PR Value

Term from Public Relations industry explained for recruiters

PR Value is a way to measure how much media coverage would have cost if you had to pay for it as advertising. For example, if a newspaper article about your company would have cost $5,000 as an ad, that's the PR value. PR professionals use this to show their work's financial impact. Some people also call this "Advertising Value Equivalent" (AVE) or "Earned Media Value." While it's a common measure, it's worth noting that many modern PR professionals prefer more comprehensive ways to measure success, like audience engagement or message reach.

Examples in Resumes

Generated over $2 million in PR Value through strategic media placements

Achieved quarterly PR Value targets exceeding $500,000 through earned media coverage

Increased company's PR Value by 150% through targeted media relations campaigns

Tracked and reported monthly Advertising Value Equivalent for executive presentations

Delivered $3.5M in Earned Media Value through integrated PR campaigns

Typical job title: "PR Professionals"

Also try searching for:

Public Relations Manager PR Specialist Communications Manager Media Relations Manager PR Director Communications Specialist PR Coordinator

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How do you determine if PR Value is the best metric for a campaign?

Expected Answer: A senior professional should discuss multiple measurement approaches, explaining when PR Value is useful and when other metrics like share of voice, message pull-through, or engagement rates might be more appropriate. They should also mention modern measurement frameworks like the Barcelona Principles.

Q: How would you explain PR Value to skeptical executives?

Expected Answer: Should demonstrate ability to explain PR Value's benefits and limitations, provide context with other metrics, and show how it fits into broader business goals and ROI discussions.

Mid Level Questions

Q: How do you calculate PR Value for different types of media coverage?

Expected Answer: Should explain the basic formula (advertising rate × article size/duration × potential multiplier), and discuss different approaches for print, digital, and broadcast media.

Q: What other metrics do you track alongside PR Value?

Expected Answer: Should mention reach, engagement, sentiment analysis, message pick-up, and how these complement PR Value measurements.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What is PR Value and why is it important?

Expected Answer: Should be able to explain that PR Value measures the equivalent advertising cost of earned media coverage and why this helps demonstrate PR's financial impact to clients or management.

Q: How do you track media coverage for PR Value calculation?

Expected Answer: Should demonstrate knowledge of media monitoring tools, coverage tracking methods, and basic understanding of how to gather necessary information for PR Value calculations.

Experience Level Indicators

Junior (0-2 years)

  • Basic media monitoring
  • Coverage tracking
  • Simple PR Value calculations
  • Report preparation

Mid (2-5 years)

  • Advanced measurement techniques
  • Multiple metric analysis
  • Campaign value assessment
  • Stakeholder reporting

Senior (5+ years)

  • Strategic measurement planning
  • Advanced ROI analysis
  • Integrated campaign evaluation
  • Executive level reporting

Red Flags to Watch For

  • Unable to explain basic PR Value calculation methods
  • No experience with media monitoring tools
  • Lacks understanding of other PR measurement metrics
  • Can't provide examples of PR Value reporting