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What truly makes a press release successful in the life science sector? In today's fast-moving media landscape, press releases remain fundamental tools for life science organisations, serving as powerful vehicles for sharing breakthrough discoveries, product launches, and commercial achievements. In this way, press releases play a crucial role in building scientific credibility, fostering valuable media relationships, and reaching global audiences of researchers, clinicians, and industry professionals.
But here's the challenge: measuring their true impact isn't as straightforward as it might seem. Just as your organisation's success can't be reduced to a single metric, neither can your press release performance. We need to look beyond simple visibility metrics to understand the real value of our communications efforts.
In this blog post, we guide you through 10 essential indicators that together create a comprehensive picture of press release success. Each metric offers unique insights, and when analysed collectively, they reveal both the immediate impact and long-term value of your communication strategy. Whether you're new to PR measurement or looking to refine your approach, these indicators will help you understand (and maximise) the return on your press release investment.
1. Press release media coverage (quantity and quality)
One of the most direct indicators of success is the level of media coverage your life science press release achieves. Tracking both the number and quality of media pickups is crucial. We recommend the following:
- Start by identifying the total number of publications featuring your news across online and print platforms.
- Assess the quality of coverage by identifying top-tier publications relevant to your target audience.
- If SEO is a key part of your strategy, monitor the domain authority of websites publishing your release.
- Consider geographic spread to determine whether your press release is reaching key markets.
- Prioritise audience relevance; a niche, high-value readership is often more impactful than a broad but disengaged audience.
Finally, a quick note on traditional PR metrics such as "opportunities to see" and "advertising value equivalency (AVE)".... While these have historically been used to measure reach, for most companies, today's media landscape demands more sophisticated analysis methods that better reflect audience reach and engagement.
2. Life science media follow-ups and extended coverage
Initial press release pickup is just the beginning. The real measure of success comes when media outlets develop your announcement into broader, more detailed stories. These extended pieces typically receive premium placement and offer deeper coverage, significantly expanding your visibility and credibility.
What does this look like in practice? It often starts with journalists requesting additional information or interviews with your company spokespersons. These interactions frequently lead to opportunities for contributed articles, allowing your internal experts to share detailed insights and establish thought leadership positions.
Don't be discouraged if a follow-up story doesn't materialise immediately. Every media interaction builds valuable relationships for future communications. Consider each point of contact as an investment in your organisation's media presence, these connections often yield unexpected opportunities down the line.
3. Social media mentions and sentiment
Your press release's digital footprint extends naturally into social media, where both engagement levels and tone provide valuable insights into how your message resonates. For this reason, we recommend monitoring mentions of your news item across major social media platforms.
The sentiment behind these social conversations also tells an important story. Are people sharing your news with enthusiasm? Are they engaging in meaningful discussions about your announcements? Analyse both the tone of shares and public comments; this feedback reveals how different audiences receive and interpret your news.
When it comes to measurement, look beyond simple metrics like share counts and pay attention to who's sharing your content and how they're contextualising it. Are life science industry leaders amplifying your message? Are clinicians or researchers discussing your findings? These qualitative aspects often provide more valuable insights than pure numbers.
4. Social media community growth
A successful press release can growth in your online audience, especially on social media. Therefore, monitor changes in your social media following after each distribution and/or carry out periodic social media audits:
- Identify spikes in followers on LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), and other platforms.
- Evaluate the quality of new connections; are they industry professionals, researchers, or media representatives?
- Conduct periodic social media audits to refine future communication strategies based on follower demographics.
5. Press release link engagement and click-through rates
The placement of tracking links within your press release offers concrete ways to measure audience engagement. By implementing URL tracking through UTM parameters or platforms like bit.ly, you can capture precise data about how people interact with your content.
These tracking tools reveal valuable insights: Which calls-to-action generate the most responses? What types of content drive the highest engagement? How do readers move from your press release to your website? This detailed information helps you understand not just the volume of interaction, but the specific aspects of your story that capture audience interest.
Use this data to optimise future press releases. When you know which content elements consistently drive engagement, you can make informed decisions about structure, messaging, and link placement in subsequent announcements.
6. Website traffic patterns
While press releases typically drive increased website traffic, it's essential to view these spikes within a broader context. Start by maintaining detailed records of traffic patterns following each release - this historical data helps establish baseline expectations and identify meaningful trends.
Pay attention to visitor behaviour: How long do these new visitors stay on your site? Which pages do they explore? What actions do they take? Understanding these patterns helps you determine which types of announcements most effectively engage your target audience.
Remember that website traffic represents just one component of overall success. While important, it shouldn't be viewed in isolation, especially as some press releases might not trigger an increase in web visitors. Instead, consider it as part of a broader set of indicators that together reveal your press release's true impact and value.
7. SEO value and backlink quality
Press release distribution can also deliver life science SEO benefits, as you can generate quality backlinks from reputable sources that strengthen your website's authority and improve search engine rankings.
However, not all backlinks carry equal weight. Focus on securing coverage from authoritative industry sources rather than pursuing quantity alone. A single backlink from a respected scientific journal or leading industry publication often provides more SEO value than multiple links from general news sites. Monitor both the quantity and quality of backlinks generated by your press release, paying particular attention to those from within the life science sector.
8. Digital aggregator presence
While securing coverage in relevant life science trade publications/websites is important, news aggregators still play an increasingly important role in information distribution. From mainstream platforms like Google News and Apple News to specialised scientific aggregators like eScience News, these services help your press release reach broader, yet still relevant, audiences.
Given this, we recommend monitoring these platforms for mentions of your press release, especially if you distribute it using a press release newswire service.
9. Direct referral traffic
Understanding referral traffic provides crucial insights into how different media outlets drive visitors to your website, so it can be useful to track increases in site visits from specific sources following your press release distribution. This data reveals which media coverage generates not just the most traffic, but also the most engaged visitors.
10. Email subscriber list growth
With email remaining the preferred communication channel for 83% of global consumers, especially in professional and academic contexts, tracking subscription rates following press releases can help provide an additional indicator of the impact of your press release.
When assessing this metric, focus on both the quantity and quality of new subscribers. Are they the decision-makers and influencers you want to reach? Do their professional profiles align with your target audience? This insight helps you understand not just how many people your press release reached, but whether it is being shown to the right people.
Evaluating long-term life science PR impact
Press release metrics tell an important story, but the true value emerges when viewing press release distribution as part of a comprehensive public relations strategy, especially as building a strong media presence requires patience and consistency over months or years of sustained engagement.
An effective PR campaign extends beyond press releases to include contributed articles, media interviews, and speaking opportunities at industry events, to name but a few. Success comes from creating a cohesive narrative across these platforms, establishing your organisation as a trusted voice in the life sciences sector.
Within this light, the success of your press release and wider PR efforts can be placed in the context of your true overall goals: to boost brand awareness, increase share of voice in your target markets, and become known as a trusted thought leader in your areas of expertise. Given this, as your PR program matures beyond press release distribution, consider implementing more sophisticated evaluation methods such as:
- Unprompted brand awareness studies: Regular surveys can tell you how well your target audience remembers and understands your organisation's mission, offerings, and market position
- Competitive analysis: Share of voice studies benchmark your media presence against competitors can help you understand which companies are most likely to be driving the industry narrative and influencing your target market
- Sentiment tracking: Monitoring how the market perception of your organisation evolves over time can be another strong indicator that your PR efforts are working as intended
Ready to elevate your life science PR strategy?
For organisations seeking life science PR support, BioStrata's experienced team can help develop and implement a complete PR strategy. From crafting compelling stories to securing high-value media coverage through long-standing media relationships, we're here to help your organisation succeed.
Contact our team today to learn how we can help elevate your life science communications.
