How do you assess impact?

“Measuring engagement can never be as simple as counting copies circulated, page views or numbers at an event. We’ve got to dig in and ask the tougher questions: Has our work been useful? Are our communities more active and resilient? Have we helped resolve the issues that matter to those we serve?”

—Jennifer Hemmingsen, Manager of Community Networks and Engagement at Gazette Communications


Better Evaluation — Better Evaluation is a web resource designed to assist organizations in planning and performing evaluations on their work. A good place to start your journey if you are trying to measure the results of an engagement campaign.

Measuring Community Engagement: A Case Study from Chicago Public Media | RJI — Breeze Richardson, Director of strategic partnerships at Chicago Public Media, explains the five new metrics she developed for WBEZ Chicago.

Engaging Audiences: Measuring Interactions, Engagement and Conversions [Report] — This report by Jan Schaffer and Erin Polgreen of J-Lab at American University’s School of Communication was the result of a survey taken by 278 “digital-first” news startups between Feb. 7 and March 2, 2012. Nearly eight in 10 respondents to a national online survey said they could not measure whether their audience-engagement strategies were also converting readers into advertisers, donors, content contributors or volunteers.

Confusion Online: Faulty Metrics & the Future of Digital Journalism [Report] — A report published in 2010 by the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia University. It explores the industry of online metrics and delves into common myths, mistakes, and insights.

A resource for newsrooms: Measuring the success of audience engagement efforts [Report] — Great resources and insight into measuring community engagement

Skip to toolbar