From Data to Decisions: Turning PR Metrics into Business Insight

I have to admit, I was genuinely disappointed to miss the AMEC Global Summit this year. It’s always one of the most energising events for anyone who cares deeply about the craft of communications measurement and insight. However, following the conversation across social media throughout AMEC Measurement Month has been the next best thing. The insight, debate, and forward thinking shared by peers around the world has been exceptional - and it has reinforced just how pivotal this period of change is for our industry.

The theme of 2025, “From Outputs to Outcomes: Measuring What Matters,” captures the challenge perfectly. For too long, measurement in communications has been dominated by volume-based metrics - the number of articles, impressions, or reach. Those numbers still matter, but they only tell part of the story. What the industry is calling for now is something deeper: an understanding of impact - how communications shape awareness, attitudes, trust, and behaviour, and ultimately how they contribute to organisational goals.

At 72Point, that evolution is already well underway. Our analysts and insight teams are focused on turning data into decisions, translating the noise of metrics into clear, actionable intelligence. This means building frameworks that connect the dots between creativity, coverage, and commercial outcomes. It means using measurement not as a mirror that reflects what happened, but as a map that guides what should happen next.

Actionable Outcomes for Modern Measurement

1. Integrate measurement from the start.
Measurement isn’t an afterthought or a report at the end of a campaign, it should shape objectives from day one. We’ve learned that when analysis is baked into the creative and strategic process, the output becomes sharper, and the results more meaningful.

2. Move from activity to impact.
The key is to focus on what changes as a result of communication, not just what was produced. Are audiences engaging differently? Are perceptions shifting? Is the campaign influencing real-world decisions or behaviours? These are the questions that matter, and the ones that drive true business value.

3. Translate data into narrative.
Data alone doesn’t persuade. Context, insight, and storytelling do. Analysts need to act as translators, connecting metrics to meaning and ensuring every number ties back to a decision or action.

4. Build bridges between disciplines.
Insight shouldn’t sit in isolation. It has power when it informs creative strategy, client counsel, and long-term planning. At 72Point, that means collaboration between our creative, media, and analytics teams to ensure measurement enhances, rather than follows, the work.

 We’re also seeing the next frontier of measurement emerging through AI and Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) - a rapidly growing field that recognises that audiences are no longer just consuming information through human search, but through generative systems like ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Gemini. Measuring visibility and influence within these AI-driven environments is becoming one of the hottest topics in modern communications. For analysts, this means bridging the gap between traditional media intelligence and algorithmic visibility - understanding not just how messages land with people, but how they’re interpreted, summarised, and redistributed by machines.

5. Focus on data quality and ethics.
In a world of automation and AI, ensuring data integrity and transparency has never been more critical. Measurement is only as good as the data that underpins it, and ethical, verifiable analysis builds trust with clients and audiences alike.

Looking Ahead

AMEC Measurement Month serves as a powerful reminder that measurement is not a box to tick, it’s the foundation for better storytelling, better creativity, and better strategy. For business analysts and insight professionals, this moment is both a challenge and an opportunity: to elevate our role from data gatherers to decision-makers, and from reporters of the past to architects of the future.

So while I may have missed the chance to join the AMEC community in person this year, I’ve been inspired by the conversations taking place across the industry. Communications measurement is evolving, and the energy around it is real. The future of our discipline isn’t about producing more metrics, it’s about producing more meaning.

Because ultimately, the goal is simple: to turn data into decisions, and insights into impact.