Communicators often face the significant challenge of proving the value of their work to the wider business. You may know that your latest campaign was a success, but knowing it and proving it are two very different things.
Without clear metrics or methods to validate impact, it is easy for strategic contributions to go unnoticed by key stakeholders.
To transition from a tactical executor to a strategic partner, you must move beyond intuition and “vanity metrics” to build a measurement framework that provides meaningful proof of your success.
The Problem of Unvalidated Effort
The core challenge lies in the nature of the data often used. Many communicators rely on metrics that are easily accessible but strategically shallow—likes, shares, or attendance figures.
While these numbers prove activity, they do not validate impact.
Measuring impact means going beyond vanity metrics and demonstrating how communication efforts actually move the needle for the organisation.
When you lack the evidence to connect your daily tasks to broader business goals, you are asking leadership to take your value on faith rather than fact.
The Consequences of Undervalued Strategy
When you cannot validate your work with robust data, the consequences are professional invisibility.
Without a clear narrative backed by evidence, even significant strategic achievements can be overlooked. If stakeholders cannot see the connection between your output and their outcomes, they will undervalue your function.
This often results in communication being sidelined during critical decision-making processes, as it is viewed as a “nice-to-have” rather than an essential driver of business success.
The Rewards of Demonstrating Tangible Results
Conversely, when you present data that validates your impact, you fundamentally change your relationship with leadership.
Metrics like stakeholder sentiment, message recall, and contribution to business KPIs provide meaningful proof of success.
By speaking the language of data, you position yourself as a trusted advisor. You demonstrate that you are accountable for results and capable of managing resources effectively to drive organisational priorities.
This validation ensures your work is recognised for its true value, securing your professional standing and future resources.
The Underlying Reason We Skip Complex Measurement
If the benefits of measurement are so clear, why do we often avoid it?
The primary psychological barrier is the difficulty associated with intangible value. Intangible impact, like trust or reputation, is often overlooked simply because it is harder to measure than tangible outputs.
Without immediate, concrete numbers, these critical contributions can remain invisible. It feels safer to report on the things we can count easily than to attempt to measure abstract concepts like “sentiment” or “goodwill,” where the data might be complex or open to interpretation.
The Method for capturing Full Value
Validating your work is not about justifying your existence; it is about demonstrating your mastery. By moving beyond vanity metrics and embracing a comprehensive measurement framework, you ensure that both the tangible and intangible value you create is visible, understood, and appreciated.
To validate your work effectively, you need to build a system that captures the full scope of your impact.
- Build a Tailored Measurement Framework. One size does not fit all. You must build a measurement framework tailored to your organisation’s specific priorities. Start by setting clear objectives that align with organisational goals. If the business prioritises retention, your framework should measure employee engagement; if the priority is growth, measure lead generation or brand preference.
- Use Tools to Measure the Intangible. Do not let the difficulty of measuring intangibles stop you. Measuring intangible value requires qualitative and proxy metrics. Utilise tools like social listening platforms, reputation trackers, and internal pulse surveys to gather this data. These tools allow you to quantify shifts in perception and trust, turning abstract feelings into concrete data points.
- Combine Quantitative and Qualitative Data. Data alone can be dry; stories alone can be dismissed as anecdotes. To validate your impact, combine quantitative data with qualitative insights. Use the numbers to show the trend and the qualitative feedback to explain the “why.” Create a system for regularly assessing this data and share these findings in ways that resonate with decision-makers.
Intangible value is real value—it is your responsibility to make sure it is seen.
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