By: Don’t Be A Little Pitch (DBALP)

So, your brand finally got some press. You made it into a solid media article, snagged a podcast guest spot, or scored a mention from someone influential. Now you’re waiting for the results to pour in. Any second now… right?

Here’s the catch: Press alone doesn’t guarantee progress. Without a clear strategy, that shiny feature might just sit there collecting digital dust. At Don’t Be A Little Pitch (DBALP), we don’t chase headlines for attention. We chase them to drive results. And we measure what matters.

If you’re not sure whether your recent coverage is actually helping your brand grow, this will help clear things up.

1. Big Feature, Bigger Questions: Is It From a Source That Matters?

Not all coverage is created equal. A mention in a no-name blog won’t have the same weight as a quote in Forbes or a profile in TechCrunch. When you’re featured in a reputable outlet, it boosts your brand’s credibility with both search engines and real people.

Why does this matter? Because publications with high domain authority lend trust to your own website. That means Google starts taking you more seriously, and so do your prospects, partners, and investors. A trusted source says, “This brand knows what it’s doing.”

According to Moz, backlinks from high-authority domains are still among the strongest ranking signals in SEO. If your PR is landing you in those spaces, you’re playing the long game right.

2. Buzz is Cute. Authority is Currency.

Press should do more than make noise. It should position you as someone worth listening to in your space. If you’re seeing more invites to speak on panels, be a podcast guest, or contribute to expert roundups, you’re not just visible… you’re gaining clout.

Real authority shows when people reference your insights, not just your product. When journalists come back for more quotes and competitors start echoing your ideas, your rank in the industry rises. PR done right transforms you from “that brand” to the brand.

3. If No One’s Linking Back, What Was the Point?

Backlinks are your digital breadcrumbs. When authoritative sites link back to your content, product pages, or homepage, it tells search engines your brand has value.

And yes, quality beats quantity. One backlink from a top-tier site can do more than twenty from lower-tier ones. These links improve your domain authority, help people discover your content organically, and reinforce your credibility across the web.

Ahrefs reports that over 90 percent of content online gets zero organic traffic. Why? A lack of backlinks. If your PR strategy isn’t helping you earn links, it’s not doing enough.

4. They Found You Without Ads? Now We’re Talking!

A huge sign that your PR efforts are working is a boost in organic traffic. If your site starts seeing more visits without the help of paid ads, your coverage is doing its job.

Look at your Google Analytics. Did you see a spike in sessions after a media feature? Are new visitors checking out more than one page? That’s organic traction in action. It means your message is spreading and your audience is growing, without needing to spend more on ads.

Even better, organic traffic is compounding. The more credible your brand becomes online, the more likely people are to find you again and again.

5. Traffic Check: Are People Clicking, or Just Clapping?

If a feature goes live and no one clicks, did it even happen?

Beyond just organic, take a broader look at total traffic. Your PR should create momentum across all channels, including direct, referral, and social. A media hit that’s shared on LinkedIn or Twitter should drive people to your site.

You can track this with UTM links or look at referral traffic in your analytics dashboard. If the article leads to new visitors and deeper site exploration, that’s a good sign. People are not only seeing you, they’re engaging with you.

Even a small traffic bump can mean hundreds or thousands of potential customers, especially if they’re the right ones.

6. You’re in the Conversation, But Are You Leading It?

Share of voice is one of the most underrated metrics in PR. It tells you how much of the conversation your brand is owning in comparison to others in your space.

If you’re consistently mentioned in articles, tagged in discussions, and showing up in search results more than your competitors, you’re winning. That’s not just attention, it’s influence.

According to Meltwater, brands that increase their share of voice often see a measurable boost in consumer trust and brand preference. In a market that’s increasingly crowded, staying top of mind can mean the difference between being chosen or forgotten.

7. Who’s Telling Your Story… You or Google?

What shows up when someone Googles your name? If the answer is one outdated press release and your Facebook page from 2017, we’ve got a problem.

Your media coverage should act like a digital firewall. It pushes strong, accurate, and timely stories about your brand to the top of search results. That way, when someone looks you up, you control the first impression.

This is also your safety net during tough times. If a PR crisis ever hits, having a strong foundation of good press makes recovery easier. People will remember the trust you built, not just the slip-up.

Cool, You Got Press. Now Let’s Make It Work for You.

Getting featured is exciting. But what happens after the headline drops is where the real work begins. If your PR efforts aren’t leading to increased visibility, authority, traffic, or sales, it’s time to rethink the strategy.

At Don’t Be A Little Pitch (DBALP), we don’t chase press for clout. We build it for conversion. That means PR that’s rooted in real storytelling, designed to deliver actual business outcomes. From earned media to SEO impact, we help brands go from ignored to unforgettable.

Let’s cut the fluff and look at the facts.
Visit dontbealittlepitch.com and discover how we help brands stop begging for attention and start owning it.

Published by Jeremy S.