3 Steps to Effective Media Monitoring

Effective public relations is not just about “getting” media attention. It’s about what you do with that attention and how you measure its effectiveness and profitability. Media monitoring is the practice of observing, cataloging, and assessing what’s in the media. Specifically, you want to know what “the media” is saying about your company or brand. Questions should include but may not be limited to:

Who’s talking?
What are they saying?
How should I respond?
What do I want them to say?

This process has evolved over the past century, and the practice itself is even more important today. The modern media cycle is, essentially, constant, and new media outlets are shifting the way consumers connect with content. Fortunately, modern technology also offers us sophisticated media monitoring tools to make it easier and more efficient to effectively monitor media and devise workable strategies based on the gathered information. This process is not simple, and there are a lot of steps within the steps, but here are three “big picture” milestones you need to complete to accomplish effective media monitoring.

1 – Decide Which Sources and Subjects You Want to Track

There’s a lot of media outlets and media angles out there, and you can’t possibly track everything related to your business or industry effectively. However, you can effectively track relevant topical articles and social media trends. Now, determine what you want to track. Examples include your business name, all your brand names, key contributors and leaders, certain keywords, and specific competitors. If your competition is getting mentioned along with specific keywords, and you are not, now you have an idea where to tweak your marketing and PR. Once you have a solid idea of what you want to learn, you will have a clear idea which tools you need to gather that data.

2 – Choose the Best Tool for Your Job

This could mean hiring an in-house team, or it could mean contracting a PR firm to do the work. It could also mean determining which tools work best for your situation. The key concept here is to understand your situation and to choose the best tool for your objectives. Factors to consider include the size of your business, your budget, the breadth and scope of your messaging, the ROI you desire, and your overall earned media expectations. Some online tools may work, and there are quite a few of these, from free services with limited value to paid options designed to work for specific applications.

3 – Respond to What You Learn

When extrapolating the data you gather, begin with metrics and applications in mind. Not just what you want to know, but what you will do with that knowledge. You may want to invest in specific actions that are working while also putting some resources into filling gaps in your communications plan. You may need to come up with something completely new. Set perimeters on the type and extent of your response before you engage. Above all else, look for new opportunities to establish dialogue and create conversations you can manage.

Written by

Ronn Torossian

Ronn Torossian is Founder and Chairman of 5W , the AI Communications Firm. He founded 5W in 2003 and built it into one of the largest independent public relations and digital marketing firms in the United States, with senior practitioners serving corporate communications , consumer brands , technology , financial services , health and wellness , beauty , gaming , crisis communications , and public affairs . Under his leadership, 5W defined AI Communications, building brand authority across ChatGPT , Claude , Perplexity , Gemini , and Google AI Overviews, alongside earned media, digital, GEO, and influencer channels. Industry Recognition 5W has been recognized as a top U.S. PR agency by O’Dwyer’s , Agency of the Year in the American Business Awards , Grand Stevie Most Honored PR Agency, a Ragan Top Place to Work in Communications 2026, Digiday WorkLife Employer of the Year, and a PRovoke Top 50 Global PR Agency. Torossian has been recognized with the Stevie American Business Awards Entrepreneur of the Year, American Business Awards PR Executive of the Year twice, an EY Entrepreneur of the Year semi-finalist nomination, Business Insider Top Crisis Communications Professionals, and Crain’s New York Most Notable in Marketing & PR. Research Franchise 5W’s research franchise has become an industry reference for measuring brand visibility inside AI-generated answers, including the AI Visibility Index Series , The GEO Reckoning , The Missing Rung Report, and the 5W AI Power User Study , which identified a 99-point AI favorability gap. Crisis Communications Torossian is one of the world’s foremost crisis communications experts. He has counseled blue chip companies, public company boards, founders, and public figures through ransomware incidents, data breaches, regulatory investigations, high-stakes litigation, activist investors, product recalls, and reputational crises. He has taught crisis communications at Harvard University . Media & Commentary Torossian appears on CNN and CNBC . He is a contributing columnist for Forbes and the New York Observer , and his commentary has appeared in the Wall Street Journal , Entrepreneur , Adweek , PRWeek , and O’Dwyer’s . Published Work Torossian is the author of For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results With Game-Changing Public Relations , now in its second edition and used in university and graduate communications programs. Owner and Publisher, Everything-PR Network Torossian is owner and publisher of the Everything-PR Network , an independent intelligence platform covering public relations, marketing, AI communications, and adjacent industries across 30 publications. Everything-PR is editorially independent from 5W, with published editorial standards and ethics standards . The network is one of the most-cited sources inside ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Gemini for PR and marketing queries. He is also an active investor and advisor, a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) , and serves on nonprofit boards.

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