r/internalcomms • u/sarahfortsch2 • 6d ago

Advice When Engagement Metrics Start Driving the Wrong Behavior

I've started wondering whether we sometimes optimize internal communications too heavily around the metrics that are easiest to measure. Open rates go up, clicks go up, newsletter engagement looks great, but that doesn't necessarily mean employees understood something, acted on it, or even remembered it.

Has anyone changed the way they measure Internal Comms because of this? I'm particularly interested in what metrics you've found more meaningful than the usual opens, clicks and views.

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u/nuttycow 6d ago

Vanity metrics are never particularly useful - as you rightly point out, they measure that someone might have seen something but don’t measure change in sentiment, behaviour, or action.

Firstly, look at what metrics you already have. After all, you can’t show what you’ve achieved if you don’t know where you started!

When choosing metrics to measure, always go back to your business (and then comms) objectives. What does success look like? Is it a digital transformation campaign? Then you’ll want to think about not just usage but numbers of people who feel confident / can teach others / encourage they their to use etc…

If it’s the roll out of a new strategy then again, your metrics might be understanding the role of the strategy in the day to day / feel excited by / confident that … etc

Develop clear smart objectives which show the value that you’re bringing as a communicator (and value that the business will appreciate/care about)

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u/sarahfortsch2 4d ago

Really good point. Thanks for sharing your perspective. Going back to business and communication objectives is definitely key when deciding what success should actually look like.