Listening Before Speaking – How Media Audits and Social Listening Lay the Foundation for Every Communications Strategy
By Michaela Krause
Our industry is often stereotyped as one that loves to talk, non-stop. Whether it’s in shows like Absolutely Fabulous or The Good Wife, the image of the nonstop-talking PR consultant is widespread. So, it might come as a surprise that for me, listening remains the crown jewel of communication. I often wish that clients would give us more time to listen, instead of immediately jumping into action and talk mode.
If we truly want to understand what’s happening in the minds of our target audiences, we need more than just our own ideas—we need our eyes and ears. Media Audits and Social Listening are two powerful tools that help ground our communication strategy in solid insights. They don’t just help us cut through the noise, but allow us to communicate more precisely and effectively.
What are Media Audits and Social Listening?
A Media Audit is a comprehensive analysis of past media coverage and public perception of a company or brand. It involves systematically reviewing press reports, articles, blog posts, and other media mentions to determine how a brand is being portrayed. Media Audits help assess existing communication strategies, identify the strengths and weaknesses of previous PR efforts, and provide valuable insights into which messages resonate and where improvements are needed.
Social Listening, on the other hand, involves paying close attention to conversations happening in digital spaces. It’s the monitoring of online discussions and interactions across social networks, forums, and digital communities. This doesn’t just mean tracking mentions of the brand itself, but also identifying the topics, needs, and concerns that matter to the target audience. Tools like Brandwatch, Hootsuite Insights, or Sprout Social offer detailed insights into mentions, sentiment, and trends. By analyzing key metrics such as sentiment analysis, reach, and engagement, brands can discover how people are talking about specific topics—and where to adjust their communication strategy.
Why are they important?
In an era where opinions and trends change faster than ever, always on Media Audits and Social Listening are indispensable. They form the foundation for well-informed decision-making, ensuring communication strategies are on point and heard by the right audiences. The goal isn’t to generate immediate success in the form of media clippings or social media engagement, but to build long-term relationships—with journalists, media outlets, and target audiences.
Listening takes time, and it’s crucial to invest in that time before jumping into widespread communication efforts. Many clients expect immediate action and results, but successful PR requires a deep understanding of the target group and media landscape. To that point: how many times do we have clients dismissing our proposal for KPIs they deem too low when we actually base our proposals on social listening, assess what the competition manages to achieve, and don't overpromise because we don't assume we can do much better than competitors have been doing for direct competitors?
Media Audits and Social Listening provide these insights—and although this process takes time, it pays off in the long run.
Excellent Media Audits can even involve journalists themselves
In many cases, we take our work a step further. Beyond analyzing past media coverage, we work directly with journalists to gather their feedback early on. Thanks to longstanding relationships, we can hold confidential discussions about which topics are relevant and how our messages are perceived. This kind of media "focus group" allows us to identify misunderstandings or risks early and make necessary adjustments.
We test messages and topics before they’re widely distributed, preventing scattershot efforts and avoiding costly corrections later on. By stepping out of our own bubble, we gather valuable and well-founded insights that make our communication strategy sharper and more successful.
Do journalists have better things to do? Yes, they do.
Naturally, the question arises: Why would journalists bother with such conversations when they’re already flooded with topic pitches daily? The key here is trust. Long-term relationships and mutual understanding are the foundation of any successful collaboration. When journalists trust us to provide them with relevant topics and valuable information, both sides benefit. At the end of the day, our relationship with journalists is always a two-way street. Sure, we might rely on them a bit more than they rely on us, but there’s definitely a sense of mutual benefit in the exchange. Journalists appreciate a PR person who makes their job easier—whether it’s delivering the right info quickly or being a reliable resource. And in return, it's not too much to ask for a quick chat every now and then to balance out the time we’ve helped save them.
To do so, it is essential to approach journalists selectively and personally, making it as easy and flexible as possible for them. After all, we’re asking for a favor—this is not some hidden market research for the client, but a real collaboration that benefits both parties.
That’s why we often say: We essentially have two clients—the customer and the journalist. The latter is crucial because we aim to maintain a long-term relationship across multiple clients. Even when one client relationship ends, our connection with the journalist continues.
It’s not just journalists who have something to say – Social Listening adds depth
But it’s not only journalists who shape public opinion today. Social Listening expands the communication scope by considering the voices of target audiences in social networks and communities. There are plenty of professional tools to leverage on a high level for this, including Brandwatch, Hootsuite Insights, Meltwater, and Sprinklr, to name a few. However, even without access to some of these more costly tools, it's possible to scout trends, sentiments, and discussions manually.
Nearly all big social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Snapchat issue regular trend reports that can give powerful insights. The key here is not just to listen to the loudest voices, but, as with selecting the right media and journalists, it's important to know who to listen to and what’s just noise – understandably a challenge when starting out.
Additionally, platforms like Reddit (a former client of ours) are goldmines for this. By either joining relevant subreddits or monitoring r/trendingReddits, you can gain great insights from niche communities. After all, Reddit is the community of communities, perfect for a deep dive into niche topics and getting insights straight from the experts.
These deep insights allow for even more targeted communication and help to highlight topics that may have been previously overlooked.
Conclusion: Listening is the foundation of any good PR strategy
Listening takes time—time in which you may not see immediate results. A true test of patience in our fast-paced world. While we’re often tempted to dive straight into action, experience shows that the best relationships with journalists and audiences aren’t built through hasty pitches, but through a solid understanding and a bit of good old-fashioned patience.
So, let’s break away from the stereotype of the chatty PR consultant and instead open our ears! Because when we listen, we don’t just find the right words—we discover the stories that truly resonate.