Media Metrics That Matter: How Brands Should Measure PR ROI

Let’s get real. Media coverage alone doesn’t move the needle. Your cannabis brand needs more than a few glossy mentions in industry publications. It needs results that tie back to growth, awareness, and long-term credibility.

At Green Lane Communication, we’ve secured over 12,300 media placements for cannabis clients in outlets like Forbes, Rolling Stone, High Times, and Marijuana Business Daily. And we’ve learned this: PR is only valuable if you can measure it in a way that supports your business goals.

Vanity metrics (like the number of press hits or impressions) only tell part of the story. To truly measure PR ROI, you need to dig deeper.

Here’s how to do it.

1. Start With Strategy: PR Should Map to Business Goals

Before measuring anything, you’ve got to ask: What are we trying to achieve?

Are you looking to attract investors? Build consumer trust? Become the go-to brand in your market? Your PR goals should align directly with your business objectives. That way, your KPIs will be strategic, not random.

For example:

• Goal: Attract investmentPR KPI: Share of voice in national financial media

• Goal: Boost sales in new marketsPR KPI: Coverage in regional consumer-facing outlets

• Goal: Build brand credibilityPR KPI: Quality placements in authoritative publications

2. Quality Over Quantity: Focus on Media Impact, Not Media Count

One mention in Rolling Stone beats 20 low-tier blogs. So stop counting clips and start weighing impact.

Key quality indicators to track:

• Relevance: Is the outlet read by your target audience?

• Authority: Does the publication influence policy, consumers, or investors?

• Message Pull-Through: Did the article include your key talking points?

• Link Placement: Is there a backlink to your site or product?

If your brand name is in a headline, that’s gold. If a founder quote made it into a feature, even better.

3. Backlinks and SEO: Don’t Overlook the Digital Value

PR can give your cannabis brand a huge boost in search visibility. Backlinks from high-authority outlets can:

• Improve your domain authority

• Drive referral traffic

• Help your brand rank higher for strategic keywords

If you're investing in PR, make sure your media wins aren’t only building buzz, they’re building SEO equity too.

4. Executive Visibility: Are You Becoming the Face of the Category?

Positioning your leadership team as credible experts should be part of your PR playbook. Why? Because investors, journalists, and stakeholders trust people more than companies.

Metrics to track:

• Number of quotes, bylines, and interviews tied to executives

• Speaker invitations and podcast appearances

• Follower growth on LinkedIn or other platforms

• Media mentions linked to individual names

If you're not becoming a go-to source for insight, you're missing a massive opportunity to shape the conversation (and future) of cannabis.

Final Thoughts

You wouldn’t launch a product without sales goals. Don’t launch a PR campaign without clear KPIs, either. In the cannabis space, where perception, regulation, and consumer trust intersect, PR should be a strategic engine, not a side hustle.

At Green Lane Communication, we’re not here to chase headlines. We’re here to grow your brand, your authority, and your market share. Let’s get started.