When Is the Last Time You Did a Media Audit?

African-American novelist, playwright, poet, and social critic James Baldwin put it best: "Know from whence you came. If you know whence you came, there are absolutely no limitations to where you can go."

That sage advice is at the heart of why every organization benefits from a media audit. Never heard of a media audit? You are clearly not alone, because despite its enormous value and incredible insight for business and communications objectives, most companies don't use them.

What is a media audit?

A media audit is a survey – a deep dive into how a company and its competitors communicate, either internally and/or externally. A media audit looks at industry positioning, competitive media messaging, the effectiveness of that messaging by sampling over a specific period of time comparable media reach and coverage achieved, and subjectively analyzes PR/communication strengths and weaknesses.

A media audit is all about a look back to where you have you been, what have you said, what digital footprint, if any, you have created, including baggage you've left behind. And it is all about benchmarking: where are you and your competitors today? What is your share of voice? Are the right messages resonating? Are you winning in the right markets or are your competitors? Benchmarking with a media audit helps you measure – and justify – new PR/communication efforts and strategies.