Sending a press release is only the beginning. What truly determines success is what happens after the release goes out: who picked it up, where it was published, how people engaged with it, and what kind of results it generated for your brand or campaign. For Nigerian businesses, NGOs, agencies, and startups, tracking press release performance is essential to understanding return on investment, improving future distribution, and showing measurable impact to stakeholders.
This guide explores how to track, measure, and improve the performance of your press release after distributing it via Pressdia. You will also learn how to use platforms like Crest Africa, Talented Women Network, and Empire Magazine Africa to amplify your release and enhance your media results.
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Why Press Release Analytics Matter in Nigeria
In a media environment like Nigeria’s, where multiple press stories compete for attention across online and print platforms, performance tracking helps you:
- Understand which media outlets actually published your story
- Measure how much web traffic or brand awareness the story generated
- Calculate ROI on your press distribution spend
- Discover what kind of stories resonate with Nigerian audiences
- Adjust your approach for better results next time
Without analytics, a press release becomes a shot in the dark. But with the right tracking tools and interpretation, each release becomes a learning opportunity that strengthens your overall PR strategy.
The Most Important Metrics to Track
Let us break down the key metrics that matter after distributing your press release through Pressdia:
1. Media Pickup Rate
This is the number of news outlets or platforms that published your press release or referred to it in a story.
How to track it:
- Use Pressdia’s distribution report
- Set up Google Alerts for your brand, keywords, or announcement headline
- Search manually on top Nigerian media websites (e.g., Vanguard, Punch, Techpoint)
- Track social reposts by platforms like Empire Magazine Africa
Why it matters: Pickup rate shows whether your story resonated with editors. A high rate often reflects good timing, structure, and relevance.
2. Backlinks and Referrals
These are the hyperlinks that point back to your website or landing page from the press release coverage.
How to track it:
- Use Google Search Console or Ubersuggest to track new backlinks
- Use Bitly or UTM-tagged links in your release for specific call-to-action tracking
- Check your Pressdia report to see where links were included
Why it matters: Backlinks improve SEO and help bring potential customers, donors, or partners to your platform.
3. Website Traffic Spikes
Look at how your site performed within 24–72 hours of sending the release.
What to measure:
- Number of new users
- Bounce rate
- Average session duration
- Page views on your linked content
Tools to use: Google Analytics, Jetpack (for WordPress), or HubSpot
Why it matters: A spike in web traffic tells you that readers took action after reading your release, a sign that your headline and CTA worked.
4. Engagement From Target Audiences
This refers to comments, emails, DMs, registrations, or other forms of direct engagement resulting from the release.
How to track it:
- Check your contact form submissions
- Monitor inbox replies to your listed press contact
- Track downloads (if offering a report or media kit)
- Use WhatsApp Business for real-time interest
Why it matters: High engagement often means the release reached people who care, potential clients, investors, journalists, or supporters.
5. Social Media Impact
Even if the release was shared through media houses, how far did it travel online?
Check for:
- Social shares of articles or the release itself
- Mentions by influencers or media partners
- Comments, retweets, or tags
- Reposts from platforms like Talented Women Network or Crest Africa
Why it matters: Social performance amplifies your story’s reach and adds community trust to the media exposure.
6. Conversion Events
For product launches or campaigns, measure what action people took after reading your press release.
Examples of conversions:
- Signing up for a free trial
- Donating to a campaign
- Registering for an event
- Purchasing a product
- Subscribing to a newsletter
Track with:
- Goal setting in Google Analytics
- CRM lead capture systems
- Custom landing page tracking
Why it matters: Conversions are the most tangible measure of PR success — especially when tied directly to business growth.
Using Pressdia to Simplify Post-Release Tracking
Pressdia not only distributes your release across Nigerian and African media platforms, it also provides delivery confirmation and a performance summary. This includes:
- Names of outlets your release was sent to
- Time of distribution
- Confirmation of pickup from key partners (when applicable)
- Opportunity to include UTM links for your CTA tracking
To go further, you can:
- Request high-resolution screenshots or live links
- Schedule a post-campaign consultation
- Review your previous campaign reports to guide future releases
Pressdia makes your post-distribution analysis smoother by centralising key insights.
Enhancing Your Metrics With Platform Partnerships
Collaborating with well-established visibility platforms like Talented Women Network, Empire Magazine Africa, and Crest Africa can dramatically improve your analytics results.
1. Talented Women Network
If your release involves women empowerment, female leadership, education, or community upliftment, partner with Talented Women Network to republish your story or host a feature.
Benefits:
- Targeted readership
- Higher engagement from women-led networks
- Cross-platform shares and mentions
2. Empire Magazine Africa
Perfect for lifestyle, luxury, entrepreneurship, and leadership-driven stories. Their platforms attract high-net-worth audiences and decision-makers.
Benefits:
- Brand positioning through storytelling
- Inclusion in their editorial calendar
- SEO-rich backlinks from high-traffic features
3. Crest Africa
Ideal for innovation, impact, policy engagement, and pan-African campaigns. Crest Africa curates some of the continent’s most credible thought-leadership stories.
Benefits:
- Strategic authority-building
- Inclusion in continent-wide lists or interviews
- Long-term reputation benefits beyond the initial release
Partnering with these networks not only expands reach but gives your press release additional platforms where metrics can be tracked and analysed for performance.
Optimise Future Releases Based on Analytics
Once you gather your metrics, the next step is turning insight into action. Here’s how to improve:
A. Refine Timing
Did your press release perform better when sent on a Tuesday morning or Thursday afternoon? Use those insights to optimise your next release schedule through Pressdia.
B. Improve Structure
If releases with bullet points and quotes got better pickup than others, make that your new standard. If editors ignored dense, text-heavy stories, simplify them next time.
C. Adjust Targeting
If lifestyle-focused outlets showed stronger engagement than business-focused ones, switch bundles accordingly.
D. Strengthen Calls to Action
If clicks were low but pickup was high, your CTA might need clarity. Make sure each press release ends with a direct instruction (e.g., sign up, register, contact, learn more).
E. A/B Test Headlines
Try two versions of the same release headline for different platforms. Compare open rates, shares, or web traffic per headline and refine based on performance.
Success Story: From Press Release to Partnership
A tech startup based in Ibadan launched a press release via Pressdia announcing the expansion of its delivery service into underserved towns in Oyo State. The release was picked up by several outlets, but it was the mention on Crest Africa that got the attention of a policy advocacy organisation working in rural logistics.
A month later, the startup had secured a pilot partnership and received a funding inquiry from a Lagos-based VC. They traced the connection back to the story pickup and social shares. This chain of results was only possible because the release was tracked, optimised, and supported by a visible network.
Tools to Help You Measure Press Release Performance
You do not need complex software. Start with:
- Google Analytics: For traffic, referrals, conversions
- Google Search Console: For backlinks and keyword performance
- Bitly or Rebrandly: For link tracking
- UTM Parameters: For campaign performance on websites
- Mention or Brand24: For media pickups and alerts
- WhatsApp Business: For media responses and inquiries
Most of these tools are free or low-cost, yet powerful enough to guide your decision-making.
Common Post-Distribution Mistakes to Avoid
- Not tracking results at all
- Using generic links instead of tagged CTAs
- Failing to follow up with editors for live links
- Ignoring non-traditional platforms like blogs or community networks
- Disregarding insights from previous campaigns when writing new ones
Always build analytics into your workflow from the beginning — not as an afterthought.
Final Checklist: Analytics Strategy After Distribution
Before you launch your next press release:
- Have you prepared UTM links or short links?
- Is your press contact ready to field responses?
- Do you have Google Analytics and Search Console set up?
- Are you tracking keywords and mentions via alerts?
- Have you partnered with platforms that extend your reach?
If yes, you are ready to not only distribute, but also measure and maximise your results.
Let Pressdia Help You Distribute and Measure
Every story you share has value. But to capture that value, you must track what happens after you click send. With Pressdia, Nigerian brands, NGOs, and startups gain more than access to top-tier outlets, they get support in achieving measurable visibility.
Combine that distribution power with strategic partnerships through Talented Women Network, Empire Magazine Africa, and Crest Africa, and you are not just sending a press release, you are building momentum.
You cannot manage what you do not measure. Start tracking what matters today.
