Our recent workshop at the 11th Annual Strategic Internal Communications – West Conference in San Francisco confirmed the biggest pains and challenges internal communicators face on a daily basis. As a result, Maddy Rieman, Cerkl’s head of Customer Success, identified the 10 top challenges, all of which could potentially make or break an organization.
The fifth in our series of blog posts born out of the workshop identifies the comms metrics that matter most.
Table of contents
- Why are Internal Communications Metrics Important?
- What Internal Comms Metrics Every Company Should Track?
- Email Communication Metrics
- Intranet and Collaboration Platform Metrics
- Employee Feedback and Survey Metrics
- Meeting and Event Metrics
- Content Engagement Metrics
- Mobile App Usage Metrics
- Challenges in Measuring Internal Communications Metrics
- Best Practices to Maximize Your Measurement Impact
- How Broadcast Can Help to Measure Comms That Really Matters
- What’s Next?
- FAQ
According to Gallagher’s State of the Sector 2023/24 report, lack of analytics and measurement remains one of the top five challenges for internal communicators in 2024. And the other four impact this problem — namely, lack of time, disengaged employees, lack of financial resources, and internal communication channels that aren’t fit for purpose.
There are other problems too. For instance, Workshop’s report, The top internal communication trends for 2024 found that email is still one of the most common forms of internal comms used. But 50% of internal communicators reported they don’t have the tools needed to measure the impact of their efforts.
Maddy echoes these findings.
“A lot of times we hear that communicators don’t have the resources to slice and dice metrics, so it can feel overwhelming at times. For instance, if they are using Outlook to send comms, then they don’t get ANY engagement data. More importantly, they don’t even have the time to even drill down on a campaign or specific communications metrics. Generally, this saddens me, because I hear that communicators want to be able to analyze the success of their campaigns.”
So, how do tools like Broadcast help reduce the lift required to look into comms metrics? — By allowing communicators to apply learning, ultimately improving future opportunities, and helping their overall internal communications strategy, says Maddy.
Why are Internal Communications Metrics Important?
Internal communications metrics are crucial for several reasons, from providing valuable insights to helping companies make important decisions. There is also evidence that the strategic success of many organizations is supported by measurement — which is why it is so important to measure internal communications.
Gallagher’s State of the Sector report reveals that their survey “uncovered a symbiotic relationship between strategic thinking and measuring impact.” Despite metrics being a major challenge for 2024, they found measurement “to be more robust in frequency, type of metrics gathered, and use of findings this year.” They also found that 20% more communicators were using measurement to tailor content and build a case for companies to invest more. Also, strategic communicators have become better at measuring, focusing more on outcome metrics like changes in behavior rather than reach metric outputs.
Nevertheless, despite this improvement, while a huge majority of respondents still wanted to measure more frequently and comprehensively,” they found that time and technology often thwart their efforts.
“To be truly accountable, communicators must measure the impact of their efforts.”
Gallagher
The reasons are relatively obvious.
Insight into Communication Effectiveness
Internal communication metrics provide organizations with valuable insights into the effectiveness of their communication strategies and channels.
Identification of Areas for Improvement
By tracking metrics such as email open rates, intranet engagement, and employee satisfaction scores, companies can identify areas where communication may be lacking and make adjustments accordingly.
Measurement of Impact
Internal communication metrics allow organizations to measure the impact of their communication efforts on employee engagement, productivity, and overall business performance.
Data-driven Decision Making
By correlating communication metrics with key performance indicators (KPIs) such as employee turnover rates or customer satisfaction scores, companies can make data-driven decisions to optimize communication strategies and drive business outcomes.
What Internal Comms Metrics Every Company Should Track?
We know that every company should track key internal communications metrics to ensure effective communication. But which internal communications metrics should they be tracking?
Some of the most common email metrics are open rates, click-through rates, page views and engagement metrics. Maddy’s advice is to spend time understanding the metrics that your tools provide you with. Depending on the system and specific metrics available, you need to shape your comms strategy to coincide with these.
She cites the example of total opens and total clicks versus unique opens and unique clicks. “Total opens will look at the total number of opens that email received by the recipient across all devices, mobiles, desktop tablets, etc. and also includes any opens that occurred if that email was forwarded on to another recipient. Whereas unique opens and unique clicks, will only look at the first time that communication was opened and clicked. It doesn’t track how many times that communication was opened amongst the various devices.
“Both of these metrics tell you different data stories. Understanding the culture of your company is imperative when it comes to internal communications. For this reason, it is vital to identify which set of metrics you should be honing in on.”
She also points out that depending on the organization and its internal tech stack systems, there are many factors that can affect adequate tracking communications.
For example, “most companies have security scanning systems that automatically open and click all emails before they hit the recipients’ inbox. If these security scanning systems aren’t adequately configured to work in parallel with their comms tools, the communicator could face incorrect data and analytics. It’s important for leaders to work alongside their IT teams to ensure they understand what systems are in place that may affect their communications metrics.”
Which Metrics Do Companies Track?
It’s interesting to know which internal communications metrics companies are, in fact, tracking.
According to the Workshop 2024 trends report mentioned earlier, internal communicators mostly use survey results (62.2%) to track their efforts. More than half (56.9%) use open and click-through rates, and 45.2% rely on posts, comments, and replies. At 42%, employee engagement metrics are a popular method for measuring internal communications, while only 15.4% rely on key business metrics.
Despite these results, not all companies are happy with the methods they use to measure the results of internal communications. Nearly a third (31.4%) said “I don’t have a great way right now!”
“When measuring the overall effectiveness of internal communications, we recommend tracking a mix of both qualitative feedback and quantitative data to allow for a more holistic view of the overall impact.”
Workshop
With all this in mind, we’ve prepared a list of 25 metrics that you can implement in your communications strategy. Use them all, or choose those that work best for you. We have grouped them according to type for ease of reference.
Email Communication Metrics
Workshop reports that “email remains a cornerstone of communication in the workplace, with 70% of internal communicators citing it as their most effective channel and tactic to use when communicating with employees.”
#1 Open rate
The open rate is the percentage of recipients who open an email out of the total number of recipients. It indicates the effectiveness of email subject lines and the level of interest in the email content.
According to Contact Monkey’s Internal Email Benchmark Report 2024, the average email open rate is 69%. However, it can range from a mere 10% to 99%.
Of course, there are many factors that can affect open rates. For example, “Apple recently released a new security feature for iPhones that will significantly impact rates of communications, if engaged or opened on an employee’s mobile device,” says Maddy. Cerkl’s Employee Communications in a Post-IOS 15 World Whitepaper has more information to help you improve open rates.
#2 Click-through rate (CTR)
The click-through rate is the percentage of recipients who click on one or more links within an email out of the total number of recipients.
Contact Monkey refers to the average click rate, stating they found the average click rate was only 10%. Again, there are many factors that play a role, which is why they say that the click rate can range from only 1% to as high as 98%. The average click-to-open rate is 14%, ranging from 1% to 99%.
#3 Conversion rate
The conversion rate refers to the percentage of recipients who complete a desired action after clicking on a link in the email. This might be anything from downloading an app to signing up for an event.
#4 Bounce rate
The bounce rate is the percentage of emails that are not successfully delivered to employees’ inboxes due to various reasons. These range from invalid email addresses to full mailboxes.
#5 Unsubscribe rate
The unsubscribe rate is the percentage of recipients who opt out of receiving further emails from the sender after receiving a particular email. Essentially, it measures the level of dissatisfaction or disengagement with email content or frequency.
Intranet and Collaboration Platform Metrics
Workshop found that close to three quarters (72%) of the companies who responded to their survey use the intranet as part of their internal communications strategy vs 93.7% that use email. However, more than half (63.5%) are prioritizing a new and/or improved intranet for 2024. At the same time, they don’t find the intranet to be nearly as effective as email — 24.3% vs 69.8%.
#6 Page views
Page views indicate the number of times a specific page on the intranet or collaboration platform has been viewed by users.
#7 Unique visitors
Unique visitors refers to the number of distinct individuals who have visited the intranet or collaboration platform within a specific period.
#8 Engagement metrics
Engagement metrics are the number of interactions users have with content on the intranet or collaboration platform. These include leaving comments, liking posts, or sharing content.
#9 Participation in forums or discussion groups
This metric indicates the number of users actively participating in forums, discussion groups, or online communities within the intranet or collaboration platform.
Employee Feedback and Survey Metrics
The Workshop report shows feedback as being less important to many companies than it should be. Only 38.4% say getting more feedback from employees is a primary goal within the company’s internal communications strategy for 2024.
Gallagher reports a 5% increase in companies measuring employee satisfaction using internal communications tools like audits, surveys, and interviews. But, whatever they use, feedback is vital, says Drew Munn, Gallagher’s Future of Work strategy partner.
“Make sure you implement feedback mechanisms to see how well your experiments work.” Drew Munn
#10 Employee satisfaction scores
Employee satisfaction scores are a quantitative measurement of the overall satisfaction of employees with various aspects of their job and workplace environment.
#11 Communication effectiveness ratings
Communication effectiveness ratings show employees’ perceptions of the effectiveness of internal communication channels and strategies in delivering relevant and timely information.
#12 Net promoter score
The net promoter score (NPS) is a metric that is used to measure the likelihood of employees recommending their organization as a good place to work.
#13 Suggestions or improvement ideas from employees
Suggestions or ideas for improvement are usually gleaned from employee feedback. They commonly suggest ways for improving internal communications, processes, or overall workplace experience.
Meeting and Event Metrics
According to Gallagher’s State of the Sector report, 78% of companies use all-employee live events for internal communications. Furthermore, 97% of them find it to be a highly effective broadcast channel. Similarly, manager team meetings are also regarded as being effective, with 81% using this collaboration channel.
#14 Attendance rates
Attendance rates are the percentage of invited participants who attend a meeting or event.
#15 Participation levels
Participation levels indicate the degree of active involvement and contribution from attendees during a meeting or event, This includes asking questions, providing feedback, or participating in discussions.d
#16 Post-event feedback surveys
Surveys conducted after a meeting or event to gather attendees’ feedback and opinions on various aspects such as content, speakers, organization, and overall experience.
Gallgher reports that after engagement surveys, post-event feedback is used the most for qualitative feedback. It is also the listening channel that has increased most in use (by 15%), which “could indicate increased formalization of events as a measurable communications channel.”
#17 Action items completed as a result of meetings
The number or percentage of action items or tasks identified during a meeting that have been successfully completed or implemented.
Content Engagement Metrics
Content engagement metrics are data points that show how audiences interact with your content, revealing how well it resonates and keeps them interested. By tracking these metrics, you can understand what content works best and tailor your strategy for future success.
#18 Video views and completion rates
Video views and completion rates report the number of times a video content has been viewed by users and the percentage of viewers who watched the video until the end.
#19 Blog post or article views
This indicates the number of times a blog post or article has been accessed and read by users.
#20 Social media engagement
Social media engagement reflects the number of interactions that content receives on social media platforms. It includes likes, shares, and comments on various social media platforms.
#21 Downloads of internal documents or resources
This refers to the number of times internal documents, resources, or materials have been downloaded or accessed by employees.
Mobile App Usage Metrics
Workshop’s research reveals that surprisingly few companies (only 13.2%) use mobile apps as part of their internal communications strategy. And only 20.1% regard it as a primary goal in the strategy for internal communications in 2024.
#22 Number of downloads
This metric indicates the total number of times the mobile app has been downloaded and installed by employees.
#23 Active users
Active users is literally the number of users who actively engage with the mobile app within a specific period. This may be daily or monthly.
#24 Time spent on the app
The time spent on a mobile app is the average amount of time users spend using it during a single session or over a specified period.
#25 Most accessed features or content
This indicates the features, sections, or content within the mobile app that are most frequently accessed or utilized by users.
Challenges in Measuring Internal Communications Metrics
The Gallagher report shows that 84% of internal communicators want to measure data more often or more comprehensively. Additionally, 70% want to use internal communication metrics to prove ROI on communications. This is 18% more than the previous year. In addition, 64% want to refine channels — an increase of 21%.
Still, challenges to measuring comms persist. Gallagher highlights five top measurement challenges:
- 58% Lack of time and resources
- 41% Lack of internal communication metrics (technology)
- 38% Lack of coalition and analysis tools (also technology)
- 37% Lack of benchmarking data
- 35% Lack of clear communication objectives and business targets
We’ve touched on these, but now let’s go into each of them in a bit more detail.
Lack of time and resources
Time and resources are precious commodities for any communications team. Often, internal communication professionals are juggling multiple tasks, from crafting messaging to managing employee feedback channels. The reality is that measuring internal communications effectiveness is time-consuming and it requires specific resources, like employee engagement software or an employee app, to collect and analyze data effectively.
Lack of internal communication metrics
One significant hurdle in the path of measuring internal communications is the absence of established metrics. Many companies lack a structured framework for defining key internal communication metrics, such as engagement metrics, adoption rates, or page visits. This gap makes it challenging to measure internal communications’ effectiveness and align communications strategy with business objectives.
Lack of coalition and analysis tools
The absence of appropriate tools for collating and analyzing internal communication metrics further exacerbates measurement challenges. Tools that offer detailed email tracking, engagement metrics monitoring, or survey result analysis are pivotal for understanding employee engagement levels, employee turnover rates, and overall company intranet effectiveness.
Without these tools, gathering data becomes a manual and error-prone process, potentially leading to inaccurate insights. Moreover, the inability to analyze data comprehensively can hamper the development of a refined and targeted internal communications strategy.
Lack of benchmarking data
Benchmarking data plays a crucial role in measuring internal communications effectiveness. Without a reference point or industry standard, it’s challenging to evaluate whether metrics like employee adoption rate or customer satisfaction are on target. This lack of benchmarking data makes it difficult to set realistic goals or understand where improvements are needed.
Lack of clear communication objectives and business targets
The foundation of any successful internal communications strategy lies in clear, attainable objectives that align with overall business targets. A common mistake is pursuing communications activities without predefined goals or understanding how they contribute to business success. This lack of clarity can lead to misdirection and ineffective use of resources.
Best Practices to Maximize Your Measurement Impact
Maddy identifies some of the best practices for maximizing the impact of data measurement:
- Understand your company’s email culture
- Maximize the potential of audience segmentation
- Create a structure that identifies tangible metrics
- Focus on comparative metrics
- Train employees to use analytical tools no 8
- Don’t underestimate the power of employee feedback
Understand the Email Culture of Your Company
Maddy explains why this is so important. “If you have a workforce that commonly forwards emails to groups you need to take this into consideration when doing an analysis of your communication metrics. Forwarding an email to large groups of people will immediately impact the totality of your open rates and clicks.
“So, in the case of a company that has a forwarding culture, we highly suggest that organizations focus on unique open and unique clicks versus totals.”
Maximize the Use of Segmented Audiences
“Don’t just use audience segmentation as a way to target communications to the appropriate groups within your employee base,” says Maddy. “Segmentation can also be used to help identify common threads or trends amongst unique groups of individuals. That gives you the opportunity for comparison, identifying highly engaged groups versus the groups that are the least engaged with a campaign or communication.”
Formulate Tangible Metrics for Success
“Create a structure that requires the person or team requesting delivery of a communication, to identify tangible metrics around the success of those messages.
“For example, if IT comes to the communications team and says they need to send out a message to all users of a specific system informing them that they must change their password before a given date, insist that IT gives communicators a success metric. In this case, IT would deem this communication a success if 85% of employees update their password or system access prior to the deadline date.”
It is also important for internal communicators to work with IT to track those metrics over time after the campaign has ended.
Comparative Metrics
It’s important to use and compare different types of metrics. If you don’t do this, you won’t have a sure way to measure success. For this reason, Maddy suggests communicators provide data in a way that says “here were your campaign or comms metrics, and this is where it stands up against other campaigns of a similar nature.” Also, leadership needs contextual information to understand how a new campaign might stand up to similar comms shared in the past.
Data Analysis Training
Maddy advocates that communicators take time to understand data and analytics.
“We’ve worked with plenty of companies that have entire divisions that are responsible for that type of work. Of course, not all companies have this type of luxury, especially a small team. They don’t have the time or resources available at that level. However, there are always small ways in which any communicator can beef up knowledge and an understanding of metrics.
“I highly suggest that any communicator lean on their solutions teams (if they have them) to ask for best practices. Communicators shouldn’t feel like they’re alone. Any good solution should provide a communicator with as many resources as possible to gain knowledge.”
Employee Feedback
We’re already mentioned how important feedback is. Maddy, more than anyone, recognizes how crucial it is.
“However, I hear a lot from internal communicators that they’re very careful to ask for feedback from employees, because if they cannot execute on system feedback directly, employees providing feedback immediately lose faith. There’s a fine line between gathering, analyzing, and applying feedback.” For example, weighing individual feedback from employees while also being able to track implicit feedback from employees can be difficult.
How Broadcast Can Help to Measure Comms That Really Matters
Cerkl Broadcast can help in a myriad of ways. Designed for internal communicators, it serves as a centralized hub for all communication assets. In this way, it ensures that communicators can easily access and manage information, which makes planning considerably more effective.
It features custom dashboards, enables Email Blast acknowledgements, and allows you to filter insights gathered. You can also export insights tables that are invaluable for evaluating internal communications metrics. The versatile platform also enables communicators to segment their audiences based on all kinds of criteria including department, role, or location. This facilitates precise targeting in the delivery of internal communications. Furthermore, you can also use segmentation to identify engagement metrics based on different employee groups.
What’s Next?
ROI is key to showing the value of internal communicators. You are welcome to use our ROI Calculator to gauge just how effective your internal communications are.
FAQ
You can measure success of internal communications by tracking a mix of metrics. Look at reach (how many employees saw the message) and engagement (how they interacted with it), alongside feedback surveys to gauge employee understanding and sentiment.
Evaluating internal communications is not just about numbers. Analyze how well your messages resonate with employees. Consider surveys, focus groups, and leader feedback to understand if communication is clear, relevant, and driving desired actions.
An internal communication matrix is a tool that helps people visualize how different communication channels (email, intranet, and so on) align with various employee needs and goals. It helps ensure you’re using the right channel for the right message.
A scorecard for internal communications is a customizable set of metrics that track progress towards specific communication goals. It allows you to monitor KPIs and measure the effectiveness of your internal communications efforts over time.
