Measuring Success: Bots Deceive, Conversions Do Not

The digital environment no longer operates according to the rules that were valid just a few years ago. Once, the effectiveness of communication was measured by the number of posts or impressions, and now the question is increasingly raised as to how much these indicators are related to real people. It is no longer sufficient to ‘be present’ – it is important to understand who is truly behind that presence and what its business impact is. In such a landscape, communicators must balance between automation and authenticity, and PR is increasingly becoming an analytical discipline that must prove its real contribution to the business, rather than just a function that builds image.

Who is in the Audience

In an era where communication channels are flooded with automated profiles, generative content, and algorithmic interactions, the logic of measuring PR effectiveness is also changing. Success can no longer rely on impressions and superficial metrics, but on understanding the behavior of the real audience and connecting communication with specific business indicators. Companies are increasingly faced with the question of whether the message reaches real people or if its reach is a result of activities created by bots, media aggregators, and AI systems.

To distinguish real visibility from simulated engagement, organizations are introducing advanced analytical models that increasingly combine reputational signals, semantic processing of media releases, and user behavior data. In such an environment, PR is no longer just a channel for visibility, but a tool that must prove its contribution to growth, stability, and brand perception. At the same time, communication teams are increasingly collaborating with data departments, product-teams, and management, as clear data interpretation becomes a key competence without which quality reputation management becomes impossible.

Internal Methodologies

The fintech-industry particularly depends on rapid market reactions and clear data interpretation, so at Aircash, communication is treated as a measurable investment, not a reputational ornament. Within the company, they have developed a methodology that connects PR activities with business goals and clearly shows which campaigns drive real conversions. This erases the boundary between image communication and performance models, which has become necessary in a sector where user behavior changes minute by minute.

– At Aircash, we treat every PR endeavor as an investment that must demonstrate a concrete business effect. That is why we have developed an internal methodology that connects communication activities with key funnel metrics, from app downloads to activation and actual usage… This way, we can clearly identify which messages, formats, and channels generate real conversions, not just visibility – explains the head of the PR department at Aircash, Lea Baričić Bićanić.

This approach allows reputational campaigns to create a foundation, while performance PR takes on the role of generating measurable results such as user growth or increased transactions. This ensures brand consistency, as well as more precise resource management.

– For us, performance PR is not a trend, but a standard… When we introduce new services or enter markets, image campaigns lay the foundation of trust. After that, we activate PR activities focused on specific user actions, with clear metric goals such as the number of registrations, transaction growth… Reputational activities create context, while performance PR delivers a direct business effect – adds Baričić Bićanić.

Moreover, they emphasize the importance of real-time data, as the fintech-market requires constant adjustment of communication tactics. It is precisely the speed of analysis that allows the campaign to respond to audience signals, as well as anomalies that may indicate bot-engagement.

– Real-time data is absolutely crucial for Aircash… Such live insight allows us to immediately recognize what works, where opportunities or risks arise, and to adjust messages and channels as needed almost in real time – states Baričić Bićanić.

Superficial Metrics

In the agency sector, it is becoming increasingly clear that traditional quantitative metrics can no longer guarantee real reach, as part of the engagement can be generated algorithmically. That is why Manjgura places significantly greater emphasis on qualitative analysis that observes user behavior, not just the volume of interactions. Only then is it possible to determine whether the audience actually consumed the content or if its reach is inflated by automated patterns.

– If you want to be sure that your messages will reach the audience you want to reach, quantitative tracking based on superficial numbers is no longer valid today… This includes reading comments, analyzing audience retention time on content, duration of visits to certain sections, user return, and engagement patterns that can show whether the audience is truly interested – states Manjgura’s CEO, Tomislav Horvat.

He adds that vanity metrics often only give the impression of success, while only qualitative insights allow for strategic interpretation and narrative adjustment. Without this, campaigns risk mis-targeting and incorrect communication direction.

– Vanity metrics can provide a rough idea of visibility, but sometimes they only create the illusion of success… That is why human interpretation of these indicators plays a key role today… Various tools can facilitate processes, but the human factor, which implies a deep understanding of context, topic, and audience, still has no replacement in the algorithm – adds Horvat.

He particularly emphasizes that PR conversions do not occur as quickly as marketing ones, but are observed through continuity and long-term adoption of key messages by target groups. Only when the audience begins to actively reproduce the narrative can one speak of a successful campaign.

– Tracking conversion in PR is particularly challenging… When target groups begin to adopt the narrative, use key messages, or turn them into concrete actions, we consider that a real conversion – concludes Horvat.

Reputation is the Most Resilient Indicator

For Marina Bolanča, CEO of Abeceda komunikacije, the key problem of today’s analytics is the fact that bots can mimic engagement, but cannot leave a trace that real audiences do. Therefore, reputational signals, qualitative insights, and semantic analysis become the foundation for assessing the real contribution of communication, and companies are increasingly investing in models that measure changes in perception and behavior of stakeholders.

– We measure real reach by where the message ends up, who transmits it, and what discussion it opens – not just by how many times someone (or something) has ‘seen’ it… The real audience leaves a trace that cannot be simulated, such as reading the entire text, returning to the content several days later, clicking on related sources… This is the most reliable proof that the content is consumed by a person, not a bot – emphasizes Bolanča.

In addition, reputational analytics is becoming key to understanding long-term effects, as it shows how communication affects trust, likelihood to recommend, and perceptual attributes that are closely linked to business results. This elevates the communication function above the operational level and directly connects it with risk management and business goals.

– Today’s communication is effective only when measured from visibility to business results. The communication process must not remain fluid and isolated from business accountability. At the end of the day, we know that reputation depends solely on behavior – adds Bolanča.

Investment, Not Expense

She emphasizes that clients are increasingly aware of the necessity of long-term analytics, but levels of readiness vary. Those who understand the value of reputation are more willing to invest in advanced research, while others still seek quick, simple metrics that do not actually deliver real results.

– Client readiness is growing, but unevenly. Today, in business, we encounter several types of clients when it comes to long-term measurement. There are clients who understand the long-term capital of communication. Such clients are aware that reputation, trust, and visibility are not short-term categories. They invest systematically, use advanced measurement tools, conduct longitudinal studies, and integrate data from all departments. They generally record the most convincing business growth. We also have a portion of clients in what is called transition. They want advanced metrics, but still balance between short-term signs of success (e.g., likes) and long-term indicators. With such clients, we work the most on education and breaking the illusion that visibility is the same as impact. There is also a portion of clients who still prefer simple metrics. A part of the market still operates on the principle of quick validation: ‘how many posts were there’ and ‘how many saw them’. This is understandable – it is simple, quick, and visually convincing. But in the long run, it does not bring any strategic capital. Our role is to show that advanced analytics is an investment, not an expense. Once a client sees a clear connection between communication and business results, there is no going back – concludes Bolanča.