Tobi Alaka is the Corporate Communications Manager at Zone and the Founder of Empowher.ng.
If you work in Communications at a startup like me, chances are you’ve had to do a lot with a little. Every naira, dollar, or euro you spend is expected to produce magic—whether it’s press coverage, improved brand visibility, user acquisition, or revenue growth. Combining this with the expectation of being a generalist with expertise in PR, Comms and Marketing, it can be a lot.
And while we know strategic communications is a long game, we also know that in the startup world, results must be visible, measurable, and fast. But here’s the hard truth: measuring ROI in Communications is messy. It’s never as clear-cut as conversions from a paid ad or downloads from a product launch. The impact often feels intangible and that’s the frustration. So how do we navigate this paradox of proving value in a world obsessed with metrics?
So why is measuring ROI so challenging?
Attribution Isn’t Always Clear: Unlike sales or digital marketing, where conversions can be directly tracked, communications often influence outcomes indirectly. Did that PR placement lead to a new customer? Did your thought leadership article strengthen investor confidence? The impact is real, but the path isn’t always linear.
Long Term Vs Short Term Value: Brand building and reputation management are long-term plays. A startup might not see immediate revenue from a media feature, but over time, it builds credibility, which is hard to quantify in a quarterly report.
Qualitative Vs Quantitative: Engagement, sentiment, and perception shifts matter, but they don’t always translate neatly into spreadsheets. How do you assign a dollar value to improved employee morale after an internal comms campaign?
Time Lag Between Activity and Impact: A media feature might not generate leads immediately but could contribute to brand credibility that influences investor interest or sales conversations months later.
Multiple Touchpoints Influence Outcomes: Was it the newsletter, the founder’s podcast appearance, or that social post that made the customer finally convert? It’s rarely just one.
Perception is Hard to Quantify: How do you measure increased trust? Improved reputation? The way your brand feels to stakeholders. These things matter deeply—but don’t always show up on a dashboard.
How to Make ROI Measurement Easier and More Impactful
Tie Communications Goals to Business Objectives Start with clarity. Don’t measure press mentions for press mentions’ sake. Instead, use this:
o Media coverage → Brand awareness → Website traffic & lead generation
o Employee comms → Retention & productivity → Reduced hiring costs
o Crisis management → Reputation protection → Customer retention
Use proxy metrics when direct ROI is unclear: If I cannot track direct revenue, I measure leading indicators, for example:
o PR & Media: Share of voice, domain authority, inbound interview requests
o Social & Content: Engagement rate, follower growth, newsletter signups
o Internal Comms: eNPS (employee Net Promoter Score), survey feedback
Get Comfortable Telling the Story: Sometimes the ROI is best told in a narrative, “This coverage led to a call from an investor,” or “This campaign helped reduce customer churn.” Don’t shy away from qualitative insights as they often complement the numbers.
Measure Momentum, Not Just Milestones: Track progress over time. Did your share of voice grow? Did organic mentions increase? Are people talking about your brand more positively? These incremental wins matter.
As startup comms professionals, we wear many hats—PR, social, internal comms, crisis manager, storyteller. Measuring ROI is hard because the job itself is part science, part magic. But when you’re intentional about what success looks like, align your work with the business, and communicate your impact clearly, you’ll find it easier to justify the spend and even easier to ask for more.
