PR Value Calculator

AVE (Advertising Value Equivalency) measures what you would have paid for equivalent ad space. EMV (Earned Media Value) multiplies AVE by a credibility factor (typically 2-5x) because earned coverage is more trusted than advertising. EMV better reflects the true value of PR.

Critics argue these metrics don't measure actual business impact—awareness, sentiment, or conversions. However, they remain popular because they're easy to understand and compare to ad budgets. Best practice is to use them alongside outcome-based metrics like message penetration and lead attribution.

Industry standard is 3x, reflecting that earned media is roughly three times more credible than advertising. Use 2x for conservative estimates or 5x for coverage in highly trusted publications. The key is consistency—use the same multiplier across all campaigns.

Request media kits from publications for ad rates, use services like Cision or Meltwater that track ad values, or estimate based on CPM and audience size. For broadcast, use average 30-second spot rates. For online, use display CPMs multiplied by average page views.

Yes—negative coverage should reduce or negate value. Some practitioners apply a -1x multiplier for negative mentions. Others exclude negative coverage entirely. At minimum, track positive vs negative coverage separately to give stakeholders accurate context.