specific action to follow and measure.

Many valuable outcomes may not be visible in a simple graph, but they make your brand shine none-the-less. Improved brand reputation, increased trust, and greater visibility are more intangible an don’t show clearly in traditional financial metrics. PR teams often also struggle with limited or inaccurate tools that can’t fully capture or connect these diverse impacts to concrete business goals.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

Fortunately, by setting clear objectives, using a mix of qualitative and quantitative metrics, and with the right tools, it’s possible to overcome these challenges.

💡 With Prowly, you can monitor all indicators that reflect how your brand is doing. Mentions, media monitoring (offline and online), and even create, distribute and track press releases. All of the data is collected and displayed in a comprehensive dashboard.

But to really understand the full impact of your PR efforts, it’s important to track the right things. PR influences many areas, from media mentions to online buzz, so focusing on a mix of raw numbers and their quality helps you see the full picture.

Here are the key things to measure to get a clear view of your PR ROI:

What to measure to track PR ROI metrics

PR influences many areas. So keep your fingers on the pulse to allocate your budget efficiently. You need to know what works and where.

#1 Website traffic and conversion

Check the number of people who visit your website through your PR stories. This shows whether your coverage is bringing in customers.

It also reflects how your brand resonates with your target.

#2 Media mentions and coverage

Follow the media who mentioned your brand. Verify their credibility and their volume of generated mentions. Plan outreach and responses, both in their feeds and in their emails, especially for those who pull a lot of weight in your industry.

#3 Share of Voice (SoV)

Use Share of Voice to see how much your brand is talked about compared to your competitors. Compare the coverage buzz your brand creates over time.

The bigger the share, the more control you have over your market.

#4 Social media reactions

Your social media presence is one thing, but engagement is another. Track likes, shares, comments, and other interactions with your PR content.

This indicates how well you know your audience and you can refine your strategies of reaching them.

#5 Sentiment and message impact

Pay attention to whether mentions are positive, negative or neutral and track if your key messages are coming through clearly.

Positive coverage that highlights your main points builds trust.

P.S. Want to dive deeper into sentiment analysis and how to use it to strengthen your PR? Check out these articles:

• How to Measure Brand Sentiment in PR - The 2025 Guide
• How to Use Sentiment Analysis in PR? The 2025 Guide
• 20+ Top Sentiment Analysis Tools for PR Pros - a 2025 List

#6 Skip AVE (Advertising Value Equivalent)

AVE tries to put a dollar value on PR by comparing it to ad costs, but it doesn’t show real impact and is considered outdated. There are a lot of other, more accurate indicators (like the above) that reflect your PR efforts more accurately.

Tools like Prowly make it simple to keep track of all these metrics in one place, helping you see how your PR efforts are paying off and making it easier to share your success. All the data is collected in one dashboard where you can analyse it, notice trends, tailor your strategy accordingly, and generate full PR reports.

#7 SEO signals (links and brand searches)

Look at the backlinks your PR generates and whether more people are actively searching for your brand online. Also, track what topics your brand is being associated with—there may be smart opportunities to boost visibility while staying aligned with your messaging and strategy.

Backlinks and branded search volume still play a role in visibility—but in the AI search era, PR-driven signals like brand mentions, trust, and media credibility are becoming even more influential.

SEO matters, but PR is now doing more of the heavy lifting when it comes to how your brand is surfaced, summarized, and recommended in AI-generated results.

Why brand mentions and trust are the new ROI drivers in 2025

As AI-powered search becomes more common, brand mentions and trust are starting to outweigh backlinks in shaping visibility.

Generative engines like ChatGPT and Google Search Generative Experience pull answers from sources they deem credible—not just those with the best SEO.

This means PR-led signals like earned media, sentiment, and consistent messaging now play a bigger role in how your brand is found and trusted.

Tools like Prowly help track those signals—so you can measure PR ROI not just by traffic, but by influence.

Prowly helps you track and grow the exact signals that influence your brand’s presence in generative search:

• Media mentions across top-tier and niche outlets
• Tone and sentiment of your coverage
• Share of Voice against competitors
• Clarity and consistency of your key messages

💡 With Prowly, you're not just tracking traditional PR metrics—you’re building the kind of visibility that AI trusts, ranks, and repeats.

This is why modern PR ROI must account for GEO. It’s no longer just about rankings—it’s about being recognized, cited, and trusted across the sources AI engines pull from.

5 PR metrics that matter most

#1 Media mentions and reach

What is it?
This tracks how many times your brand appears in the news, on blogs, or in other media. It also estimates how many people could have seen those mentions.

Why it matters:
More mentions and a wider reach means your brand is getting noticed, which builds awareness and credibility.

How to track it:
Platforms like Prowly can help you count mentions and estimate audience size for each placement. You can easily set up notifications about new mentions and follow them in real time.

#2 Website traffic and conversions

What is it?
The number of visitors to your website that came from your PR materials in media coverage.

Why it matters:
If people are clicking on your site, it shows your PR is sparking real interest and driving potential customers to learn more.

How to track it:
Use Google Analytics to monitor referral traffic and set up UTMs to see traffic sources.

#3 Share of Voice

What is it?
Share of voice compares how much your brand is talked about in the media compared to your competitors.

Why it matters:
A big share means you are a big player in your niche and allows you to share details over your growth over time.

How to track it:
Media monitoring tools like Prowly can help you see how your coverage stacks up against the competition.

#4 Social media engagement

What is it?
Engagement means likes, shares, comments, and all interactions on social media posts that result from your PR coverage.

Why it matters:
High engagement means your PR stories touch your audience's interests. In other words, they work.

How to track it:
Social media dashboards like Sprout Social make it easy to follow engagement numbers. You can also monitor it manually.

#5 Sentiment and messaging clarity

What is it?
Sentiment analysis checks if your main messages are being communicated and received, and whether your media coverage is positive, neutral or negative.

Why it matters:
Positive coverage and clear messaging help build trust and reinforce your brand’s reputation. If negative mentions arise in numbers, it should be your red flag to react and take some preventive steps to avoid a brewing crisis.

How to track it:
Tools like Prowly analyze sentiment and show if your key messages are being picked up. You can be notified about negative sentiment spikes and monitor active cases to react quickly.

How to calculate PR ROI (a simple formula)

To calculate ROI, use this formula:

PR ROI = (Value of PR Outcomes – PR Costs) / PR Costs

Example:

You spend $2,000 on a PR campaign that brings you $12,000 in measurable value (leads, sales, coverage).

ROI = ($12,000 – $2,000) / $2,000 * 100 = 500%

This means every $1 you invested brought you $5 more.

How to connect PR to business goals? Framework to follow

Linking your PR efforts to business goals is not a piece of cake, but with this framework, it can go more smoothly.

👉 First, define which of the above goals is closer to your needs: raising awareness, encouraging people to learn more, or driving sales.

👉 Then, choose the specific metrics that align with each goal.

This way, you can clearly demonstrate how your PR activities contribute to your company’s success and thus make it easier to track progress and optimize your strategy accordingly. Keep monitoring and tailor it to the shifting market as you go.

What tools help track and report PR ROI?

Combine monitoring, analytics, SEO, and lead-related activities. This way you can cover all the bases and create a multichannel strategy. Thus, your efforts will have even greater impact and your ROI will improve. Prowly connects all these in one intuitive, ready-to-share dashboard.

How to report PR ROI to stakeholders

Measuring PR ROI matters most to stakeholders.

When sharing PR results with stakeholders, keep things simple and focus on impact, not just activities. Instead of listing how many press releases you sent or mentions you got, show how these efforts helped the business, like in boosting brand awareness, increasing website visits, or generating leads.

Use easy-to-understand visuals like charts and graphs to keep them interested. It’s also helpful to show progress over time, so present how it was and how it has changed. Speak in plain language that connects PR results to business goals, drop complicated terms and industry jargon.

To make reporting even easier, tools like Prowly offer features that help you create clear, visual reports that tell the story of your PR success in a way everyone can understand.

FAQ: Your top PR ROI questions and answers

What does PR ROI really mean?

PR ROI is the measurable return you get from public relations, including visibility, traffic, and brand equity.

What are key PR metrics?

Media coverage, web traffic, backlinks, sentiment, and share of voice.

Is PR ROI tied to revenue?

Yes, especially when using analytics and CRM tracking tools to link earned media to lead gen and conversions.

What’s better than AVE?

Actual impact metrics like traffic, backlinks, and quality media placements which can be tracked through platforms like Prowly.

PR ROI - summing up

Smarter PR means making your efforts measurable and data-driven. What once felt intangible, like brand reputation or trust, can now be tracked and quantified with the right numbers in hand.

Today, PR is no longer just about stories and your image; it’s a discipline grounded in clear metrics and real business impact. With modern tools and strategies, you can easily show the impact of your work value.

Does your PR really matter?
With Prowly, it’s easy to keep tabs on media coverage, build reports, and show the real impact of your work. Whether you're getting your name out there or bringing in leads, your PR should speak for itself and shine.

The post How to Measure the ROI of PR (With Metrics That Actually Matter) appeared first on Prowly.

The whole suite offers tools to help with customer experience, social media and media monitoring, as well as influencer marketing management.

Brandwatch keeps its pricing under wraps—you’ll need to book a demo to learn more. However, we’ve done some digging and found useful details. If you're looking for tools with transparent pricing and well-defined features, you're in the right place.

Here’s a close look at the top Brandwatch competitors to consider when choosing the best option to fit your needs.

What is Brandwatch (and how much does it cost)?

Brandwatch is a media monitoring and social listening tool used to track brand mentions, sentiment, and trends across social media, blogs, forums, and news websites. It’s often chosen by marketing and insights teams to analyze online conversations and digital audience behaviors.

Brandwatch also integrates with Falcon.io to offer tools like social media publishing and influencer marketing.

Brandwatch core features

• Social listening across multiple platforms
• AI-powered sentiment analysis and audience insights
• Trend detection and influencer tracking
• Dashboards for data visualization
• Social media publishing
• CRM and analytics integrations

Most relevant for: Marketing teams, insights analysts, and large organizations that need access to broad online data streams and are investing in comprehensive customer intelligence tools.

💰 Brandwatch pricing (2025)

Brandwatch does not provide transparent pricing on its website. To access exact pricing, you must book a demo with their sales team.

However, according to third-party review sites and user-reported insights:

• Pricing per month ranges from $800 to $3,000+ depending on selected features, data volume, and the number of users (according to TrustRadius)
• Monthly pricing options are mostly unavailable, even though they are often preferred by smaller teams for their affordability and flexibility
• A 2-seat licence has been reported to cost around $10,000 per year, according to users on Reddit
• Brandwatch has three plans available: consumer intelligence, social media management, influencer marketing

For teams seeking transparent pricing and quicker onboarding, alternatives like Prowly may be easier to try and adopt—with plans starting at $369/month and a 7-day free trial.

Try Prowly's media monitoring free for 7 days

Start tracking your brand and keywords for free (no credit card required) in Prowly.

• Comprehensive monitoring: Track the web, social media, print, and broadcast mentions
• Transparent pricing: Plans start at $258/month
• All-in-one platform: Get everything you need in one tool for PR, incl. media database, outreach, reporting, and more

Learn more

Top 10 Brandwatch alternatives list

#1 Prowly – the best tool for PR & media monitoring

💸 Pricing: starts at $369 monthly

Prowly is a media monitoring and PR workflow platform purpose-built for communications teams that need clarity and control during fast-moving news cycles. Its advanced monitoring capabilities track online, print, broadcast, and social media mentions in real time—complete with sentiment analysis, reach estimates, and visual coverage reports that make insights easy to action and share.

But Prowly goes far beyond monitoring. It offers a comprehensive PR toolkit that includes access to a global media database of over one million journalists, intuitive press release creation and distribution, newsroom publishing, and powerful campaign analytics.

Unlike broader marketing tools, Prowly is tailored specifically to PR pros—making it easier to execute, manage, and prove the value of earned media strategies from a single, cohesive platform.

Brandwatch vs Prowly: key features

• Prowly shows a strong focus on PR-specific tools like media database, press release distribution, and coverage tracking, alongside media monitoring (both online and offline).
• In contrast, Brandwatch focuses more heavily on social listening and consumer intelligence, serving marketing and insights teams looking to track online trends and audience sentiment at scale.

👉 TL;DR: Prowly excels by by offering a full PR stack. It’s a Brandwatch alternative that upscales media monitoring and press contact management, making it a compelling choice for those in public relations and communication teams.

Ideal for: PR professionals and teams looking for an all-in-one, intuitive platform to manage outreach and monitor media coverage—with onboarding support included for a smooth start.

#2 Sprout Social – social media management & listening

💸 Pricing: starts at $199 monthly

Sprout Social is a comprehensive social media management tool. It includes social listening capabilities alongside scheduling, engagement, and analytics tools in one interface.

Brandwatch vs Sprout Social: key differences

Sprout Social:

• integrates social listening with social media management workflows
• monitors direct engagement and provides action based on insights
• provides post scheduling, queueing, and cross-channel publishing
• performs social listening for trends, keywords, and sentiment
• offers reporting dashboards and competitor analysis
• supports a unified inbox for engagement tracking

TL;DR: Sprout Social blends social listening with publishing and engagement tools, making it great for managing brand presence and conversations from one central hub.

Ideal for: Social media managers and teams needing to managing their social presence and follow conversations in one unified platform. Sprout Social offers a coherent, in-depth approach to social media.

#3 Brand24 – a budget-friendly Brandwatch alternative

💸 Pricing: starts at $199/ month

Brand24 is a more affordable yet robust social listening tool for tracking brand mentions across the web and social media.

Brandwatch vs Brand24: key differences

Brand24:

• Provides sentiment analysis and keyword tracking
• Displays influence scoring and alert setup
• Offers customizable reports and dashboards
• Has a simple, intuitive interface

TL;DR: Brand24 offers essential media monitoring features like sentiment analysis and alerts in a user-friendly package — great for smaller teams that want value without complexity.

Ideal for: Startups and small to mid-sized businesses looking for an accessible, no-frills media monitoring solution. It is a good choice for those who are looking for a cost-effective way to monitor their brand reputation and online conversations.

#4 Mention – agencies & multilingual monitoring

💸 Pricing: starts at $41/ month

Mention is a real-time media monitoring platform with multilingual support and agency tools, which stands out with its language capabilities.

Brandwatch vs Mention: key differences

Mention:

• Tracks social, blogs, forums, and news
• Provides real-time alerts and sentiment tracking
• Offers multi-user collaboration features
• Is available in multiple languages

TL;DR: With a trial, Mention is one of the few free alternatives to Brandwatch, which makes it a valuable tool for agencies and global brands.

Ideal for: Marketing agencies managing global brands and businesses with an international audience requiring monitoring in multiple languages and the ability to navigate diverse online conversations.

#5 Talkwalker – an enterprise-level data & AI insights

💸 Pricing: not transparent, but you can find estimates in our research

Talkwalker is an enterprise-grade social listening and analytics platform leveraging advanced AI to process vast amounts of data and extract deep insights.

Brandwatch vs Talkwalker: key differences

Talkwalker:

• Is an analytics-driven platform for large-scale social and media listening
• Provides image, video, and voice recognition
• Gives AI-powered trend prediction
• Offers cross-platform media coverage
• Displays visual analytics dashboards

TL;DR: It essentially offers the power of AI-driven analytics, including image and video recognition, trend forecasting, and comprehensive data visualization. A big pro - it works even for large-scale analysis.

Ideal for: All companies that deal with massive datasets daily. Large enterprises and institutions can gain sophisticated insights into brand perception and market trends.

#6 NapoleonCat – a versatile social media suite

Pricing: starts at $79 monthly

NapoleonCat is a social media management suite which can schedule, monitor engagement, provide analytics, and manage your social inbox.

Brandwatch vs NapoleonCat: key differences

NapoleonCat:

• Has broad integration with various social channels and its own ecosystem extends its listening and analytical capabilities
• Has a unified inbox for managing conversations across platforms
• Provides post scheduling and automated responses
• Offers basic social listening and sentiment tools
• Displays detailed performance analytics and reports

TL;DR: NapoleonCat is a convenient Brandwatch alternative for users who prefer an all-in-one social media solution where monitoring is a key component.

Ideal for: Businesses already using NapoleonCat for social media management who want to implement social listening into their existing workflow. As well as social media teams looking to streamline workflow, engagement, and reporting from a centralized dashboard.

#7 Meltwater – a versatile social media suite

💸 Pricing: not transparent, but you can find estimates in this research

Meltwater is a media intelligence platform that goes beyond social listening to include news monitoring, PR analytics, and influencer management.

Brandwatch vs Meltwater: key differences

Meltwater:

• Is a platform for monitoring news, social media, and influencer content
• Monitors traditional and digital media channels
• Offers PR reporting and competitive benchmarking
• Aids in influencer discovery and campaign tracking
• Provides custom dashboards and alerting tools

TL;DR: Meltwater offers a range of media intelligence tools, providing a view of brand mentions across online news, social media, and broadcast.

Ideal for: Large organizations and PR agencies who areseeking an integrated platform for media monitoring, PR measurement, and competitive intelligence across all media types.

#8 BuzzSumo – an app for content discovery & influencer tracking

💸 Pricing: starts at $199 monthly

BuzzSumo is a tool focused on content analysis and influencer identification with a strong emphasis on content insights, offering monitoring and content performance features. It also supports the following of brand mentions related to specific content.

Brandwatch vs BuzzSumo: key differences

Buzzsumo:

• Helps in identifying trending content and influential voices across the web
• Provides content performance tracking by keyword or domain
• Offers influencer identification and outreach features
• Sends alerts for trending topics and mentions
• Offers topic and backlink research tools

TL;DR: BuzzSumo offers a unique perspective on brand monitoring. It focuses on the content surrounding your brand and the influencers amplifying those conversations.

Ideal for: Content marketers and SEO professionals who are looking to understand content trends. The tool identifies influencers and tracks the reach of their content.

#9 YouScan - visual listening & AI sentiment

💸 Pricing: starts at $299 monthly

YouScan is a social listening platform that emphasizes visual content analysis. It uses AI to identify brand mentions in images and videos, which makes it a solid Brandwatch alternative for AI enthusiasts.

Brandwatch vs YouScan: key differences

YouScan:

• Is an AI-powered platform for detecting brand mentions in visual content
• Provides image and video recognition
• Performs advanced sentiment analysis
• Offers trend detection via visual data
• Povides social media and web coverage

TL;DR: YouScan stands out with its visual content recognition, making it a smart pick for brands that rely heavily on imagery and want to capture mentions beyond just text.

Ideal for: Brands with a strong visual style or those in industries where images and videos are of key importance for brand mentions and customer conversations.

#10 Statusbrew – scalable social listening

💸 Pricing: starts at $69 monthly

Statusbrew is a social media management platform that covers scalable and affordable solutions for social listening, engagement, and automation.

Brandwatch vs Statusbrew: key differences

Statusbrew:

• Is an all-in-one platform for social scheduling, engagement, and listening at an accessible price
• Provides cross-platform publishing and approval workflows
• Performs social listening and sentiment monitoring
• Allows for team collaboration and automation
• Offers scalable plans for growing businesses

TL;DR: Statusbrew provides a solid foundation for social media management and listening. It offers a cost-effective solution to establish a solid position in social media.

Ideal for: SMBs looking for a scalable social media management tool with listening capabilities that can grow with them. Offers a balance of features and pricing. Making it a reasonable Brandwatch alternative.

Brandwatch alternatives - a comparison in a nutshell

What are the best Brandwatch alternatives in 2025?

The top Brandwatch alternatives in 2025 include:

• Prowly for public relations and media monitoring with AI-driven tools
• Sprout Social for social media engagement and scheduling
• Brand24 for budget-friendly social listening
• Talkwalker for AI-driven enterprise insights
• BuzzSumo for content and influencer analysis

What is better than Brandwatch?

While most Brandwatch competitors offer similar core monitoring features, their strengths lie in the details. Some prioritize social listening depth, others leverage advanced AI, and some excel in specific areas like PR or visual analysis. Your ideal choice depends on your unique brand monitoring needs.

Pricing is another key differentiator. Brandwatch's costs are hidden, but tools like Prowly offer transparent pricing structures, which can be a crucial factor for budget-conscious users.

Is there a free trial for Brandwatch alternatives?

Yes, many Brandwatch competitors offer free trials:

• Prowly – 7-day free trial
• Brand24 – Free trial available
• Mention – Offers a limited free plan and trial
• BuzzSumo – Limited free plan with trial access
• Statusbrew – Free trial for all paid plans

What’s the best Brandwatch alternative for PR teams?

If you are checking Brandwatch competitors to find a PR-related solution, Prowly should be your pick. It's a Brandwatch alternative that fully supports public relations efforts, covering media, press distribution and reporting.

Brandwatch alternatives - summing up

Brand tracking is your key to a well-established brand reputation and maintaining relationships with your audience. It will pay off in the long term.

Be proactive, follow social discussions, sentiment and react. Do not settle for numbers only. With the right tool, you will be able to do it.

Below, you can read an in-depth comparison of Brandwatch competitors.

Top Brandwatch alternatives in 2025: a quick overview

• Prowly – All-in-one PR software with advanced media monitoring. Ideal for PR teams seeking full coverage tracking, journalist outreach, press release distribution, and analytics—all from one platform. Transparent pricing and a free trial make it easy to get started.
• Sprout Social – Social media management platform with built-in listening tools.
• Brand24 – Social listening tool that covers basic sentiment tracking and web monitoring at an accessible price.
• Mention – Multilingual media monitoring with real-time alerts.
• Talkwalker – AI-powered platform for large-scale listening and analytics.
• Meltwater – Media intelligence suite combining news, social, and influencer tools.
• BuzzSumo – Content-focused tool for tracking shareable topics and influencers.
• YouScan – Visual listening platform that uses AI to detect brand appearances in images and videos.
• Statusbrew – Scalable social media suite with publishing, automation, and listening.
• NapoleonCat – Social inbox and analytics tool for team collaboration across multiple platforms.

From PR focused Prowly to AI-powered corporate-level Talkwaker, each of them offers unique strengths tailored to your needs.

The options are plentiful, so once again, take a look at this Brandwatch competitors comparison and choose the closest portfolio of features fit to your needs.

The post Best Brandwatch Alternatives: Compare Features and Pricing in 2025 appeared first on Prowly.

Misaligned perceptions can lead to lost customers, a rusted reputation, and lower trust.

The stakes are high and the challenge is real. One missed step can lead to a negative overall brand perception.

But by employing PR-centric strategies to measure and manage brand perception, you can steer your brand toward positive associations and lasting loyalty.

Prowly can help you do just that. Start monitoring your brand perception right away—or keep reading.

Brand perception measurement: the basics

Brand perception refers to what the public thinks and feels about your brand, regardless of the messages you put out. It’s created by customer experiences, word-of-mouth, media coverage, and countless other factors beyond your direct control.

We are living in the age of social media, 24/7 news cycles, and online reviews. So brand perception has never been more significant or fragile.

A single post or negative review can go viral and influence how millions view your brand in a flash. This is where PR teams play a crucial role. They are cast as the lead of shaping, measuring, and maintaining brand perception.

By monitoring public sentiment, tailoring strategic messaging, and managing crises effectively, PR professionals ensure that positive brand perception not only enters the room but stays for the long haul. And to do that, the right tools make all the difference.

What is brand perception (and how is it different from brand identity)?

The brand perception meaning reflects the public’s collective opinion and emotional response to a brand. It is shaped by experiences and interactions. It can be influenced by media and reviews.

Unlike brand identity, which reflects how a company defines itself, brand perception is entirely owned by the audience. Trust and reputation hinge on this perception, as it directly impacts consumer sentiment and media coverage.

Moreover, a positive public image boosts investor and partner confidence, making collaborations and financial backing more accessible. Perhaps most critically, strong brand perception fosters resilience during crises, helping brands maintain loyalty and recover faster.

So what is brand perception?
In essence, while brand identity is what you say about yourself, the brand perception definition centers on what others believe about you. And that makes a difference.

Changing brand perception–examples

#1 United Airlines

United Airlines faced a severe backlash after the 2017 incident where a passenger was forcibly removed from an overbooked flight. The video went viral and sparked outrage.

About 67% of surveyed frequent travelers reported a negative perception of the airline afterward.

This incident highlighted how poor customer treatment and inadequate crisis management can erode trust, damage reputation, and influence consumer sentiment for years. A negative brand perception example in a nutshell.

💡 For more real-world insights into how brands navigate crises, explore these 16 PR crisis management examples to learn what worked (and what didn't).​

#2 Patagonia

On the other end of things, Patagonia has built a strong, positive brand perception.

How? By aligning its identity with environmental activism and ethical practices. This one is known for its initiatives, like profit donations to environmental causes and sustainable production promotion.

Patagonia has fostered trust and loyalty among consumers who value social responsibility. This brand perception regularly strengthens customer relationships. And thus position the brand as resilient during market challenges or crises.

What influences brand perception?

To measure brand perception, you need to get your hands on the metrics first. So which ones should you consider while doing your brand perception research?

Media coverage

Positive or negative press can significantly influence a brand's perception.

Social media commentary

Real-time feedback and trends on platforms like Twitter (X) and Instagram can amplify or challenge a brand's image and raise some brand perception questions. Brand perception studies show that Gen Z prefers to do their consumer research on IG, while Boomers stick with Google.

Customer experience

Interactions with your customers can be the foundation of your brand. You should deliver consistent and high-quality communication.

Influencers and media mentions

Support from trusted figures can lend credibility and visibility to a brand. This works both ways though, unreliable influencers mentioning your brand may downgrade your brand perception metrics.

Word of mouth and reviews

Peer recommendations and online reviews often hold more sway than traditional advertising.

How PR teams can shape brand perception with Prowly

Prowly gives PR teams the tools they need to take control of how people see their brand. Here’s how:

#1 Use earned media to tell you the right story

When it comes to brand perception, a coherent storyline is crucial. You need to present it across various channels.

Prowly helps you stay on top of media coverage and brand mentions both offline and online. You can analyze sentiment and track how your brand is being talked about.

Making it easier to shape positive, strategic stories that reflect your brand in the best light.

#2 Share clear messages via press releases

Press releases give you a great force to tailor the perception of your company.

With Prowly’s built-in press release creator and distribution tools, you can craft professional messages and send them directly to the right media contacts.

No matter if you're launching a new product or handling a PR crisis. Your messaging stays clear, consistent, and on-brand. What is more, it reaches the right people at the right time.

#3 Contact the right media people

Staying on the press release and media a topic.

Prowly makes it easy to manage and organize your media contacts. You can use targeted outreach to find journalists and influencers related to your niche.

The ones who will be most likely to be interested in your story and help you shape the image of your brand.

How to measure brand perception

Now, let's break down some ways of measuring brand perception:

👉 Social listening - by following raw, unfiltered people's opinions you gain an honest point of view of your brand.

👉 Media analysis - by pursuing brand perception analysis, you can get an overview of how your brand is presented across the media.

👉 Surveys and polls - brand perception survey questions shouldn't be biased. It should give room for the recipients to share their honest opinions.

👉 Reviews - people want to share their opinions about you, analyze them and learn.

👉 Feedback - here you may have a chance too dig deeper with follow-up questions to learn the core of their opinions.

Brand perception in action: real-life examples

👍 Positive example - Nike and Colin Kaepernick Campaign

👀 Brand perception

Bold, socially aware, aligned with youth and activism.

What happened?

Nike launched a controversial ad campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick (former NFL quarterback). He is known for kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial injustice. The ad included the tagline:

“Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.”

Why it worked

➕ Nike aligned itself with a cause that resonated deeply with its core demographic: young, diverse, socially conscious consumers.
➕ Despite initial backlash (boycotts and the burning of Nike gear), the move strengthened Nike’s brand loyalty among its key audiences.
➕ It showed conviction and brand bravery, which consumers increasingly value.

Nike is still famous for its "Just do it" tagline and all of their actions resonate with it.

👎 Negative example - Pepsi ft. Kendall Jenner ad

👀 Brand perception

Tone-deaf, opportunistic, out-of-touch.

What happened?

Pepsi released an ad with Kendall Jenner as the main character in which she resolves a protest by handing a police officer a can of Pepsi. It was widely criticized for trivializing social justice movements like Black Lives Matter.

Why it failed

➖ First, it misused symbolism from real protests.
➖ Moreover, it was perceived as exploitative and performative.|
➖ And the cherry on top - it lacked authenticity or a real connection to the cause.

There was no backstory. No cause. Just Pepsi.

Neutral turning to positive example - LEGO & brand suitability

👀 Brand perception and the challenge

LEGO had a neutral-to-positive brand perception for decades. But let's be honest, not necessarily associated with social responsibility or environmental leadership. Especially as a manufacturer of plastic toys.

Turning point

Around 2015, LEGO made a commitment to public sustainability.

• Pledging to invest $400 million over three years in sustainability efforts
• Began developing plant-based plastics made from sugarcane
• Switched to recyclable paper bags inside boxes
• Partnered with organizations like the WWF to reduce its carbon footprint

Why it worked

➕ LEGO didn’t make empty promises—it backed them with long-term R&D investments
➕ It remained transparent about challenges in making durable, kid-safe sustainable bricks

Stayed true to its core values (creativity, quality) while adapting to new expectations

How to improve brand perception (a PR-tailored checklist)

Improving brand perception starts with ensuring message consistency across all touchpoints. Your brand voice, values, and visuals should be aligned across every channel, from social media to customer service.

A strong PR strategy also requires proactively managing media relations.

Start building trust and maintaining open communication with journalists. You must monitor and respond to feedback in real time. This is how you show consumers they’re listening and you want to make things better for them.

A powerful way to shift perception is to use storytelling. You can do it both via owned media (blogs and newsletters) and earned media (press coverage and influencer mentions).

Lastly, run reputation-focused PR campaigns that reinforce your brand’s purpose and values.

💡 Pro Tip: Prowly supports this by helping to create consistent, on-brand press releases, and manage journalist relationships within a centralized CRM. It helps you also monitor real-time media sentiment to stay on top of reputation risks and opportunities.

Common mistakes that hurt brand perception

Even strong brands can damage their reputation by falling into avoidable traps. Some of the most common mistakes include:

• Being overly reactive or defensive – responding quickly is crucial but keep your emotions in line. Answering criticism with aggression or denial often escalates the issue instead of resolving it. Be open and calm.
• Not listening to audience sentiment – ignoring public feedback, especially on social media, can make a brand seem unbothered. It also may give your audience a sense of you being out of touch or indifferent.
• Messaging inconsistency – when a brand’s values or tone vary across platforms, it creates confusion and undermines trust. Being consistent shows you to be truthful and honest.
• PR silence during controversy – crises are part of a brand's life cycle. Failing to address them or being too reckless with them translates to a lack of accountability. Allowing negative narratives to take control.

💡 Tip: Explore this article to learn more about how reactive PR compares to proactive PR—and how to put it into action. And if you want to make your PR strategy truly robust, read these articles to learn how to manage your brand reputation and protect its reputation.

Brand perception - to sum up

So what is brand perception? How to measure and manage it?

The above article may help you create a strategy to navigate all of these aspects. As well as a good tool.

Prowly offers PR professionals everything you may need to monitor media coverage, craft consistent messaging, and engage with the right media contacts.

The post Brand Perception: A PR-Centric Guide to Manage Public Opinion appeared first on Prowly.

Check how to measure brand recall and which brand marketing metrics are the most important ones.

You must follow brand metrics to keep them in line and care for your image.

A good software, such as Prowly, may help you with that. Keep reading or try it for free and start tracking brands right away.

Brand metrics - what are they?

Brand metrics are measurable indicators that assess a brand's health, performance, and perception.

They are vital for gaining the impact of PR efforts because they translate sorts of abstraction like reputation and awareness into actionable data.

PR plays a crucial role in shaping brand health over time, not just through one-off campaign successes but by building trust. It supports recognition and influences public perception consistently.

Examples?

👉 PR amplifies brand awareness by securing media coverage and driving engagement on social platforms. Moreover, it enhances brand perception through positive sentiment.

👉 By tracking metrics such as media mentions, sentiment analysis, website traffic, and conversion rates, businesses can understand how PR contributes to long-term brand equity.

Below you can find some tips on brand tracking metrics as well as gain a practical framework for measuring PR’s impact on brand performance. And all of that is supported by real-world examples that illustrate how strategic PR can drive meaningful business outcomes.

What are brand metrics exactly (and why are they important)?

Brand metrics help you understand how well your brand is performing over time.
Unlike marketing KPIs (like conversions, clicks, or sales) focusing on short-term success, brand metrics give you a bigger picture.

They measure aspects like brand awareness, reputation, and customer perception - showing how your brand connects with people and stands out from the competition.

For PR, these metrics are crucial in building brand equity and trust over time.

Activities like media coverage, storytelling, and reputation management help shape how audiences perceive a brand. The better they see the brand, the more loyal they are. In many cases, that means more than a temporary sales peak.

👉 If you build a solid strong image, customers will come back and bring new ones.

👉 As a result, your sales will be growing and assure you a good position long-term.

Core categories of brand metrics include awareness (how recognizable the brand is), perception (how positively it is viewed), equity (the value attributed to the brand), and reputation (the trustworthiness and reliability associated with it).

By focusing on these areas, PR professionals can demonstrate their role in driving meaningful business outcomes and sustaining long-term brand growth.

10 brand metrics every PR pro should track

You know what brand metrics are in general but let's dig into details. Below you can find a list of 10 indicators that will help you with branding measurement.

Let's dive in!

#1 Share of Voice (SOV)

Share of Voice reflects how much media coverage your brand gets compared to competitors.

Why it matters?

A higher SOV means more brand visibility and authority in your niche. If you are wondering how to measure brand strength, it's your go-to brand metric.

How to measure it?

Track brand mentions across news, social media, and industry publications. And then compare versus competitors.

💡 How Prowly helps
Use Prowly’s media monitoring tools to track brand mentions and compare SOV with competitors. With Prowly you can follow also keywords related to your brand as well as those competitors related.

#2 Brand awareness

Brand awareness shows how well your audience recognizes and recalls your brand.

Why it matters?

High awareness means customers think of your brand first when considering a product or service in your category. This is some sort of brand popularity metric.

How to measure it?

Monitor organic brand mentions in media, branded search volume, and direct website traffic.

💡 How Prowly helps
Prowly’s media monitoring features help track brand mentions and sentiment over time. You can follow not only mentions across the web but also print and broadcast ones.

#3 Sentiment analysis

Sentiment analysis evaluates whether conversations about your brand are positive, negative, or neutral.

Why it matters?

Helps PR teams understand brand perception and identify potential reputation risks.

How to measure it?

Use e.g. AI-powered sentiment analysis tools to assess the tone of media coverage and social conversations. You can also use all-in-one platforms like Prowly with a built-in sentiment analysis feature.

💡 How Prowly helps
Leverage Prowly’s sentiment analysis to track media tone and adjust PR strategies accordingly. The platform indicates if the tone is positive, negative, or neutral.

#4 Brand salience (Top-of-Mind recall)

This one reflects how quickly and frequently consumers think of your brand when prompted with a category.

Why it matters

Strong brand salience increases the likelihood of being chosen over competitors.

How to measure it

Conduct consumer surveys and track unaided recall rates.

💡 How Prowly helps
Prowly’s media monitoring tools help track how often your brand is mentioned in relevant industry discussions, which can be an indicator of salience. Additionally, its PR analytics provide insights into media trends that can impact top-of-mind recall.

#5 Brand reputation

This one indicates how your brand is seen. It is shaped by media narratives, customer trust, and overall public perception.

Why it matters?

A strong reputation builds credibility, while a negative one can deter potential customers and partners.

How to measure it?

Assess media sentiment, customer reviews, and trust indicators in industry reports.

💡 How Prowly helps
Use Prowly’s media analysis tools to monitor sentiment and detect reputation shifts.

#6 Brand consistency

Thus brand metric ensures that your brand’s messaging, tone, and values remain consistent across all channels.

Why it matters?

Inconsistent messaging can confuse audiences and weaken brand trust. So its crucial to keep the tone coherent.

How to measure it?

Analyze PR content, press releases, and media mentions for alignment with brand messaging.

💡 How Prowly helps
Use Prowly’s press release and media database tools to standardize messaging.

#7 Media engagement

This brand metric measures how well media outlets engage with your campaigns.

Why it matters?

Strong media engagement boosts credibility, SEO, and audience reach.

How to measure it?

Track media coverage, journalist responses, and backlinks to brand content.

💡 How Prowly helps
Prowly’s journalist outreach and press release tools help secure media coverage.

#8 Brand equity

Brand equity is the overall value and strength of your brand in the eyes of consumers.

Why it matters?

High brand equity means customers are willing to pay a premium and stay loyal.

How to measure it?
Analyze brand preference, loyalty metrics, and willingness to pay for your products/services.

💡 How Prowly helps
Prowly’s media monitoring and sentiment analysis tools help track consumer perception and public sentiment toward your brand. Additionally, PR analytics can provide insights into how media coverage impacts brand loyalty and perceived value.

#9 PR crises & spikes in mentions

It detects anomalies. For example, sudden increases in brand mentions. These may often linked to PR crises or viral events.

Why it matters?

Helps PR teams respond quickly to mitigate risks or leverage opportunities. The sooner you know, the better answer you can craft.

How to measure it?

Monitor media trends for unusual spikes in coverage or sentiment shifts.

💡 How Prowly helps
Use Prowly’s media monitoring alerts to detect and respond to crises in real time. You can also benefit from sentiment analysis and be aware that negative mentions are rising.

#10 Brand recognition metric

This brand metric measures consumer familiarity with your brand’s logo, name, or tagline.

Why it matters?

Strong brand recognition ensures that consumers can easily identify your brand in crowded markets. E.g. golden arches (McDonald's) or white, red and blue in a circle (Pepsi)

How to measure it?

Conduct consumer surveys, focus groups, and analyze qualitative feedback.

💡 How Prowly helps
With this tool, you can monitor mentions across the web and analyze what people say about your brand.

How to measure brand performance over time

Follow the below steps to benefit from brand metrics analyses.

#1 Tip: Consistent tracking

Being regular pays off. Track brand metrics monthly or quarterly. It helps you to identify trends and assess the impact of marketing campaigns.

You can also use tools like dashboards for real-time tracking and visualization of key metrics, ensuring actionable insights.

#2 Tip: Benchmarking against competitors

Benefit from Share of Voice to measure your brand’s presence compared to competitors.

• How to measure it: Share of Voice (SOV)=Your Brand Metrics/Total Market Metrics
• or do it automatically in Prowly

Compare sentiment scores to index audience perception and brand tone over time. Follow posts about your competitors and narrative about them, too.

💡 Read this article on Share of Voice in PR and make sure you make the most of SoV with little effort.

#3 Tip: Tools and templates

You can use downloadable templates like monthly or quarterly marketing reports to streamline the process of data collection and reporting. These templates can help consolidate metrics like reach, impressions, and conversions into a single report.

By combining consistent tracking, competitive benchmarking, and actionable reporting tools like Prowly's PR reports, you can effectively measure and improve your brand performance over time.

P.S. To truly understand and measure brand impact, it helps to first explore how visible your brand is—this guide to brand visibility breaks it down.

💡 Prowly users can generate client-facing PR reports that visualize brand visibility, tone, and media reach with just a few clicks, making it easier to communicate results with stakeholders.

Reporting brand metrics to stakeholders

Tips for creating executive-ready data visuals

1. Prioritize key metrics.
   To prevent information overload, focus on essential data points like SOV, brand sentiment, and media reach. There you need actual data.
2. Leverage visuals.
   Use charts, graphs, and infographics to simplify complex information. Pie charts work well for sentiment analysis, while trend lines effectively illustrate media reach.
3. Customize.
   Tailor the level of detail to the stakeholder’s role. Senior executives benefit from high-level summaries, while marketing teams may need deeper insights. All your actions are about knowing your recipients,
4. Delive context.
   Compare data to past performance and competitors to highlight trends and benchmarks clearly. Show how the market has changed over time.

Brand metrics you should include in your reports

A comprehensive report should include all essential data to gather the whole complex. There is no need for extensive storytelling and extra information. Just go straight to the point. What to include?

• Media coverage & mentions - a breakdown of your press features, media placements, and journalist interactions in a specific period.
• Share of Voice - show your brand’s visibility compared to competitors across the media (online and offline).
• Sentiment analysis - bring a summary of positive, neutral, and negative mentions to assess brand perception.
• Key campaign performance - show your PR campaign results, including media reach, audience engagement, and ROI.
• Social media & digital metrics - back to the roots, i.e. growth in followers, engagement rates, and and reach.
• Takeaways & further actions - present insights and deliver recommendations for the next steps.

Sample OKRs for brand metrics

Setting clear objectives and key results (OKRs) helps track brand performance effectively. Here are a few examples:

1️⃣ Objective: Increase brand visibility in the media.

OKR examples:

• Increase Share of Voice (SOV) by 20% over six months.
• Secure at least 5 Tier-1 media placements per quarter.

2️⃣ Objective: Improve brand perception.

OKR examples:

• Achieve a 3:1 positive-to-negative sentiment ratio in brand mentions.
• Increase Net Promoter Score (NPS) by 10 in the next quarter.

3️⃣ Objective: Enhance audience engagement.

OKR examples:

• Boost social media engagement rate by 5% in one month.
• Grow branded search volume by 10% over the next quarter.

The above list is just an exemplary one. Feel free to adjust it to your brand, market specifications, and needs.

💡 Tip: If you want to make your PR strategy truly robust, read these articles to learn how to manage your brand reputation and protect its reputation.

Common mistakes in brand measurement metrics

You know what to do when it comes to brand metrics, but know it's time for the list of your don'ts.

• Relying too much on vanity metrics – likes and followers may look impressive but don’t always reflect true brand impact or audience sentiment.
• Not measuring message alignment or media tone – tracking only coverage volume without assessing tone can lead to misleading conclusions about brand perception.
• Skipping long-term tracking – focusing only on short-term campaign results makes it difficult to measure sustained brand growth and reputation.
• Not aligning brand metrics with PR goals – following metrics that don’t connect to overall PR and business objectives can lead to wasted effort and misdirected strategies.
• Overlooking security issues – failing to ensure data integrity and protect proprietary insights can compromise reporting accuracy and decision-making. Do not overlook password security, 2FA and timely review of your accounts and content.

💡 Extra Tip: Add a mini checklist for your marketing to secure social accounts and align teams before going public.

How to use brand metrics in business? Case studies & good practices

Time for practice. Let's dive into some examples on how brand uses these metrics to save their image.

Tracking sentiment during a crisis – H&M’s backlash (2018)

When H&M faced criticism over an ad featuring a Black kid wearing a hoodie with the phrase “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle”, the brand monitored real-time sentiment analysis to assess public reaction. As you may presume the negativity was overwhelming. It led to an apology, removal of the ad, and a commitment to improving diversity efforts.

Measuring media coverage post-rebrand – Dunkin’ drops “Donuts” (2019)

When Dunkin' Donuts rebranded to simply Dunkin’, the company analyzed media coverage and public reception.

By tracking news sentiment and social media discussions, Dunkin’ confirmed that consumers embraced the modernized brand identity while still associating it with coffee and breakfast.

Using Share of Voice (SOV) to prove PR ROI – Pepsi vs. Coca-Cola

Pepsi has long used SOV metrics to measure its media presence compared to Coca-Cola. So what are they doing?

By tracking mentions, ad spending, and media coverage, Pepsi's PR teams can demonstrate the effectiveness of campaigns like Super Bowl ads or celebrity endorsements. Living proof of proving their marketing investments values.

P.S. Even Pepsi makes PR mistakes. You can read about their campaign that was widely criticized (and why it went so wrong.

How tools like Prowly help PR pros track brand metrics

#1 Simplifying media monitoring

Prowly offers a straightforward way to monitor brand mentions across various platforms. It analyzes the sentiment and tone. It provides valuable insights into how your brand is perceived. Moreover, you gain real-time updates, so you can stay on top of every conversation about you.

#2 Building strong media relationships

The Journalist CRM feature helps you manage your media contacts effectively. You can track interactions and build a history of engagement. Thus, there is a way to foster stronger relationships with journalists, increasing your chances of securing media coverage that aligns with your brand's message.

#3 Effective press release distribution

Prowly makes distributing press releases easier. How? By customizable templates and access to a vast media database. So you can be sure that your message reaches the right audience, amplifying your brand's visibility and share of voice.

#4 Reporting made easy

Creating reports is streamlined with Prowly's customizable reporting tools. Whether you're part of an agency or an in-house team, these reports help you present campaign results clearly and effectively to stakeholders.

Prowly is an intuitive platform that will help you manage your workflow efficiently, track brand metrics accurately, and enhance overall brand presence.

Brand metrics - summing up

You want a strong, lasting brand reputation?

Metrics like sentiment analysis, customer satisfaction, and share of voice provide insights that may give you a hand.

But remember, proactive tracking ensures you stay ahead of potential issues and adapt strategies to meet evolving consumer expectations, rather than waiting until the end of a campaign to assess impact. Ready to take control of your brand’s reputation? You can keep your finger on the pulse with Prowly’s powerful features.

The post Brand Metrics - How to Measure Your Brand Impact appeared first on Prowly.

Just like Taylor Swift flipped the script with her Reputation album — and taught us all how to shake it off — she turned criticism into credibility and fans into fierce advocates. Brands can do the same.

In this article, we’ll explore how to build a reputation that shines — even when facing bad reviews or growing public scrutiny. Because in today’s world, a strong reputation doesn’t just protect your brand — it can turn you into a star.

Psst! These days, you can’t manage your reputation without keeping an eye on key media mentions. Let Prowly handle that for you — so you can stay focused on the creative work that matters.

Reputation marketing: what is it? Definition

First things first. What is reputation marketing?

Most brands only focus on their reputation when damage control is called for. But it's not only about what happened. It’s about what they remember.

👉 TL;DR: Reputation marketing ensures that your best qualities shine through, shaping a lasting, positive impression. It combines elements of branding, public relations, and digital marketing to ensure that when people think of your business, they associate it with quality, reliability, and positive experiences.

By proactively shaping your reputation, you influence what potential customers see, hear, and ultimately remember about your brand.

So you should plan your reputation marketing strategy in advance. Do not simply go with the flow on this.

Reputation marketing vs. reputation management: a difference that matters

What is the difference between reputation marketing and reputation management?

While both reputation marketing and reputation management focus on a brand’s public perception, they have different approaches and goals.

Reputation management

Focuses on monitoring and responding to online reviews, social media comments, and public perception.

Reputation management is primarily reactive. It deals with crises, negative feedback, and damage control. Moreover, it involves strategies such as review response, the handling of PR crises, and improving customer service.

🎯 The goal: Fix and maintain a brand’s image. The key is to keep the positive online reputation you've already achieved.

Reputation marketing

Reputation marketing focuses on amplifying positive brand perception through marketing strategies.

It is primarily proactive, using customer reviews, testimonials, and brand storytelling to build trust.

Reputation marketing involves strategies like showcasing 5-star reviews, influencer partnerships, and customer success stories. This one is about being real.

🎯 The goal: Enhance and leverage a strong reputation to attract new customers. One of the benefits of reputation marketing is a reliable community and strong bonds with customers.

💡 Tip: Explore this article to learn more about how reactive PR compares to proactive PR—and how to put it into action.

Benefits of reputation marketing for your company

If your brand operates in a high-scrutiny industry (like finance, healthcare, or large corporations), strong reputation management is essential.

If trust directly impacts sales (as in e-commerce, SaaS, or personal brands), reputation marketing should be a priority.

For most businesses, the best approach is a balanced mix of both.

Protecting your reputation (for high-risk industries)

Think of this as your brand's safety-net. If you're in finance, healthcare, or running a big company, you need to be extra careful and manage your brand reputation with caution.

#1 Keep your fingers on the pulse of what people are saying

• Set up alerts (like with Google Alerts) to see what's being said about you online.
• Use tools that listen to social media to catch feedback quickly.

#2 Be prepared

• Have a plan for when things go wrong (like data leaks or rule violations).
• Train your team to be honest and open when talking about problems.

#3 Create a strong bond

• Talk openly with your customers, investors, or with anyone who matters to your business.
• Good relationships make big changes, like mergers, go smoother.

#4 Effective reputation marketing strategy means owning up to your mistakes

• Fix problems quickly.
• Admit when you're wrong.
• Try to solve issues privately to keep your positive reputation.

💡 Tip: If you want to make your PR strategy truly robust, read these articles to learn how to manage your brand reputation and protect its reputation.

Using your good reputation to sell more (for online businesses & personal brands)

This is about turning your positive reputation into sales and loyal customers. Your reputation marketing efforts should bring tangible profits.

#1 Make the most of reviews

• Make it easy for people to leave reviews (like sending emails or giving discounts).
• Show off good reviews on your website and social media.

#2 Share success stories

• Tell stories about how your customers have succeeded in using your product/service.
• Share content made by your customers.

#3 A brand's reputation means teamwork

• Teach your team to ask for reviews and talk to customers.
• Ensure they learn how to use such content.

Why not both?

You can fix problems and share good news at the same time. When people trust you, they're more likely to buy from you again and again. You can also use reputation marketing software to see reviews and share good feedback. Let's work on examples. 👇

Example 1️⃣

A private clinic fixes patient complaints (=protects reputation) and shares positive reviews on its website (=boosts sales).

Example 2️⃣

An online store handles a bad review nicely (=protects reputation) and posts a video of a happy customer (=boosts sales).

How to combine reputation marketing & management for the best results

Reputation management and reputation marketing differ, but they are similar on some points. Once you combine them, your business's reputation can spike.

Reputation management is your safety net

Better safe than sorry, right?

So once you hit a positive reputation, you need all hands on deck to maintain it. Monitor brand sentiment to catch issues early. Follow your reputation and keep it in line with your brand messaging.

Unfortunately, sometimes crises arise through external forces.

To properly manage your company's brand reputation and keep your brand's image set in bright colors, you should have a crisis response plan on hand. The last thing you would like to focus on when something happens is scrambling and fighting with time to look after your company's reputation.

Another angle to cover reputation case is in handling negative reviews and feedback. Your online reputation is always in danger because of the virtual anonymity on the internet. Sometimes people say things just to say something.

And sometimes negative messages are valid. In both cases, you need to handle it calmly and professionally to minimize long-term damage.

Reputation can shift fast. These 16 PR crisis management examples show how brands reacted when things went wrong – take a look and fine-tune your strategy if you spot any weak spots..

Reputation marketing is your amplifier

Even the best sound sometimes needs an amplifier to carry it. Your company's reputation needs this sort of boost.

Push positive reviews, media mentions, and brand stories into the spotlight. Focus on local reputation marketing and communities. Reputation marketing matters because it helps you build a quality bond and become a reliable option on the market. It's how even the biggest brand started.

Optimize search results so your best content ranks above any negatives. Your online reputation marketing strategy should involve fighting with not-so-sweet opinions as well. It happens.

But bad reviews doesn't mean your brand's reputation immediately goes down. One unhappy customer does not cross out the positive reputation you've gained. Focus on highlighting it.

Use proactive PR to establish authority before you ever have to defend it. Being one step ahead pays off.

Activities that cover reputation marketing differ from those for management because they help you establish your position and build a strong online reputation.

Let's expand on each of these points to create a more detailed and actionable list. 👇

How to create a reputation marketing strategy: step by step

Step 1: Audit what’s is going on - know your starting point

1️⃣ Google your company (and key people)

• Go beyond just your company name. To get a real business reputation overview you should search for variations, common misspellings, and related keywords.
• Analyze the first page of Google results. What kind of content appears? Is this your content (kudos for SEO efforts)? Or does your reputation marketing rely on news, rankings, and reviews?
• Pay attention to Google's "People also ask" and "Related searches" sections. This can give you insights into common questions and concerns. Look at what your brand's reputation is related to.

2️⃣ Check reviews, social media, and media mentions

• Systematically review platforms like Yelp, Trustpilot, Google My Business, and industry-specific review sites. Positive brand images come from these as well.
• Monitor social media channels (X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) for mentions, comments, and trends.
• Use reputation marketing software to cover social listening and keep up to date with your business reputation across the web.
• Compile a list of all media mentions (news articles, blog posts, podcasts, videos). Note the tone and context of each mention. Good reputation marketing software should help you with this.

3️⃣ Identify what’s missing in your reputation marketing efforts

• Look for gaps in your online presence. Are there negative reviews that need addressing? Are there important keywords where competitors rank higher? This is a vital part of your strategy.
• Pinpoint any inconsistencies in your brand messaging or visual identity across different platforms.
• Determine if there are any outdated or inaccurate online pieces of information that could damage your company's reputation.

Step 2: Craft your brand narrative

1️⃣ You don’t have to be the best, but you do need to be memorable

• Focus on your unique value proposition and what sets you apart from competitors. Create a reputation marketing strategy that will help you stay at the top of people's minds.
• Identify the emotional connection you want to create with your audience.
• Think about what you want customers to say about you when they recommend you to others.

2️⃣ Pick key messages (2-3) that define your brand

• Create concise and compelling messages that reflect your core values and brand personality.
• Ensure these messages are coherent across all platforms and communication channels.

💡 While creating pillars of your reputation marketing, consider your target audience and tailor your messages to resonate with their needs and interests.

Step 3: Get your reputation marketing anchors in place

1️⃣ Strengthen Google search results

• First, optimize your website and content for relevant keywords.
• Create high-quality, informative, and engaging content that provides value to your audience. Informative and well-optimized articles, landing pages, and posts are the core of online reputation marketing.
• Build high-quality backlinks to your site. Create a net of them. One of the biggest benefits of reputation marketing is that you become visible all across the internet.

💡 Ensure your Google My Business profile is filled out and well-optimized as well. Reputation marketing software may help you with that.

2️⃣ Secure media mentions and press coverage

• Develop relationships with journalists and industry influencers.
• Build a net of places where you can publish whenever something new comes up. Use reputation marketing strategy software to search for media and names you should know.
• Participate in events and conferences to create some relationships within the industry.

Use tools like Prowly to respond to journalist queries. You can also create personalized press releases.

3️⃣ Use testimonials and reviews in your favor

Create a system for collecting and displaying customer testimonials and reviews on your website and social media.

Step 4: Keep the momentum going

1️⃣ Respond to reviews and engage with your audience

• Show that you are listening and value customer feedback. Reputation marketing is all about relationships.
• Respond to all positive and negative reviews in a timely and professional way.
• Engage with your audience on social media. Answer questions, respond to comments, and participate in conversations.

2️⃣ Stay visible

• Maintain a consistent presence on social media by posting regularly and engaging with your audience. Contribute to industry blogs, forums, and publications to stay at the top of their minds.
• Continue to seek out media opportunities and press coverage.

3️⃣ Monitor public perception and adjust as needed

• Regularly monitor your online reputation using social listening and reputation management tools.
• Analyze data and insights to identify trends and potential issues. Be ready to adapt your reputation marketing efforts.

Step 5: Tools that make reputation marketing easy

1️⃣ Tools for monitoring

• Google Alerts: Free and simple tool for tracking mentions of your brand and keywords.
• Mention: Tracks mentions across the web and social media, offering sentiment analysis.
• Brandwatch: Powerful social listening platform with advanced analytics and reporting.

Prowly: Includes print and broadcast monitoring in addition to online mentions, making it useful for comprehensive tracking. You can also create press releases and search for the most suitable media outlets.

2️⃣ Tools for managing reviews

• Trustpilot: Platform for collecting and displaying customer reviews.
• Google My Business: Essential for managing your business's presence on Google Search and Maps.

3️⃣ Tools for Comprehensive Reputation Management

These tools often combine monitoring, social listening, review management, and reporting into one platform. If you are looking for more tips on choosing a media monitoring tool, check out our guide: How to do media monitoring.

💡 If you are looking for all-in-one reputation marketing software, check out Prowly. You can use this tool for social monitoring, media monitoring, and press release management.

Reputation marketing – if you're not using it, you're playing defence

Think of reputation marketing as building a good relationship with everyone who sees your brand.

To keep that relationship strong, you need to talk to people (engage), listen to what they're saying (monitor), and be ready to adapt if necessary (adapt).

Managing brand reputation with the right tools makes this whole process much easier. When you do these things well, you build trust and become a brand people genuinely like and believe in.

The post Reputation Marketing: How to Shape Public Perception appeared first on Prowly.

Managing your social media reputation is all about keeping an eye on how people see your brand, handling issues with care, and rebuilding trust when it matters most. So what should you do to take care of the social media reputation management aspect of your brand?

This guide will walk you through essential strategies and provide a clear action plan to help you succeed.

💡 Prowly can help you monitor brand mentions across both online and offline media. You can try it for free right away—or read this guide first.

The dynamics of social media reputation management

Everything in the digital world is happening now. And it's changing fast.

A single incident can go viral and damage your brand image significantly. Sometimes, it is a matter of minutes!

So, to cope with this fast-paced world, you need to understand how to monitor and control conversations across social media and precisely when and where you should put valuable insights.

You should put your effort into reputation marketing when it comes to online reputation. You need to build a positive perception of your brand across social media.

This means delivering value but also building a community and interacting with it. Such actions need resources and tools to monitor social media platforms in order to catch and respond to any new mention.

Also, you need to address negative feedback proactively to avoid further damage control.

Lack of proper brand reputation management - life-based examples

Example #1: Balenciaga

In 2022, Balenciaga faced criticism for an ad campaign featuring children with teddy bears in bondage gear. As it led to accusations of sexualizing children.

📩 Poor Response: Initially, Balenciaga denied responsibility and filed a lawsuit against the production company. Only after intense backlash did they issue apologies and take responsibility.

👉 Outcome: The brand lost followers and saw a decline in sales, highlighting the importance of swift and sincere responses to crises.

Example #2: Lululemon

The clothing brand faced criticism for quality control issues, particularly with its "see-through" yoga pants.

📩 Poor Response: The brand eventually addressed the issue, but the initial response was slow, leading to a temporary stock price drop. The lack of proper reputation management strategies was clear.

👉 Outcome: Customers were able to return these too-revealing pants. And in the end, the company implemented better quality control measures and recovered from the crisis.

Example #3: Uber

Uber has been involved in multiple scandals, including allegations of sexism and unethical practices. Moreover, CEO Travis Kalanick's inappropriate comments have contributed to a negative brand image and poor company perception.

📩 Poor Response: While Uber eventually took steps to address these issues, the initial response was slow, leading to significant brand damage.

👉 Outcome: The company lost users and faced legal challenges, ultimately leading to changes in leadership and policies.

Example #4: United Airlines

In 2017, United Airlines faced a major backlash after a passenger was violently removed from an overbooked flight. The incident was captured on video. And as you may assume, it went viral, sparking widespread outrage and damage to their social media reputation and overall brand image.

📩 Poor Response: Initially, United's CEO defended the flight crew's actions. This exacerbated the situation. There were several follow-up statements and apologies from the airline to attempt to rectify the situation, but the damage had already been done.

👉 Outcome: United lost millions in value shortly after the incident and continues to face challenges in regaining public trust. Once something goes viral on social media, an online reputation may not recover promptly.

The core elements of social media reputation management

There are three pillars of effective reputation management. Each of them plays a crucial role in coping with the brand's online presence, how it is perceived, and how fast it can recover from any negative events.

Part 1: Monitoring

This covers monitoring brand mentions across media outlets, analyzing customer sentiment, and following trends in real time. To gain a positive reputation, first you need to focus on your brand visibility. Once people should know you, they start talking about you.

The basis of your social media presence is, first, a proper content plan, and second, following and responding to brand mentions. This way, you will be able to build community.

But, unfortunately, the world is not always a cute place. Sometimes, you may be forced to react to negative comments.

So, prepare a decent crisis management plan and provide sentiment analysis to keep lock and loaded (this is a second pillar action).

Part 2: Response

As mentioned above, as you start monitoring, you will be able to detect any minor changes in your audience's behavior.

Thanks to sentiment analysis, you can recognize people's attitudes and perceptions of your brand as they shift in real time.

This gives you the time to implement one of your reputation management strategies before eg, a big wave of hateful comments arises. It's better to be safe than sorry, especially when it comes to social media.

Part 3: Recovery

But once a wave hits, you need to start repairing with your online reputation management plan.

You need to start gaining trust again and rebuild severed bonds with your audience. By following your social media and performing sentiment analysis across all platforms, you will be able to track when and if your actions work.

All of the above pillars are doable with reputation management tools. Prowly offers full media monitoring features. Moreover, you can receive a sentiment analysis and react to mentions in real time.

💡 Tip: If you want to make your PR strategy truly robust, read these articles to learn how to manage your brand reputation and protect its reputation.

Real-time monitoring: keeping a finger on the pulse

All reputation management strategies should include real-time monitoring. It helps detect potential crises or even larger issues early on. Allowing you to address concerns before they escalate.

So what should you do? Start with the right reputation management tools. Or just the perfect fit for you.

Social listening tools give you a peek into brand sentiment.

Brandwatch, Meltwater, or HubSpot all allow you to monitor what is going on across social media. But Prowly also gives you a way to monitor your competitors and keywords related to your brand. You can react promptly and nip the issues in the bud.

P.S. You can read a comparison of sentiment measurement tools and pick the one that's just right from this guide.

Prowly is an all-in-one tool, you can set up alerts for any terms you are interested in as well as negative spikes. So nothing will catch you off guard.

What is more, social media reputation management tools like Prowly support you in analyzing engagement patterns to predict potential crises.

With this in hand, you can make data-driven media reputation management decisions. Moreover, it helps you detect trends and create a social media strategy based on real numbers.

Crisis handling and response strategy

There is no way to really avoid all negative comments or actions towards your brand. Sometimes, it takes just one mediocre, unsatisfied customer experience.

However, a structured response plan is crucial when facing public criticism and misinformation. A brand's reaction can be game-changing when it comes to such situations.

Negative feedback mini guide: how to handle it properly

There are three things you can go to:

1️⃣ Respond to constructive feedback.

And what is important is to react to issues that can be resolved through a public or private conversation. This approach shows engagement and care for customer concerns. As a benefit, it helps to build trust and potentially turn a negative experience into a positive one. So be sure to respond timely, empathetically, and stay solution-oriented.

2️⃣ Ignore comments that are spam, abusive, or unrelated to your brand.

Trolls are gonna be trolls. Engaging with these can escalate minor situations and draw unnecessary attention to negative content. The Barbra Streisand effect at its best. However, it's important to monitor these interactions to ensure they don't become a trend or affect your brand's perception.

3️⃣ Escalate feedback, especially serious complaints, legal issues, or sensitive topics.

These matters should be handled via private channels or involve higher management to be managed appropriately. This ensures that complex issues are addressed thoroughly while minimizing public exposure.

The importance of timely reactions in shaping public perception

When it comes to public perception, timing is everything.

Sometimes it is like a fire – the faster you act, the less damage it does.

For example, if a business addresses a bad review immediately, it can turn an unhappy customer into a loyal fan. On the flip side, waiting too long to react can make things worse. People start to wonder if you’re hiding something or don’t care, which can hurt your reputation long-term. They may think that all this time you've waited, you could have used to create a story to make you look better.

Even in big situations, like emergencies or political events, how quickly leaders share accurate information shapes the public's mood about what’s happening.

It’s all about being proactive. Staying silent or being slow to respond leaves room for rumors and misinformation to spread, while quick, honest communication builds trust and keeps people on your side.

P.S. Here’s an article that might come in handy if you’re looking for a tool to measure the impact of your communication efforts.

Crisis response examples - how to do it

Example #1: Pepsi: The Kendall Jenner ad controversy

In 2017, Pepsi released an ad featuring Kendall Jenner that was criticized for appropriating imagery from social justice movements. The backlash was immediate and widespread.

How did they respond?

The company reacted quickly and pulled the ad. They issued a public apology, acknowledging they had "missed the mark" and expressing regret for any offense caused. This swift action helped minimize long-term damage to the brand's reputation. It was a by-the-book reaction.

🗝️ Key takeaway
A quick and sincere response is a go-to reputation management step. It can mitigate reputational harm.

Example #2: KFC chicken shortage

Supply chain issues left most UK/Ireland restaurants without chicken, risking brand loyalty. In short, Kentucky Fried Chicken offered no chicken.

How did they respond?

KFC ran cheeky ads rearranging their logo to “FCK.” They also created a page tracking chicken availability. There was also a social media reputation involvement. The company engaged transparently on social media.

🗝️ Key takeaway
A sense of humor and transparency aligned with their playful brand reputation and voice. It was proof that you can turn a disaster into a relatable moment that boosts goodwill.

Example #3: CPK’s viral TikTok Mac ’n Cheese fail

A customer’s TikTok video exposing a ridiculous order error (cheese-only mac ’n cheese) by going viral.

How did they respond?

CPK’s CEO, Chef Paul, responded directly on TikTok with a sense of humor. Then gifted the customer free meals for a year.

🗝️ Key takeaway
Meeting criticism on the same platform it originated from kept the conversation fresh and humanized the brand. Staying on the same medium shows that the brand speaks with the customer's voice and helps manage the brand's reputation smoothly.

The role of customer service in reputation management

When it comes to media reputation management and social media strategies related to it, customer interactions are crucial. You can quickly turn your critics into advocates or they may become your biggest enemies.

Public vs. private responses: how to handle these conversations

Okay, let's break down when to talk in a public forum and when to have a private chat. Or when it is better to share a statement via IG stories or other platform.

Talking to everyone publicly

Scenario 1: When things go wrong (big time):

If something major happens, like a legal issue, product error, or a big mistake, it's important to say something publicly. And fast. This helps you control the story and stop rumors from spreading. It should be a quick (but well thought out) and honest announcement.

Scenario 2: Giving out real information:

During emergencies or when things are changing quickly, use social media to give people the facts. This keeps everyone informed and helps build trust.

Scenario 3: Answering common questions:

If a lot of people are asking the same questions or if rumors are going around, answer them publicly. This way, everyone gets the same correct information.

Talking privately

Scenario 1: When things get personal or complicated

With someone's private information, legal details, or a really emotional situation, take the conversation to DMs. Do not bring the spotlight to it.

Scenario 2: When things get heated

If someone is being aggressive or keeps arguing, don't keep it going in public. It would be fuel on the fire. Move the conversation to a private space and try to resolve the issue calmly.

Scenario 3: When you need to get technical

If you are troubleshooting a technical issue, or dealing with operational details, go to DMs. This keeps the public feed clean and allows for a more focused and detailed conversation. Moreover, it will keep your media reputation clean.

Turning complaints into wins: how a good response can shift negative sentiment

Follow the below rules to create answers that will boost your online reputation and help you create a safe space for your customers.

Step 1: Acknowledge and empathize

People like to be seen and heard. Start by validating the customer’s frustration. Phrases like “I can imagine how frustrated you must have been because of this” to show you’re actively listening. De-escalating tension and setting the stage for resolution is a vital step in reputation management.

Step 2: Ask questions to clarify

You need as much information as you can get. So gather details with open-ended questions like “Can you explain what happened?” This ensures you address the root issue and avoid assumptions.

Media reputation management is based on handling the causes and avoiding such actions in the future.

Step 3: Apologize sincerely

Social media reputation management is all about how people feel. So even if the customer is partially at fault, apologize for the inconvenience. It is common knowledge that apologies reduce negative sentiment more effectively than compensation alone.

Step 4: Give a clear solution

Reputation management covers a solution as well. Provide actionable next steps, such as a refund, replacement, or troubleshooting guide. This will help you cover your final media reputation management touch-ups and take care of your brand image.

Step 5: Follow Up

Do a check-in to confirm satisfaction and gather feedback. This reinforces trust and helps improve processes. It can also be a social proof that you can publish across your social media platforms. After gaining permission, of course.

Automation vs. human touch: when to use chatbots and when people need other people

Check what type of situations you can rely on AI and chatbots for and when you should handle situations personally.

📈 Where AI chatbots excel

• Speed and scalability

There is no doubt that AI beats human work when it comes to time. It can generate responses in seconds. Moreover, it is easier to scale these solutions than to hire new staff.

• Personalization at scale

Retailers are using AI to give you personalized shopping experiences, with tailored product advice and tools to recover abandoned carts. In the beauty world, chatbots are adding augmented reality features, like virtual makeup try-ons, making online shopping more interactive and engaging. There is immense opportunity here to really move your brand into direct conversations with your customer base.

• 24/7 availability

AI needs no sleep, so chatbots operate around the clock. They can address basic queries e.g., shipping updates, FAQs instantly and at any time.

📉 Where AI chatbots fail

• Emotions and empathy

Social media reputation management requires emotions and some dose of empathy. AI struggles with these. Microsoft Copilot even became confrontational when users repeated questions, while DPD’s chatbot swore at customers and criticized its own company. For sure, these are not the emotions dissatisfied clients are looking for. These failures highlight AI’s inability to mirror human emotional intelligence.

• Critical errors and bias

AI is trained based on things that have happened before. If new problems occurs or there are critical problems which AI is not trained well for, its mistakes may cost you a lot. Not only in the case of reputation management, but money wise as well.

• Broken escalation protocols

When issues require human intervention, poorly designed handoffs frustrate users. When chatbots loop users with generic replies instead of escalating issues, frustration grows—and screenshots of these interactions can go viral on social media, harming your brand's reputation.

Pro Tip: Create a "Let me connect you with a specialist" answer and allow users to switch to a real person at will. This way your online reputation may avoid potential cracks.

Building a reputation recovery plan

Reputation recovery requires a structured approach to regaining audience trust. A poorly executed apology or damage control effort can make things worse.

When it comes to social media reputation management there is a thin line to tread. You should be careful with every piece of content you publish when crisis arises.

👉 Monitor your brand mentions with social media reputation management tools and think ahead.

👉 Be prepared to publish effective statements and rebuild your online reputation swiftly.

P.S. Check out this guide on social media crisis management to fine-tune your strategy with a few practical tips.

What makes a statement effective vs. corporate jargon (with apology framework)

It is not just about being sorry. It is about being sincerely sorry, with the right timing and proper wording. You should learn how to apologise as one of the last steps of social media reputation management. Below you can find short framework:

Effective Apology Framework

1️⃣ Timeliness

As you know, time is a crucial indicator when it come to online reputation management. Respond swiftly to prevent misinformation and to show urgency. Thanks to sentiment analysis, you can forecast people's moods even days ahead to keep one step further and react as soon as the first hints reach you.

2️⃣ Own your mistakes

Use unequivocal language: “We made a mistake” or “We apologize for…” And avoid conditional phrases like “If you feel offended.” When it comes to media reputation, you apologize to everyone, all of your consumers, not only those who may feel wronged by your actions.

3️⃣ Transparency

Explain the issue clearly and take corrective steps. If you can, support your words with data and explain all the "whys." Samsung halted production of the Galaxy Note 7 and later emphasized quality reforms after damaging incidents, aligning their actions with words.

4️⃣ Empathy and Restitution

Acknowledge harm with phrases like “We understand this caused frustration,” and offer tangible fixes, e.g., refunds, policy changes, etc. You can also think about investing in charity or other CSR events.

Check out which phrases are no-go when it comes to public apologies and which support your media reputation recovery.

Media reputation recovery: trusted voices of influencers & community engagement

The core of social media are the influencers. So benefit from their world with social media reputation management. Use reputation management tools to track crucial voices in your niche.

Partner with authentic influencers

Select influencers who align with your brand values and have a history of transparency. Do not search for those who are controversial or only recently improved their social media reputation. Allow them to share unfiltered experiences and do not cross the line with overly promotional content.

Support communities

Create dedicated spaces, like social media groups, broadcast channels, or threads for customers to share feedback and connect. Respond promptly to concerns, be engaged with these spaces and share updates form your brand's life.

Benefit from user-generated content

The perks of using social media reputation management tools can be fully realized in brand mentions. So anytime users post and tag you, you will know. Share these on your social media and show your gratitude. Use it as a social proof that people actually like your brand to boost your social media reputation.

30-Day social media reputation management action plan

One of the best decisions you can make in order to take control of your media reputation is to choose one of the many reputation management tools on offer. Below you can find the structured plan to assess, manage, and improve social media reputation with Prowly. 

Week 1: Set up monitoring systems and audit social media reputation

Objective: Establish a system for real-time reputation tracking and identify existing perception gaps.

• Activate social listening features with Prowly to monitor brand sentiment.
• Audit recent brand mentions across platforms to assess current social media reputation.
• Identify key risk areas (customer complaints, misinformation, negative reviews) to create a starting point for your social media reputation management plan.
• Benchmark against competitors to compare perception and engagement trends across various social media platforms.

Week 2: Define response guidelines and train your teams

Objective: Ensure the brand has a clear, structured approach to handling reputation risks.

Social media reputation management needs a response framework for different types of feedback and to various social media.

• Establish escalation procedures for handling serious reputation threats. Once something endangers your social media reputation, you need to know how to react.
• Create response templates to maintain consistency and speed.
• A crucial step in social media reputation management is action. Train customer service and social media teams on best practices.

Week 3: Proactive engagement and trust reinforcement

Objective: Shift from defence to active reputation building.

• Increase community interaction by responding to positive mentions and encouraging UGC. Social media reputation management tools help with that by notifying you anytime someone tags you.
• Launch trust-building campaigns, like behind-the-scenes content. Use social media platforms to show "the inside" of your brand.
• Partner with industry advocates to amplify credibility. This should be the core of social media reputation management.
• Address recurring complaints publicly to show transparency and your commitment to improvement.

Week 4: Measure, adjust, and secure long-term stability

Objective: Check progress, refine strategies, and maintain ongoing social media monitoring.

• Compare sentiment analysis results from W1 to track improvements.
• Refine response strategies based on engagement and feedback data.
• Ensure consistency and implement long-term monitoring KPIs for continued improvement in social media reputation management.

Social media reputation management - key takeaways

Social media reputation management is an ongoing process requiring ongoing monitoring, active responses, and keeping proactive.

Brands that actively manage their social media reputation instead of waiting for crises to emerge maintain stronger, more resilient credibility.

To make sure you take the best care possible of your brand and its social media reputation, choose a tool that will monitor both–online and offline mentions 24/7, and alert you exactly when the crisis just starts to emerge.

The post Social Media Reputation Management: How to Control Your Online Image appeared first on Prowly.

Journalists, bloggers, and influencers might be dropping your name, but without a link, those mentions don’t drive traffic or boost your PR efforts. Unlinked mentions are everywhere, but unless you act on them, you're leaving valuable media exposure on the table.

Below you can find a short description of unlinked brand mentions and how to find unlinked mentions of your brand across the web. And how to use them to boost audience awareness and maximize backlink opportunities.

You can start monitoring mentions in Prowly right away (it’s free for 7 days!) or keep reading to learn more first.

Why unlinked mentions matter more than you think

There are probably many articles, posts, or threads on social media without direct links to your profile or website. All of these are chances you miss to bring people to your brand.

Unlinked mentions are like shout-outs that don't quite reach their destination. It's great that people are mentioning your brand on other websites, but they might not be bringing as much value as they could. And all of your online mentions are crucial in building your brand awareness, bringing in traffic, and boosting your SEO position.

Nevertheless, any time you find brand mentions of your brand, it is proof that people are talking about you and may advocate for your company. Track your brand mentions and analyze the sentiment around them. Learn what people are saying about you and what type of feeling it arouses.

Tracking unlinked mentions: getting started

To boost the benefits you get from any mentions of your brand, you should do your best to convert unlinked mentions. But how to do so?

Preparation

The first step to turning unlinked mentions into an asset is tracking them.

You can use free tools like Google Alerts, but these often don’t give enough detail. That’s where tools like Prowly come in, helping identify when a brand is mentioned across multiple channels, from articles and blogs to social media and beyond.

Tracking unlinked mentions: the traditional SEO approach

Step 1: Recognition

Identify brand mentions by using media monitoring tools (Prowly, Semrush, Brand24) by tracking mentions across the Internet. For those preferring a more hands-on approach, advanced Google search operators can often find mentions manually.

💡 Pro Tip: With Prowly you can track mentions both in online and offline media. And it is easier to find unlinked brand mentions if you are notified about new ones as they come in.

Step 2: Proper search

Focus on domain authority to find and prioritize valuable mentions.

Step 3: Analysis

Consider context. And remember that a well-placed mention in an industry-specific blog can be just as impactful, even without a link. Evaluate placing and its potential benefits.

Step 4: Contact

Reach out for backlinks. Claiming unlinked brand mentions should be direct but not too pushy. Avoid sending generic DMs like “Can you add a link to our website?”

Craft personalized, compelling emails explaining why a link will add value to their content.

Build relationships with journalists and publishers. Any type of contact with the media is an opportunity for successful press releases in the future or perhaps some behind-the-scenes insights.

How to find unlinked brand mentions with Prowly?

Use the Media Monitoring tool to set up specific search queries. Here's how:

1️⃣ Set up a search query. Create a query focused on your brand, keywords, a specific person, or even backlinks.

2️⃣ Define sources. Choose the sources you want to monitor, such as news, blogs, and discussions. For social media monitoring, Prowly lets you track mentions on X (Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

3️⃣ Filter mentions. With Prowly you can segment results by sentiment, location, and post engagement.

4️⃣ Select keywords. Use the "Keywords" filter to narrow down mentions to specific terms, like your brand name or industry terms. You can also monitor misspellings of your brand name and other variations. For example, instead of Coca-Cola people often type Cocacola, coca cola, and etc.

5️⃣ Exclude irrelevant sites. Add links to social media profiles you want to exclude to refine your search and remove unwanted results.

💡 Extra Tip: Don't overlook traditional media when conducting your regular research! Be sure to check mentions in print magazines, radio programs, and television.

You can do this manually if you work for a small client, but to ensure you capture mentions nationally and internationally, consider using a tool that automates the process. That way, you'll never miss a mention—whether it's online or offline.

💡 Want to make the most of your print coverage? Discover how to turn print media monitoring into a powerful part of your PR strategy.

Combine online media monitoring with print and broadcast monitoring in Prowly to have mentions from both digital and traditional news sources at your fingertips—all in one place.

Common Mistakes to avoid when tracking unlinked mentions

1️⃣ Focusing on quantity over quality.

It's not like every new mention should be tracked down.

It is essential to prioritize the quality of the mentions over the volume. Keep in mind that not all mentions are equally valuable. For example, even unlinked mention by Forbes may mean much more than a linked one by too niche of a blog.So always assess the DA (preferably the DR as well) and relevance of the site or blog to determine which mentions are worth pursuing.

2️⃣ Falling into the trap of merely tracking mentions without taking any meaningful action.

So why bother?

It's essential to engage with journalists and bloggers instead of just observing. Use these mentions as opportunities to connect. Create relationships and transform them into valuable backlinks for your website. Don’t miss out on the chance to turn new unlinked mentions into long-lasting and powerful partnerships!

3️⃣ Generic, one-size-fits-all requests for a backlink are less likely to succeed.

Nobody wants to feel like everybody.

So, take your time to draft and send a personalized and thoughtful message that clearly explains how the content may benefit from linking. Tailoring your approach shows you that your goal is to deliver value, not just a to request a simple favor.

💡 Prowly's AI Assistant can help you craft email pitches that sound more personal and polished—no more writer’s block, no more generic copy. That means higher chances of securing a prime media spot (or a valuable backlink) for your client's brand (or yours!).

Why unlinked mentions are still valuable

Many say that backlinks are the most important piece of SEO.

But even without a link, being mentioned by a reputable source can work wonders for your brand. It helps establish your authority and raises awareness about your business. People may start searching for your brand, which can give your search rankings a nice little boost over time.

So don’t underestimate the power of these mentions—they can play a significant role in your overall online presence!

• Unlinked mentions may not include a direct link, but they are still valuable for SEO. When your brand is featured on trusted websites, it boosts visibility, drives search traffic, and lays the foundation for long-term SEO success.
• Beyond SEO, being mentioned by credible outlets helps build trust with your audience. Mentions on popular and respected platforms signal that your brand is relevant, authoritative, and well-regarded within your industry—making them a powerful asset for both visibility and reputation.

Turning unlinked mentions into PR Opportunities

Unlinked mentions are more than just SEO oversights. They're PR opportunities at your fingertips.

When a top-tier article mentions you without a link, reach out to the source. It's a chance to engage and potentially make a valuable connection.

Find unlinked mentions and maximize their PR potential

Here’s how to maximize unlinked mentions for PR:

• Engage directly and contact the writer. Start by thanking them for the mention and offer additional value. These could be new insights or extra materials. Show goodwill and create a bond to make future mentions or backlinks real.
• Show that you are proud of being mentioned. Share unlinked mentions on your social media to present the value of the mention. This will expand your brand’s reach as well. Even with unlinked brand mentions, you’re gaining visibility.

Unlinked mentions: how to stay ahead

Keeping track of unlinked mentions isn’t just about boosting your brand’s visibility.

It’s also a fantastic way to gain insights into your competition. Check where your competitors are mentioned and if they are linked. This way you can discover new places to promote your brand.

Moreover, once you find unlinked brand mentions, you can identify new media opportunities. If competitors are getting unlinked mentions by specific influencers, what about you? These could be valuable connections to explore.

Hence you are analyzing your competitors' brand mentions, you can spot their gaps and even benefit from them. Give yourself the chance to jump into and use these media/ profiles/ publications in your favor.

Converting unlinked mentions into backlinks

Once you’ve tracked unlinked mentions and assessed their value, it's time to convert them into backlinks. What is a top-secret approach once you detect unlinked brand mentions? Avoid sending generic messages. So what should you do? Craft personalized, thoughtful outreach that highlights the mutual benefits of adding a link. Show that you care.

What to do:

1️⃣ Make your outreach personal and provide context.

Explain exactly where and how your brand was mentioned and highlight how adding a link would improve the article or post for their readers. Do not assume that everyone is aware of unlinked mentions of your brand.

2️⃣ Go the extra mile!

Offer additional resources like research, insights, or expert commentary, that can enhance the content. This makes it more likely for the author to add your link because you're making their article even better.

3️⃣ Peace is always a good strategy. So take your time.

Building genuine relationships with media and bloggers takes time. Hence, focus on creating connections rather than just getting a link.

When is it better not to convert unlinked mentions of your brand?

While unlinked brand mentions can sometimes be valuable opportunities, there are moments when it’s best not to contact the authors.

These situations include:

• Negative mentions of your brand
• A site owner asking you to pay for linking your brand online.
• Private blog network (PBN).
• You find unlinked mentions on a site that is a part of a link farm.

Regarding point No. 2, you’d need to consider all the factors:
1️⃣ First, the domain authority (DA).
If it is high, it might be worth paying for the link. Just think about the cost. Can you afford it and will these unlinked brand mentions be a good investment for your company?
2️⃣ The context of the article that your link would appear.
Is it relevant to your niche? If the answer is no, keep the money in your pocket.

Unlinked brand mentions: all you need to know

Think of unlinked brand mentions as hidden ways to boost your brand. Do not let them slip by. Find unlinked mentions and use them in your favor.

Why bother finding unlinked brand mentions?

Because with them you can:

• improve your SEO by getting a link from a website that made unlinked mentions of your brand.
• drive your brand's visibility – even unlinked brand mentions are a way to find you.
• boost more traffic –all brand mentions have the power to catch user's interest.

How to turn unlinked brand mentions into backlinks

• reach out personally – remember that whenever you want unlinked mentions to become linked ones, be direct and chat with sources personally.
• add value – share extra resources, data, or expert insights to improve your content.
• think long-term – building connections with writers and bloggers pays off in the future, so be patient and focus on quality. It not only about tracking these unlinked mentions, it's about bonding.

So, start actively searching for those unlinked mentions. When you find unlinked brand mentions, see it as a chance to build authority, boost traffic, and turn simple mentions into valuable brand assets!

The post The Guide to Unlinked Mentions: More Than Just a Backlink Opportunity appeared first on Prowly.

Company's reputation can be its most valuable asset – or its greatest liability. And it is a fragile side of its overall image.

Anyone can share an opinion and experience on social media, so managing your brand's reputation has never been more critical.

A reputation management platform is a powerful tool designed to give you a leg up. You can monitor the online buzz about your brand and quickly answer any comments shared by users.

Brand awareness is more than numbers—it’s about making an impact. Leverage insights from surveys, social buzz, and analytics to craft bold strategies that amplify recognition and fuel growth.

What is reputation management software

A reputation management platform is a tool that will help you maintain and enhance your online presence.

How does it work?

It follows online reviews, monitors brand mentions, and analyzes sentiment across platforms, providing you with real and actionable date. A good reputation management tool should alert you to customer feedback and discussions about your brand on social media, review sites, and in various online forums.

They should get you the info you need quickly so you can react to any negative or positive customer feedback and take care of your brand's online reputation in real time. This gives you an advantage and the ability to keep always one step ahead as well as nip any potential crisis in the bud.

Use Prowly's all-in-one software to follow mentions and analyze sentiment. Set up alerts and react promptly to any buzz.

How does reputation management work exactly?

Imagine you are managing the reputation of a beauty eCommerce business and using online reputation management tools.

You can receive real-time notifications about negative product reviews or immediately register complaints about shipping delays. By quickly addressing these issues – such as reviewing a given batch of products or switching to another delivery company, or even offering one-time discounts to effected customers, you can mitigate potential damage to your company or client's reputation and improve customer satisfaction.

This proactive way not only helps in resolving immediate concerns but also fosters trust and loyalty among customers. You've saved your brand's reputation before it got any worse and needed damage control.

Why your business needs reputation management software

Reputation management software helps the best businesses monitor customer feedback consistently. By tracking reviews and comments on platforms like Google, Yelp, and across social media, businesses can quickly spot and address any concerns or opportunities.

This quick response not only resolves issues but also builds trust with customers, showing them that their feedback matters.

Here's why it is so important in the digital whirlwind era (and how to handle potential crises well).

For instance, a restaurant that promptly replies to both positive and negative reviews signals its commitment to customer satisfaction, which can boost loyalty and encourage repeat visits.

So reputation management services may help you:

1. Protect brand reputation via safeguarding positive brand image. You can track and address negative reviews and comments promptly.
2. Enhance customer relations via monitoring customer feedback in real time. You can respond quickly to concerns and build stronger relationships with your customers.
3. Increase online visibility by managing your online reputation across various platforms, ensuring that positive content is highlighted, which can attract more customers and enhance brand trust.
4. Facilitate data analysis thanks to valuable insights into customer sentiment and behavior, you can make data-based decisions and tailor your reputation management strategy on the go.
5. Streamline workflow by automating monitoring and response processes, saving time and resources and allowing you to focus on growth rather than performing manual reputation management tasks.
6. Build trust and credibility via a strong online reputation. You can foster trust among consumers and attract new clients thanks to positive online reviews and a sterling business's reputation.

Threats of not using a reputation management tool

What may happen if you ignore online feedback?

It can pose significant risks. First, it's damage to your brand's reputation. You can lose trust and potential customers. Moreover, negative reviews can deter prospective clients. Studies show that almost half of internet shoppers trust online opinions as much as recommendations from friends and family.

Here are more articles that dive deep into the topic of PR crisis and reputation management:
▪️ Best PR Crisis Management Software Comparison: 6 Options to Consider
▪️ 16 PR Crisis Management Examples: What (Not) to Do
▪️ PR Crisis Management Guide (w/ Strategies and Examples)
▪️ How to Write a Crisis Press Release (Examples and Templates)
▪️ Social Media Reputation Management: How to Control Your Online Image

Key features to look for in reputation management software

#1 Centralized dashboard for monitoring multiple channels

A centralized dashboard allows you to monitor your online reputation across various platforms including Google, Yelp, and social media platforms all in one place.

Such a feature provides a comprehensive overview of feedback and reviews so you can stay up to date with your brand's reputation. Moreover, it reduces the time you would need to spend switching between different tools, allowing teams to focus on strategic responses rather than administrative tasks.

How to do it?

With Prowly you can collect queries from various platforms and keep your finger on the pulse with the buzz about your brands.

This online reputation management tool allows you to follow social media platforms, forums, and news websites. You can also follow both broadcast and print media to ensure that your brand's reputation is protected from all potential threats.

#2 Automated alerts for reviews or mentions

Automated alerts provide businesses with immediate notifications whenever new reviews or mentions are posted online. This feature enables organizations to respond swiftly to feedback. With real-time notifications, you can tackle potential issues before they escalate. This helps you to preserve a positive image of your company.

How to do it?

Prowly notifies you about any new mention of your brand. So it gives you the opportunity to timely respond to reviews and demonstrate to customers that their opinions matter. Which may turn into a loyal and trustworthy customer base. You can also filter what notifications you receive by region, language, and sentiment, among others.

#3 Sentiment analysis and reporting tools

Sentiment analysis is a feature that any solid online reputation management tools should provide. With it you can evaluate the tone of customer reviews as they come in, categorizing them as positive, negative, or neutral. This way, you can understand public perception better, quicker and adjust your strategy in real time.

How to do it?

With Prowly, every mention of your brand can be detected and categorized as negative, positive or neutral. Thanks to it you have the possibility to put down a crisis before it gains momentum. Moreover, you can also take care of your brand's reputation by identifying areas for improvement and making informed decisions about your portfolio.

#4 Competitive benchmarking

By comparing your reputation metrics against your competitors, you can get insights into industry standards. It may help you identify areas for improvement.

You can follow keywords and mentions about your competitors with Prowly. It allows you to set your strategic position and highlight your USP.

#5 Social listening

Usually, online reputation management tools offer a set of features dedicated to social listening across media platforms. This supports understanding what is being said about your brand on social media and helps in managing your brand online.

How to do it?

Prowly tracks:

• Coverage on X, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram
• Likes, shares and comments for each of the above
• Mention sentiment (with the option to adjust in case of errors)

You can use these to gain a comprehensive overview of your social media presence and plan your actions accordingly.

💡 Tip: If you want to make your PR strategy truly robust, read these articles to learn how to manage your brand reputation and protect its reputation.

Four top reputation management software options

#1 Prowly

Prowly is a standout choice in reputation management tools. This platform offers comprehensive features tailored to enhance public relations efforts. With this online reputation management tool you gain access to an extensive media database of over 1 million contacts.

Moreover, you can effectively pitch user stories and monitor online mentions via robust media monitoring and social listening tools.

Another big pro, a user-friendly interface that minimizes the learning curve, making this reputation management tool is accessible for PR professionals at all experience levels. And you can try it for 7 days for free.

Below you can find a comparison with other options, like Cision or Prezly.

💡 If you want to dive into this topic more, you can check out our comprehensive guide that includes a full online reputation management tools comparison.

Tools comparison

Cision

Cision offers a comprehensive range of tools dedicated to PR professionals.

This online reputation management tool gives you a vast media database and advanced analytics. Additionally, it offers excellent social listening and brand monitoring options across multiple channels.

However, its powerful features can be a bit complex, which may mean that new users will need some time to get familiar with the platform.

MuckRack

This online reputation management platform specializes in media monitoring and provides a huge journalist database.

This tool allows you to track coverage and analyze the effectiveness of your PR campaigns. The platform is designed to simplify connecting with journalists and managing media relations.

Prezly

Prezly focuses on contact management and email pitching while providing a dedicated online newsroom feature.

This online reputation management tool may be particularly beneficial for companies that aim to enhance their media relations and boost their storytelling capabilities.

Here's how Cision, Muck Rack and Prezly compare to other software options:
▪️ 7 Best Cision Alternatives in 2025
▪️ Muck Rack vs. Cision vs. Prowly: 2025 Feature & Pricing Comparison
▪️ Cision vs Meltwater vs Prowly – 2025 Pricing & Feature Comparison
▪️ Prezly Pricing in 2025: How Much Does Prezly Cost?
▪️ Top Prezly Alternatives for 2025 (Pricing Plans & Features)
▪️ Top 7 Muck Rack Alternatives You Should Consider in 2025
▪️ Muck Rack Pricing in 2025 – How Much Does it Cost?

Tips for using reputation management software

So let's assume you've already chosen an online reputation management tool.

To get the most out of it follow these tips:

1. Set up automated alerts

Configure automated alerts for new reviews and mentions across all platforms. Such action ensures you’re always aware of what people are saying about your brand.

2. Create response templates

Develop customizable response templates for both positive and negative reviews. With an online reputation management tool, you can maintain a consistent tone. It may also speed up your response time.

3. Engage professionally with negative reviews

A bitter pill to swallow, but not everyone will be a fan of yours. When responding to negative reviews, stay professional and empathetic. Acknowledge the customer's experience. If appropriate, apologize and offer a solution. You can also invite them to a discussion via DMs. This way, you show that you value their feedback and are ready to make improvements.

4. Use insights to refine marketing strategies

A solid online reputation management tool gives you valuable data. And you can make crucial decisions based on it. Sentiment analysis and trends reviews, use them to refine your marketing strategies.

Your brand's reputation is based on understanding customer perceptions. And this data allows you to tailor your messaging and offerings accordingly.

To sum up

Reputation isn’t just managed—it’s engineered.

With public sentiment shifting in real time, staying ahead means more than just monitoring chatter; it’s about shaping the conversation.

The right tools don’t just track mentions—they equip you to navigate crises, amplify wins, and fine-tune your strategy with precision. In a landscape where perception drives profitability, a proactive approach isn’t a luxury—it’s your competitive edge.

The post How to Choose the Best Reputation Management Software? (+ Examples) appeared first on Prowly.

It’s time to find out—measure your brand awareness and see where you really stand.

In this guide, we’ll show you exactly how to track and understand your brand’s presence and visibility. We will also list some powerful brand tracking tools and strategies to help you with the task.

Why it's crucial to track brand awareness

Tracking brand awareness is crucial. Yes, and so is drinking water—both are basic survival skills for brands and humans alike.

So why are we talking about it yet again? Because actually measuring it isn’t as obvious as it seems.

Brand awareness helps businesses understand how well they are connecting with their audience. As well as granting them knowledge of their market position.

A recognizable brand builds trust, and that's a fact. Trust is the foundation of lasting customer relationships. When people believe in and rely on your brand, they’re more likely to stick around and make repeat purchases. And even recommend you to others.

A strong reputation can be a game-changer. Unfortunately, staying on top of it isn’t always easy.

There are so many brands on the market and customer preferences are shifting constantly. So you need to keep a close eye on how your brand is perceived.

By consistently tracking awareness, you can spot changes in customer sentiment. Hence, you can adapt your marketing strategy and ensure your brand stays relevant and top of the mind.

Simple and smart ways to measure brand awareness

Track manually

If you want to start tracking manually before trying dedicated tools, here’s how:

• You can begin with following brand mentions on social media platforms.
• You can start checking online reviews there, on your website, as well as on platforms like g2 or Capterra.
• You can also provide feedback sessions with your target audience during interviews or start gathering post-service survey data.

Go-To free tools

• Use social listening tools, check Google Trends data as well as native social media platform analytics.
• Gather insights regarding brand perception by going through Google Analytics data and website traffic.
• You can also create a brand awareness survey via free tools and send it to your existing customers or use it as a point of contact with potential new consumers.

Use advanced tools

All of the above works, of course. But professional social listening tools deliver more valuable insights and help you analyze your brand awareness and marketing efforts with greater care. With such a platform, you can track branded keywords, follow social media mentions, analyze your media coverage, and react to brand recall in real time.

Tools like Prowly also help you create a brand marketing strategy based on social media and web traffic indicators. They can give you a deep insight into brand awareness metrics and helps you better understand your potential customers.

What are the metrics to measure brand awareness?

#1 Brand impressions

Brand impressions tell you how many times your content has been shown to people across different channels. You can think of it as the number of times your brand has popped up before someone’s eyes.

The more impressions you have, the greater the chance that people are becoming familiar with your brand. You can keep track of these impressions using analytics tools or analytic features provided. You can also check all-in-one platforms, like Prowly, to measure brand awareness swiftly.

#2 Share of Voice (SoV)

Calculate your brand's share of voice by comparing your mentions across various social media channels against your competitors. This metric provides insight into how visible your brand is in the market compared to others.

#3 Social listening metrics

Using social listening tools allows you to track various metrics like total mentions, unique reach, follower growth, and hashtag performance. These may be a significant part of your brand awareness measurement.

Social listening is a part of media monitoring. Here's how it looks like in Prowly. ↴

Additionally, you can keep an eye on other brands, what they publish, and what people are saying about their brand and products. Check out our Brand Performance Guide for extra tips.

#4 Content engagement

Take a peek at your content marketing strategy. Brand awareness tools offer not only social listening features, but content-related ones as well.

Monitor how people engage with what you are publishing.

This aspect is very important, brand awareness at a high level means that you know how to connect with people and keep their eyes on you.

#5 Branded search volume

• Track what is on the rise across search engines.
• Follow the number of searches specifically for your brand name.

You can use Google Analytics or social media listening tools for this. An increase in branded search volume often means both a rising brand awareness and a growing interest.

But don't overlook traditional media when conducting your regular research! Be sure to check mentions in print magazines, radio programs, and television.

You can do this manually if you work for a small client, but to ensure you capture mentions nationally and internationally, consider using a tool that automates the process. That way, you'll never miss a mention—whether it's online or offline.

Combine online media monitoring with print and broadcast monitoring in Prowly to have mentions from both digital and traditional news sources at your fingertips—all in one place.

Tools for building a recognizable brand you must know

Boosting your brand awareness and marketing efforts should involve a set of helpful tools.

Social media listening tools

Brand perception is all about social media platforms. Building your brand awareness campaigns should start there. Where is your target audience, what type of content do they prefer, and how to stand out from all the brands across the internet?

Use social listening tools and follow mentions, comments, likes - everything that is connected to your brand... or your competitors'.

These tools help you raise brand awareness and manage it with real data. Use a social media management tool to plan content that will catch your target audience's attention and react to their actions. By keeping your finger on the pulse you can also mitigate crises before they really start to burn.

Worth-knowing social listening tools:

• Prowly
• Brand24
• Brandwatch
• Hootsuite
• HubSpot
• Buffer

Check out our top 15+ social listening tools list to check find more platforms and pricing options.

Prowly offers you the ability to set notifications about the newest mentions. You can set custom alarms and a list of keywords that are crucial for building your brand awareness.

Email and content marketing tools

Creating your brand awareness strategy should involve content that matters to your target. Publish posts, infographics and videos that will help build your brand awareness and create a space for people to connect and engage.

If you are all about email marketing and as a support to your content marketing efforts, use tools that will help automate the process. Create message templates, find the right recipients, and analyze the numbers.

For example, Prowly gives you an extensive database where you can find journalists and influencers that will be valuable to you. You can also create a pitch and use AI support to make it even more successful.

Tools you should know:

• Prowly
• MailChimp
• HubSpot
• GetResponse

Analytics tools

Your brand awareness tools kit should also cover analytical aspects. Follow external links and relevant keywords (which will help your SEO strategy), and see if your advertising efforts resonate with your target customers.

Best tools worth knowing:

• Google Analytics
• Google Search Console
• Semrush
• Prowly

Prowly provides its media database with audience analytics. This allows users to analyze the visitor profiles of media outlets. Moreover, the platform includes a detailed analytics dashboard that tracks the performance of published content, including visits and traffic sources.

It is always easier (and better) to invest in a tool that has it all.

Prowly is an all-in-one platform that supports your brand awareness efforts, helps you follow traffic across social media platforms, and assists in measuring brand awareness and improving it.

Tips for getting the most from brand awareness tools

#1 Stay active on social media platforms

Social media is one of the best ways to build brand awareness. You can use a social media management tool to schedule posts, track engagement, and keep your messaging consistent. Pay attention to metrics like likes, shares, and mentions. They are key indicators of your brand recognition and perception.

Stay in the loop with custom notifications and alerts. Set up alerts based on specific keywords related to your brand. These can be your brand name, product names, competitor brands, or relevant industry terms. So whenever anyone mentions your brand you can react and build brand awareness across channels.

#2 Hear what people are saying

Any publicity is good publicity - is it though? Stay in the loop and follow social media engagement. When it comes to creating brand awareness and keeping it high, social listening tools should be your best friends. Follow what people are saying and be quick to answer questions or any doubts.

Moreover, you can use sentiment analysis features to quickly understand the tone of the mentions. Building brand awareness demands responding to any kind of discussion. Positive, negative, or neutral – just stay involved.

But brand awareness is not always about your customer. It may also include your employees. Use But brand awareness is not always about your customer. It may also include your employees. Use employee advocacy to strengthen brand advocacy and boost engagement on content they publish. Make them feel appreciated.

And focusing on social media management and following hot topics may bring you ideas on new content pieces and social media campaigns that can create a buzz.

#3 Keep an eye on the numbers

Creating a brand awareness strategy should answer a the demand to stay at the top of your target minds. This means you have to be present in search engine results (ranked top 3 preferably), target your marketing campaigns with care and backed by real user data, and deliver content that matters and catches the eye.

Thanks to modern analytics tools you can recognize trends and focus on the most relevant content. This can help you with budget management and measures the effectiveness of brand awareness activities.

For example, Google Analytics will help you analyze website traffic so you can set your marketing campaigns accordingly and keep your budget in line.

What is more, you can also track brand awareness metrics like SoV, sentiment, and engagement to adapt brand awareness campaigns and your other content as well.

#4 Provide brand awareness surveys

If you offer something to people, you should be open to the feedback they can share with you. Or even ask them to do so. Put forth questions not only about the quality of your services or products, but about your brand as well.

Conduct surveys to measure how well your target audience recognizes and understands your brand. It should establish the angle of your effort. Should you focus on increasing brand awareness or focus on the first step, which is brand recognition?

Such data may become a valuable asset while measuring brand awareness and creating campaigns to keep it on track.

#5 Stay SEO optimized

One brand awareness metric includes keywords and SEO. Your content needs to be optimized to keep your brand's online presence on top. Follow Google Trends and use content marketing tools to adapt topics to your strategy.

Do not forget about the technical aspects, like errors on your website, broken links, or page loading time. A good marketing strategy covers all topics, both behind the scenes and on the main stage.

To sum up

Brand awareness isn’t just about numbers—it’s about making your brand unforgettable. By tapping into surveys, social buzz, and analytics, you don’t just track visibility; you uncover the pulse of your audience.

The real magic? Turning those insights into bold strategies that amplify recognition and fuel growth. Stay ahead of the curve, adapt relentlessly, and watch your brand carve out its space in the spotlight.

Ready to level up? Give Prowly a spin and see the difference for yourself.

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