Ever felt the overwhelming frustration of setting up media monitoring searches, only to drown in a sea of irrelevant results? You can master Boolean search terms and vendor training all you want, but the fact is you’ll still be battling a relentless torrent of content that has nothing to do with your brand.

After working with hundreds of PR teams and using all the major media monitoring platforms, our analysts have found that they typically need to sift through and dismiss around 20-30% of the stories these tools churn out – even after fine-tuning search terms and optimizing filters to the best of their abilities.

The Perils of Over-Capturing

Why does this problem persist, even with all the sophisticated technology at our fingertips? The simple answer is that media monitoring platforms are prone to over-capturing irrelevant content. They scoop up text from related links, ads, author bios, background HTML, incorrect article dates, and countless other elements that have no real bearing on your brand’s media coverage.

Sure, you can refine your searches and tweak your filters to try and minimize this issue. But the harsh reality is that no matter how skilled you become at Boolean wizardry, you’ll never eliminate the need for good old-fashioned manual checks and quality control.

Don’t Get Caught Off Guard

The consequences of failing to stay on top of this problem can be severe. Imagine having to explain to your CMO or other key stakeholders why that “spike” in coverage this quarter was actually, upon closer inspection, just a bunch of outdated content from 2015 that your monitoring platform had incorrectly included.

Your credibility – and your team’s – will take a major hit. Suddenly, all that hard work you’ve put into building a robust media monitoring program gets called into question. And that’s not a position you want to find yourself in.

The Value of Human Oversight

The truth is, effective media monitoring requires a delicate balance of technology and human expertise. While the platforms continue to evolve, they will always have their limitations when it comes to accurately identifying and categorizing the content that matters most to your brand.

That’s why it’s so important to make time for those manual quality checks, even as you optimize your search strategies and leverage the latest tools. With a little elbow grease and a discerning eye, you can cut through the noise and deliver the kind of insightful, actionable media intelligence that drives real business impact.

Don’t get caught drowning in a sea of irrelevant coverage. Embrace the power of human oversight, and watch your media monitoring program reach new heights of precision and effectiveness.

Contact us if you’d like help with PR reporting.