7 News Tracking Tools Every PR Professional Should Use

  • Author

    Martina Pranjić

  • Published

    Jun, 30, 2023

  • Reading time

    6min

How do you stay informed about everything vital to your business, industry, or your competitors? Well, there are pretty much 2 viable options. You can track everything manually, follow dozens of channels, and have a dedicated team doing only that, all day, every day. Or you can invest in one of the news tracking tools and get all this information in a single dashboard.

💡 Read Digital PR Explained: Best Strategies and Tools

News tracking tools are not a new thing. They’re just becoming quicker, easier to use, and more resourceful by the day. With their help, you can nowadays stay in the loop on trends. Or be the first to know when there’s a crisis going on. Also, you can track your and your competitors’ online media presence with ease.

In this blog, we’ll go through 7 cutting-edge tools that will make your day-to-day PR tasks much easier.

Google Alerts

Google Alerts is a widely recognized news tracking tool that has become a go-to choice for individuals and professionals alike. With Google Alerts, you can effortlessly monitor the web for specific keywords or topics. There is also an option to receive email notifications whenever new content matching your criteria is published.

Setting up Google Alerts is a breeze. It requires only a few simple steps to tailor your alerts to your specific interests. The tool offers a range of customization options, allowing you to choose the sources, frequency of alerts, and types of content you wish to receive updates on.

Whether you’re tracking industry trends, monitoring brand mentions, or staying updated on current events, Google Alerts keeps you informed and saves you valuable time by curating relevant information directly to your inbox. 

Google Alerts result for a query Nike
With news tracking tools stay up to date on current events

SproutSocial

Sprout Social, although primarily known as a social media management tool, offers robust news-tracking features that make it an excellent choice if you’re looking for the best way to stay informed.

With Sprout Social, you can monitor and track news updates across multiple social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. The tool provides comprehensive keyword monitoring and sentiment analysis, allowing you to track specific topics, hashtags, or mentions of your brand or competitors. Sprout Social’s intuitive dashboard presents real-time updates, enabling you to identify trending news and engage in timely discussions quickly.

The tool also offers advanced analytics and reporting features, giving you valuable insights into the performance and impact of your news-tracking efforts. Whether you’re a social media manager, a marketing professional, or an individual seeking in-depth social media news tracking, Sprout Social equips you with the necessary tools to monitor and engage with news across various platforms effectively.

Read Top 5 Examples of Sentiment Analysis

Determ

Determ is an innovative and cutting-edge news-tracking tool that utilizes artificial intelligence and machine learning to provide users with real-time insights and comprehensive news monitoring capabilities. With Determ, users can track news across various sources, including online news articles, blogs, social media, and more. The tool’s AI algorithms analyze and categorize news content, making it easy for users to filter and discover relevant information.

Determ’s intuitive dashboard presents a holistic view of news trends, sentiment analysis, and key metrics, allowing users to gain valuable insights into public opinion and emerging topics. Additionally, Determ offers customizable alerts and notifications, ensuring users never miss important news updates.

Riding on the waves of AI, Determ offers one more powerful feature – an AI assistant Synthia, that will summarize your most influential mentions, give you an overview and a set of tips for your future actions. Quite a good start when creating a PR or marketing strategy, right?

Read 8 Best Practices for Doing Newsjacking the Right Way

Determ Homepage
Get real-time insights with AI-powered media monitoring tool Determ

If you want to try it out, book a demo with one of our experts.

NewsBlur

NewsBlur is a feature-rich news tracking tool that provides an immersive and personalized news reading experience. With its intuitive interface and powerful algorithms, NewsBlur aggregates news from various sources and presents it in an easy-to-navigate format.

What sets NewsBlur apart is its intelligent filtering and customization capabilities. Users can train the tool to learn their preferences. They can highlight or hide specific articles, effectively curating their news feed to align with their interests. NewsBlur also offers social features, allowing users to share and discuss articles with their community.

Additionally, the tool provides offline reading options, ensuring you can catch up on news even when you’re on the go. For those seeking a tailored and engaging news-tracking experience, NewsBlur is a way to go.

Read PR vs Marketing: 5 Main Differences Explained (And Compared)

brand metrics explained
Prompt and easy to use reporting is a feature you should look for in media monitoring tools

Brandwatch

Brandwatch specializes in monitoring and analyzing online conversations surrounding brands, industries, and trending topics. As many other monitoring tools, this tool offers real-time monitoring and alerts, providing users with immediate updates on news mentions relevant to their interests.

Brandwatch’s data visualization capabilities make it easy to digest and interpret large volumes of news data, allowing users to identify trends, influencers, and emerging topics. Additionally, the tool provides robust reporting features, empowering users to generate detailed insights and share comprehensive reports with stakeholders. 

Read Brand24 vs Determ: Which Is The Best Media Monitoring Tool?

Brandwatch-homepage
Brandwatch

Prowly

Prowly is a tool that caters specifically to public relations and media professionals. Designed to streamline PR efforts, Prowly offers an array of features to help users manage their media coverage effectively. With Prowly, users can create and maintain media lists, track journalists’ activities, and distribute press releases to targeted contacts.

The tool also provides media monitoring capabilities, allowing users to track mentions of their brand or specific keywords across online news sources. Prowly’s interface and analytics dashboard offer valuable insights into media reach, engagement, and sentiment, enabling PR professionals to measure the impact of their campaigns. Additionally, Prowly offers robust reporting features, facilitating the generation of comprehensive PR reports. 

Read BrandMentions vs Determ: A Side-by-Side Comparison of Two Top Media Monitoring Tools

prowly
Prowly

Cision

With its vast media database and monitoring capabilities, Cision enables users to track and analyze news coverage across various channels, including print, online, and broadcast media. The tool provides advanced search features, allowing users to filter news based on specific keywords, industries, or geographic regions. Cision also offers media contact management, helping users build and maintain relationships with journalists and influencers. 

The Bottom Line

There’s no perfect tool. There is, however, a perfect tool for your needs. So before you opt for any of these go back to your needs and think about your goals.

One thing is certain though – by leveraging these news tracking tools, you can stay informed, and gain valuable insights into emerging trends and public sentiment. Whether you’re an individual seeking personalized news updates or a professional in the media or PR industry, these news tracking tools offer the functionality, ease of use, and analytics necessary to stay ahead.

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