Tracking PR Releases

[WhiskyBiscuit]

Does anybody here do tracking on their press releases? I would quite like to track to see what PR release services work for me ( along with other marketing techniques ) and what doesn't.

How do you go about tracking that? I know I could put custom links, but do people who actively review the app (rather than re-post the press release) remove that part of the link?

And do you normally make a direct link to your app in the appstore, or do you make a link via your site so you can track click-through there too?

Any suggestions or advice would really be appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Stuart.

[VaVaN]

We give direct links in our PR. You can use redirect-links (by your site or by bit.ly), but bloggers will set link to itunes.apple.com<...> (except paid reviews perhaps).

Unfortunately, there is no mechanism for adv-channel-tracking in iTunes Connect. I don't understand the reason for it.

[wdcs]

If you use PRWeb to distribute a news release (the best way to go, so long as you know how to navigate the waters with releasing news and getting press pickups) then you can use some of the tracking PRWeb provides with your account.

One of the most common tracking methods is to create a custom domain name--one that is slightly different from your main domain name--and use that custom domain in your press release. For example if your domain was DuckDuckGoose.com then you might create the custom domain DuckDuckGooseForIphone.com or DuckDuckGooseTheGame.com

Companies with corporate budgets use what is called a "clipping service" to do their news tracking. These services are quite expensive and will track and report anytime you "get ink". For example say your news is listed in Sports Illustrated magazine, or in the smalltown newspaper in Hopiedope, Mississippi, or was discussed by the DJ on a Chicago radio station or had a segment on NBC nightly news. (if anyone is curious how they track this stuff, ask me)

[iSpreadNews]

Originally Posted by WhiskyBiscuit

Does anybody here do tracking on their press releases? I would quite like to track to see what PR release services work for me ( along with other marketing techniques ) and what doesn't.

How do you go about tracking that? I know I could put custom links, but do people who actively review the app (rather than re-post the press release) remove that part of the link?

And do you normally make a direct link to your app in the appstore, or do you make a link via your site so you can track click-through there too?

Any suggestions or advice would really be appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Stuart.

We recommend clients we promote apps for to include an offer of promo codes for testing and contests in the press-releases. So people will contact you and you'll be able to track them.

Though New York Times will not contact you asking for a promocode for $1 app :-)

[SledgeHammer]

Why can't you use the power of Web Analytics to track the PR releases ?

And do you normally make a direct link to your app in the appstore, or do you make a link via your site so you can track click-through there too?

Always link to your site rather than to app store.

[wdcs]

Use WordPress plugin "Pretty Link" for click tracking...

If your site is powered by WordPress (which btw it should be for SEO purposes, and for ease of setup & maintenance) then you can use the popular free Plugin called Pretty Link, to track your clicks. Pretty Link is integrated right into your WP Admin Panel.