Media monitoring software provides users with up to date news feeds and alerts from a selection of media channels. Public relations (PR) departments use these tools to follow media channels relevant to their industry, and those of clients and business partners. Media monitoring solutions help companies track mentions of their brand or executives in the news and online, analyze trends in media coverage, measure the success of PR campaigns, and protect brand reputation by responding quickly to crises or negative publicity.
Media monitoring software can offer access to different types of media channels. Print media coverage may include newspapers, magazines, and trade journals, while broadcast channels cover television and radio. Many media monitoring tools provide access to online sources such as websites, news sites, blogs, and social media. A few media monitoring providers also track podcast mentions.
PR firms and businesses with in-house PR teams often use media monitoring tools alongside other public relations software, such as press release distribution software, PR analytics software, and media and influencer targeting software.
To qualify for inclusion in the Media Monitoring category, a product must:
Track various traditional or online media channels
Allow users to target specific keywords, mentions, or topics, and customize feeds to their liking
Provide users with relevant updates and alerts based on selected feeds
Collect and store links to relevant media content for future reference
Analyze findings with reporting features such as number and frequency of mentions, impact on company, etc.
