Unexpected ways tech startups can measure PR success and ROI

Our tech startup clients get a thrill out of seeing themselves in a news article for the first time. (TBH, we do too).

They see themselves mentioned in Bloomberg or Business Insider, and quickly ask, “Can you tell how many people clicked to our website from the article link?” 

This question always makes me think of the client whose goal it was to grow his social media followers. He said, “Every time I share a media hit on my LinkedIn or my other social media accounts, I see this huge spike in my analytics. I see it go ‘zing!’” (and yes, he mimics launching a rocket at an angle).

Which brings me to this: there’s so much more than clicks when tech startups are measuring PR success and ROI. And they can be unexpected.

Let’s dive into what I mean.

Measuring the ‘unexpected deals’ that happen with tech PR

Startups always want to know: how does PR boost my business? Here are a few that are more valuable than clicks – and perfect examples of how to measure PR impact beyond media impressions.

PR leading to inbound sales leads. Our event planning client told us she got an inbound lead worth $75,000 thanks to a feature in a highly niche, ultra-trendy magazine. The feature legitimized her brand for that high-net-worth lead who reached out for her service.

This is exactly why founders shouldn’t underestimate niche media PR for lead generation.

PR leading to funding opportunities. One data science client got an inbound query from an investor. Our client told us: “The investor emailed me saying he saw my comments in that Forbes article from last month, and now he wants to get on a call.”

This is a classic example of PR driving investor interest—a long-tail benefit many founders overlook.

PR leading to partnerships and referrals. We had a property-restoration SaaS client who ended up partnering with a popular business show host thanks to media coverage. The partnership gave him a free speaking slot on the show, which had over a million viewers each month.

That’s earned media turning into high-value partnerships, one of the most underrated PR success metrics for startups.

PR leading to recruitment of high-quality talent. Ironically, a tech-for-recruitment client of ours looking to hire an intern said it was easier to attract potential candidates because the startup could point to news articles about the company. The founder joked, “We need to hire an intern just to sift through these intern applications!”

Media coverage becomes PR that improves employer branding, attracting better talent without increasing recruiting spend.

In all these cases, PR was a decisive factor that led to an unexpected deal that clients could then leverage to ‘sell more’. 

The ‘morale’ PR measurement for tech startups

Media coverage doesn’t just move your business – it also moves your team.

This happened to an architecture client of ours (yes, we represent non-tech companies too!). The communications lead told us when the firm saw one of its projects featured in a national newspaper – with their architects being quoted – they talked about it “ecstatically” at the office.

PR for tech startups can be major morale boosts. It’s an often forgotten factor in startup reputation building.

And the outlet doesn’t even need to be large – niche ones are often just as good for morale (learn about leveraging niche media hits to get major coverage).

Why tech startups can’t discount the unexpected ways to measure PR success and ROI

At the end of the day, every founder wants the same thing: to sell more. To do that, you need people to hear, see, and read about you.

PR doesn’t just give you a nice headline – it helps you win better deals, attract top talent, keep investors happy, and keep your team motivated. 

So, back to the question: “Can you tell how many people clicked my company’s link in the article?”

Here’s the thing – PR isn’t about clicks. It’s about momentum. It’s the investor who believes in you sooner, the customer who picks you over the competition, the top talent who joins because your story inspires them. PR builds credibility that compounds, giving your startup the kind of growth boost no spreadsheet can measure. Founders need to think of the unexpected ways they can measure PR success and ROI for their tech startups.

If your startup is ready to build that kind of credibility, connect with Mind Meld PR today, a top PR agency for tech startups.