Like any technology investment, making a decision about which media monitoring or earned media measurement tool is right for your business can be challenging. Every solution has its own unique value proposition and feature set, and wading through the vetting process is often complicated.
But, whether you are looking at adopting a brand tracking solution for the first time or are re-evaluating your options, there are a couple of “staples” to insist on. To help you narrow your search, here are some features, benefits and services to look out for as you make your evaluation:
Real-time results
When you are monitoring important media coverage—whether it’s a PR crisis or an especially impactful brand story—getting results quickly is absolutely critical. So, as you consider what media monitoring tool to invest in, make sure the platform you choose has the ability to deliver your results within 60 seconds of the mention.
All-in-one monitoring capability
As marketers know well, we live in a multichannel world. Marketing and PR professionals invest time and money on increasing brand awareness across a variety of media channels including television, radio, social media, online news and licensed print. As such, a platform that has the ability to monitor all of these channels should be an integral part of any media plan.
Robust analytics and reporting
In today’s media environment, it’s not enough to simply track mentions. That’s a good starting point, but you need to get deeper to truly understand what your media worth. So, any platform you adopt should have the ability to track brand sentiment, earned media value, geographic location, etc.
24/7/365 customer service
“Always-on” support is often overlooked but should absolutely be considered during your vetting process. For starters, if you ever experience any kind of disruption, knowing you can reach somebody live at any time will bring peace of mind. Additionally, if you sign on with a vendor that provides you with a dedicated account manager, you’ll always have somebody on the other end of the phone who truly knows your business and can ensure you get the absolute maximum value out of the platform.
If you are looking for a media monitoring platform that offers all of these benefits, we’d love to discuss your options with you.
Until next time!
Critical Mention
Eric Lebowitz
Eric Lebowitz joined Critical Mention in 2018 as its Director of Marketing. A native New Yorker, he originally began his career in journalism and later moved to marketing, discovering a passion for branding and analytics. Eric brought a background in content marketing, marketing measurement and marketing automation, having previously co-founded and managed his own agency. In his spare time, Eric loves to play as much golf as possible at courses across the country.
