Decision path
Define the goal
Check credibility
Choose the route
Measure the result
Guide

Report the live evidence first

A client should be able to open the published page immediately. Screenshots and domain metrics are supporting information, not substitutes for the live URL.

Process

Record the acquisition method

Label journalist outreach, proactive digital PR, contributed content, sponsored opportunities and existing-content placements separately. This prevents different products from being reported as identical editorial links.

Guide

Capture link and page details

Record the target URL, anchor text, observed rel attribute, publication date, article topic and whether the result is original or syndicated.

Risks

Add quality and risk notes

Explain topical relevance, audience fit, publisher legitimacy, any disclosure and whether the result meets the written criteria.

Guide

Include campaign activity where relevant

Earned-media reports should also show qualified opportunities, submissions, pending items and learning. A link-only report can hide the work and decisions behind the result.

Guide

Use a standard field set

A practical report can use the following columns.

  • Client and campaign reference.
  • Acquisition method.
  • Publisher and live article URL.
  • Publication date and article title.
  • Target URL, anchor and observed link attribute.
  • Quality criteria and review notes.
  • Approval date, invoice status and replacement expiry.
FAQ

Frequently asked questions

It may be included as a reference, but not as the only quality measure.

Identify the original story and list syndicated copies separately.

No. Report the observed attribute accurately.

Sources

Sources and further reading

Continue your research
Guide

Agency partnerships

Review white-label reporting support.

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Digital PR metrics

Measure activity, outputs and outcomes.

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Placement archive

See how live URLs can be presented publicly.

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