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Today, PR teams aren’t just tracking media coverage and share of voice. They’re also measuring how their brand shows up in AI-generated answers, search summaries, and large language models (LLMs). This new LLM visibility layer is quickly becoming a critical part of PR performance.

15 Must-Have PR KPIs and How to Track Them

Influencer marketing is evolving, and so is the way brands measure success. That’s why Meltwater is proud to announce a new partnership with YouTube, integrating YouTube’s Creator Partnerships API directly into our Influencer Marketing platform.

Introducing Verified YouTube Data in Meltwater Influencer Marketing

See how one platform can power every decision across PR, communications, and marketing.

The Meltwater Blog

Blog Topics: Generative Engine Optimization, Media Intelligence, Media Relations, Social Listening, Consumer Intelligence, Influencer Marketing

Find out how you can leverage Facebook to boost your brand's online presence and gain a competitive edge. Explore the Meltwater category page today!

Facebook Blog | Meltwater

Find out how you can leverage Instagram to boost your brand's visual appeal and gain a competitive edge. Explore our category page today!

Instagram Blog | Meltwater

Find out how you can leverage LinkedIN to grow your professional network and gain a competitive edge. Explore the Meltwater category page today!

LinkedIn Blog | Meltwater

Find out how you can leverage TikTok to elevate your brand with creative content and gain a competitive edge. Explore the Meltwater category page today!

TikTok Blog | Meltwater

Find out how you can leverage X / Twitter to engage your audience effectively and gain a competitive edge. Explore the Meltwater category page today!

X / Twitter Blog | Meltwater

Find out how you can leverage YouTube to create engaging video content and gain a competitive edge. Explore the Meltwater category page today!

YouTube Blog | Meltwater

Every day billions of conversations take place on social media: tweets, posts, comments, blogs, reviews, podcasts, and much more.
Learn how to use social listening to make sense of all of that data.

On our social listening category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around social listening and social media monitoring. Read more.

Social Listening Blogs | Category

Business Reputation Management: What does it take to add reputation management to your marketing strategy? More importantly, how do you keep your reputation sparkly and shiny? Here’s your all-access guide to online reputation management for the long term.

On our reputation management category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around business reputation management. Read more.

Reputation Management Blogs | Category

From your brand's logo to your website, your social media presence to your customer support—these elements combined are what constitutes a brand in the minds of customers. But, there are thousands of other businesses that have a logo, website, social media presence, and website. So, how can you position your business on the market and make it stand out from the competition?
The key to success is branding & brand management!

On our brand management category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around brand management. Build your strategy and reach your goals!

Brand Management Blogs | Category

Competitive intelligence and the act of collecting competitive data can be seen as growth drivers for a company. Our guide will help you understand the concept of competitive intelligence (CI) by answering questions such as: What is the definition of competitive intelligence? How is competitive intelligence useful to organizations? What is the goal of competitive intelligence? And more.

On our competitive intelligence category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around competitive intelligence. Learn how to stay ahead.

Competitive Intelligence Blogs | Category

Let’s dive into the customer journey framework and how to optimize the process by creating a customer journey map and using metrics that matter when analyzing the customer journey.

On our customer journey category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around mapping and understanding the customer journey.

Customer Journey Blogs | Category

What Is Data Analytics? [Beginner’s Guide 2023]
How can I grow my business? 
How do customers interact with my newly launched product?
How do I increase the productivity of my employees?
How do I know if my marketing efforts are working?
We have just two words for you...Data analytics!

On our data analytics category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around AI and data analytics. Technical and still easy to understand.

AI & Data Analytics Blogs | Category

Public relations and media relations can add impact to any marketing strategy. It’s an opportunity for brands to grow their reach beyond traditional sales messages. PR helps to shape the image you want people to have of your brand.
So, what is PR and how do you use it? This guide shows you everything you need to know to build a strong public relations foundation.

On our public relations (PR) category page, you find all our blogs covering public relations and communications topics. Step up your PR game.

Public Relations (PR) Blogs | Category

We all know exactly what the roles of sales or accounting are in a company, right? We might even have a slight idea of what the IT guys are doing.
But there is another business discipline, that plays a crucial role in organizations, even more so during the pandemic – internal communications!
But what exactly do we mean by that, what purpose does it serve and what steps can you take to ensure you and your employees will communicate effectively?

On our internal communications category page, you find all our blogs about internal comms topics. Learn about the intranet, internal newsletters, and more.

Internal Communications Blogs | Category

As the internet has taken root in more areas of our lives — everything from entertainment to shopping to paying bills and more — traditional marketing is becoming less impactful. As any marketer knows, you need to focus on where your audience is if you want to reach them. Since the average person spends about seven hours a day online, it’s no surprise that content has maintained its hold on marketers.

Here's a closer look at what content marketing is and why it matters more than ever in our digital-first economy.

On our content marketing category page, you find blogs about content marketing topics. Learn about strategies, KPIs, tips, and more. Make your content king!

Content Marketing Blogs | Category

The rise of the influencer marketing space – today a $10 billion industry, growing 50% per year – is one of the clearest examples of how social media is transforming traditional marketing. These days having a business website, presence on social, PR coverage, and your own content isn’t enough to compete.
We'll dive into the intricacies of influencer marketing to help ensure that you're equipped with the insights needed to be successful in this space.

On our influencer marketing category page, you find blogs about influencer marketing topics. Build your strategy, find influencers, and measure results.

Influencer Marketing Blogs | Category

Have you just launched a new product or service that you want to get the word out about? Maybe you want to share with consumers why it is awesome and how it is so much better than the one your competitors offer.

Well, then, there is one thing you can't do without...Marketing!

On our marketing category page, you find blogs about marketing topics. Learn about all the different angles and types of marketing and improve your results.

Marketing Blogs | Category

In this guide, we want to give you a peek into the definition of social media management, the daily schedule of a social media manager, social media platforms to promote your business, and the do’s & don’ts of social media management.
Are you ready to begin the journey of becoming a social media superstar?

On our social media management category page, you find blogs about social media management topics. Build and manage your online community.

Social Media Management Blogs | Category

Building a following and using social media platforms to reach a wider audience requires a well-planned social media marketing strategy. In this guide, we’ll be looking at why social media marketing is so essential and how you can make it work for your business.

On our social media marketing category page, you find blogs about social media marketing topics. Learn how to get the highest paid social ROI!

Social Media Marketing Blogs | Category

In the fast-evolving realm of digital marketing and public relations, utilizing the right tools is crucial for success. Our interdisciplinary category showcases all the pertinent tools for digital marketing & PR. These tools help in enhancing your online presence and effectively reaching target groups, whether through reputation management, influencer marketing, or social media management.

On our digital marketing and PR tools category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around mapping and understanding the customer journey.

Digital Marketing & PR Tools Blogs | Category

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is transforming how brands show up in AI-powered search. Explore insights, strategies, and best practices to help your content rank and resonate across conversational engines like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot.

Explore insights and strategies for Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) to help your brand stay visible and discoverable in AI-powered search.

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) Blog Collection | Meltwater

Journalists give you a direct connection to major media outlets, helping you promote your business, build credibility, and get in front of a bigger audience. But first, you need to know how to find a reporter — and then, you need to know how to turn their heads to get what you want.

Knowing how to contact journalists is an in-demand skill. It takes time, effort, and know-how to find journalists in your niche and craft a pitch that gets read. Whether you work for a public relations/PR agency or are trying independently to get your brand some media exposure, there are ways to find journalist contact information yourself and be on your way to media stardom.

Let’s explore the tools and tips you need.

Understanding the Media Landscape for Journalists

Tips for Leveraging Journalist and Media Contacts

The media ecosystem is vast, especially in our digital climate, where new platforms emerge quickly and often. Outlets like magazines, blogs, podcasts, social media influencers, and large publications each offer a unique way to reach your audience, and each serves a different purpose. 

It’s essential to know the nuances of the media landscape so you can find reporters and create effective pitches they’re sure to respond to.

Media coverage spans a blend of traditional and digital channels, and the way you pitch them will vary.

<table class="table-primary alternate-color">
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Media Outlet</th>
<th>Audience</th>
<th>Best Practices for Pitches</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Magazines</td>
<td>Highly targeted readership based on niche interests, such as business, tech, or beauty.</td>
<td>Research the publication's various beats and the editors who cover each beat, check editorial calendars, and demonstrate familiarity with the publication's audience.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Podcasts</td>
<td>Niche audiences who value in-depth discussions on a specific topic, such as true crime, business, or politics.</td>
<td>Identify the format and theme and offer a fresh perspective on a past theme.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Newspapers</td>
<td>Broad audiences who are segmented at the local, national, and international levels, typically catering to a wide range of interests.</td>
<td>Target the appropriate editor (e.g., sports, lifestyle) and provide timely, newsworthy angles.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Social Media Influencers</td>
<td>Followers who trust the influencer's recommendations and opinions, with engagement rates varying by platform.</td>
<td>Highlight how your pitch aligns with the influencer's brand and audience while calling attention to previous content the influencer posted.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Blogs</td>
<td>Niche communities with specific interests, typically in need of actionable insights or inspiration.</td>
<td>Focus on building personal relationships to create authentic pitches, often with a personal story.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Broadcast Media (TV and Radio)</td>
<td>Varying audiences based on local and national reach and delivery format.</td>
<td>Highlight storytelling that fits the program's tone and ensure talking points are clear and brief.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Trade Publications</td>
<td>Focused on professionals in specific industries where in-depth expertise is a focus.</td>
<td>Showcase expertise on a subject, including data and examples when possible.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

You may need to dig a few layers deeper into each of these media types to craft a compelling pitch. For example, audiences of YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter can vary widely. Morning TV shows cater to a different audience compared to radio talk shows. 

The more you know about the specific channel you’re pitching, the better you can find a journalist and pitch them effectively.

TIP: Learn more about how Meltwater Media Relations can help you reach journalists, simplify your pitches, and generate buzz.

Finding journalist contact information is just one of many steps in the process. Once you have their information, you need to know the best way to reach them.

In general, email is the preferred way to make a journalist contact. This means you’ll need a clear subject line and a message that’s engaging yet gets to the point quickly. 

You’ll also need to demonstrate knowledge of the outlet’s audience and how your topic aligns with their interests. The journalist shouldn’t need to spend time connecting the dots to see how your pitch is a good fit.

Lastly, you’ll need to tailor your pitch to the journalist you’re contacting. Mass pitches don’t work, so make sure you personalize your message to the publication and topic you want to talk about.

When you know how to find journalists in your niche, you gain a superpower that puts the power of the media in your hands. Let’s review some ways you can find journalists in any media outlet on any topic or niche.

Media databases like Meltwater’s journalist database pull journalist contact information from multiple publications and outlets into a single source of truth. Rather than searching for outlets one by one, you can use the database to find reporters by beat. You’ll even see their preferred way to be contacted. 

Want to learn more about Meltwater's Media Relations solution? Click here and fill out the form below for a personalized demo!

Many media databases and platforms like LinkedIn offer advanced search filters so you can dial into specific publications. For example, you can search for journalists or editors by location or company. 

On X (formerly known as Twitter), you can search for specific hashtags or accounts. Filters can save you from endless scrolling and mindless clicking, giving you a clearer path to success.

Keyword research tools like Ahrefs, UberSuggest, or Moz let you play detective to see what people are writing about related to your industry. Do a little digging to see where content on your topics is being published and who’s writing about them. 

Once you have a name, you can connect with them on social media or get their email address using email finder tools.

Social media is a treasure trove for finding journalists. Many reporters use X to share their latest articles, ask for sources, or engage with their audience. 

Once you find a journalist, follow them on social media to see what they’ve covered in the past. Many journalists will also submit calls for pitches on social media, so you can be among the first to know and get your pitch timing right.

Google Alerts monitors the media on your behalf. You can set up alerts on relevant keywords, and then get daily emails of content being published on those keywords. You’ll not only see which publications are creating content, but also who’s writing for them. You can also set up alerts for specific journalists to track their latest work.

A key part of learning how to contact journalists is knowing which journalists fit into your big-picture strategy. As you build your list of media contacts, you should know that not all media coverage is created equal. You’ll have an easier time making the media work for you when you connect with the right reporters.

Ideally, any journalist you pitch should meet the following criteria:

Is active on the same social channels you use

Aligns with your brand values and messaging

Publishes content in your preferred media type (e.g., podcast, article)

Are actively publishing or creating content

Has an editorial calendar so you can time your pitches to their needs

Demonstrates interest in the type of story you’re pitching

It’s a lengthy wish list. But the more boxes you can check, the higher-quality coverage you can expect and the more effective your media mentions will be.

Good media relations can help you land more coverage with less effort. It takes time to build up your list of journalist contacts. But once you have this list, you’ll spend less time searching for journalists and more time enjoying the benefits of being featured in various outlets.

Let’s review a few helpful tips for using your new journalist and media contacts.

Build familiarity with each journalist you pitch

It’s not enough to have a name and job title. Before reaching out, take a moment to get to know the journalist and their work. See what they’ve recently produced and what they’re passionate about. You’ll have an easier time building an authentic connection with them. 

Journalists get dozens, even hundreds, of pitches every day. To get yours to stand out, make it personal. Highlight something specific about their work or how your pitch will align with their audience, for example.

Don’t just pitch a press release. Working with journalists should be a win/win: You get media coverage while they have something special to talk about that will benefit their career. Offer expert insights, data, or a fresh perspective that will ultimately make their job easier. 

Journalists often work on tight deadlines, so make sure you submit pitches when they’re most likely to be seen and read. If they have an editorial calendar, peek ahead so you can align your pitch with their upcoming needs. 

Tight deadlines mean less time for reading every pitch. Capture attention by making your pitch easier to skim. Be clear about the story idea and the most essential details so you can get a quick yes or no.

If you do get coverage, there’s no better way to show your appreciation than by sharing it with others. This gives the journalist more visibility, especially if you tag them on social media, which helps to reinforce the relationship. 

Building good relationships from the get-go will give you an easier “in” when you need media coverage again. Stay in touch to keep your name top-of-mind and maintain familiarity.

Meltwater’s media database gives you the most comprehensive access to journalists across all media outlets, including blogs, podcasts, newspapers, magazines, social media influencers, and more. Filter your results by industry, niche, or media type, get up-to-date contact information, and craft your pitch, all from a single interface. 

Learn more about the journalists who are already writing and publishing on topics you care about. You can gain wider coverage for your press release and measure and analyze the impact your media mentions have on your brand.

Learn more when you request a demo by filling out the form below!

How to Find Journalists for Your PR Strategy

For decades, emojis have shaped how we communicate online, but their popularity and meaning are constantly in flux. With social intelligence data marketers can learn more about how emojis are used over time, in different communities and contexts. 

To learn more about how emoji usage has changed over the past year, we used our social listening and analytics solution to follow up on our 2023 analysis of the most-used emojis. Like last year, we examined mentions of 10 popular emojis in English-language social media posts across 15 platforms, including X, Reddit, and Instagram. 

Here is how these emojis rank from least- to most-mentioned from January 1 through November 30, 2024:

10. 😊, or Smiling Face with Smiling Eyes

5. 🤣, or Rolling on the Floor Laughing

Let’s take a closer look to uncover more about the emojis that took over our digital communications this year.

Learn which emojis your audience uses most when talking about your brand, industry, or market with a demo of the Meltwater Suite.

Which emojis were most popular on each social platform in 2024?

Which emojis were most popular in different countries in 2024?

😭, or loudly crying face, was the most-used emoji on social media in 2024, surpassing last year’s winner 😂, or face with tears of joy. From January 1 to November 30, 2024, 😭 was used about 761 million times across social media channels. Daily mentions spiked highest on November 23 when multiple posts featuring  😭 went viral on X.

As always, the top emoji on social media fluctuates, with some seasonal consistencies like ❤️ being the most popular emoji on Valentine’s Day. In 2024, there were two notable trends that we didn’t see last year. 

First, 😂 briefly rose to become the most-used emoji on November 6, 2024, the same day it was announced that Donald Trump had won the U.S. presidential election.  

Second, 🔥 was the most popular emoji on November 18, as well as from November 27 to November 29, due surges of posts on X about cryptocurrency, new music releases, and Hindu rights protests in Bangladesh. Otherwise, 😭 was the most popular emoji for most of the days in 2024.

What words are most associated with the top emojis of 2024?

The most common keywords mentioned alongside each emoji gives us a window into how they are often used. Some of these keywords remained consistent to last year:

“love” was the top keyword for 🥰, ❤️, and 😍

“life” was the top keyword for 😭 and 😂

However, the top keywords changed for four out of the 10 emojis analyzed, highlighting how their associations have shifted. In 2024:

“smile” was the top keyword for 😊, in 2023 it was “friend”

“world” was the top keyword for ✨, in 2023 it was “life”

“family” was the top keyword for 🙏, in 2023 it was “life”

“video” was the top keyword for 🤣, in 2023 it was “life”

In general, these shifts point to how the emotional resonance of each emoji has evolved. More specifically, 🤣 seems to be growing more associated with funny videos than descriptions about life and personal experiences. 

Check out our blog about the changing meanings of emojis to learn more about how consumers and marketers alike use them to communicate.

😭 was most popular on X, while 😂 took the top spot on Reddit and Facebook, as well as in comments. Interestingly, though ✨ was the seventh most popular emoji overall, it was the most-used one on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitch, and blogs. On Pinterest in particular, which had the highest volume of ✨ mentions, the emoji is the go-to way to give a pin a little pizzazz. 

Get more stats on social media usage trends in our Global Digital Report.

In 2023, we analyzed the top emojis for five countries with the highest volumes of English-language emoji usage. In 2024, two of those countries gained a new favorite emoji:

The most popular emoji in the United States was 😭, in 2023 it was 😂. 

The most popular emoji in India was 🔥, in 2023 it was ❤️. 

The most popular emoji in Nigeria and the United Kingdom, 😂, remained consistent from 2023 to 2024, as did South Africa’s top emoji, 😭. In the end, it seems that South Africa’s emoji users were ahead of the global curve.

In 2024, Unicode, the organization behind emoji standardization, rolled out six new concepts along with four new family combinations. Our analysis focused on four of the new emoji concepts:

🙂‍↔️, or Head Shaking Horizontally

🙂‍↕️, or Head Shaking Vertically

(Note: Some of these emojis may not appear correctly on your device depending on how up-to-date its operating system is.)

Of those emojis, 🙂‍↕️, or head shaking vertically, was the most popular by far, followed by 🙂‍↔️, or head shaking horizontally.

While all four emojis began with relatively the same amount of usage, 🙂‍↔️ and 🙂‍↕️quickly became the leading favorites. Since, April, however, 🙂‍↕️has consistently been the most popular of them all. 

Looking at mentions by location reveals that 🙂‍↕️is the most popular new emoji concept in the United States, China, the United Kingdom, India, the Philippines, Thailand, South Africa, and France. Meanwhile, 🙂‍↔️is most popular in Nigeria and Indonesia. In 2025, as more mobile software updates bring these new emojis to more users, the usage of the head shaking emojis will only continue to take shape.

In 2025, as always, cultural, political, and social shifts will be reflected in how people communicate with one another, including how they use emojis. Stay ahead of those trends and start speaking your audience’s language — see how with a demo of the Meltwater Suite. 🙂‍

The Most-Used Emojis of 2024

As critical figureheads, Chief Executive Officers play a key role in how corporations are perceived by the public, and so it's vital that organizations keep their fingers on the pulse of CEO-focused media.

In collaboration with .companion, a data consultancy and KPI expert, Meltwater presents the 2024 CEO Echo; a monthly media intelligence analysis of CEOs heading up some of the world's largest brands. The ranking leverages Meltwater's media intelligence capabilities and automated analysis by the .companion bot to offer readers highlights and benchmarks across the following areas:

CEO Echo for November 2024: 71% more CEO mentions

Last month, the .companion CEO metrics bot found 71% more CEO mentions than the average of the previous months. Overall, 55% of mentions captured by the CEO Echo were generated by editorial online content, while social media generated 45%. In November, CEO Echo content saw engagement rise by 38%. 

36% of all CEO mentions were related to financial news, meaning they simply referred to company figures that are often required to be disclosed by law. In contrast, the context of 64% of mentions was linked to corporate agendas. Overall, the tonality of mentions was equally positive and negative.

Markus Krebber, RWE CEO, dominates with 10% CEO Echo coverage

What role does a CEO play in a company's overall corporate messaging, whether voluntary or involuntary? The CEO Footprint aims to answer this question.

In November, Markus Krebber, CEO of RWE, received the highest amount of media coverage. His share of voice totaled 9,9%, the largest footprint of all top board members. In second place was Michael O'Leary, CEO of Ryanair Holdings, with 8,4%, and François-Henri Pinault, CEO of Kering, took the third spot with 4,3% share of all mentions. 94% of conversations around Krebber's echo were not related to company financials, and thus were above average for agenda-driving topics and content. 4% of the RWE CEO's echo came from editorial media and 96% from social media. Content that mentioned Krebber generated 24 interactions (clicks, shares, likes) per mention. This shows that audiences are highly engaged and made Krebber the 8th most engaged CEO in the ranking. In total, mentions for Markus Krebber were more often negative than positive. We can assume this had a corresponding impact on his overall reputation.

Siemens Mobility's CEO, Michael Peter, takes the number 1 spot

Two common goals widely shared by media teams are communicating key messages and building a favorable reputation, both of which rely heavily on editorial mentions. The Communication Excellence ranking analyses and aggregates media volume (removing financial report listings). 

Michael Peter, CEO of Siemens Mobility, was ranked first in November. Outside of the paywall, 65% of his digital echo discussed the CEO in stories beyond financial figures. Stories generated 93 engagements per mention, signifying readers are highly interested. Furthermore, coverage was as much positive as it was negative. As a result, the response to Siemens Mobility’s CEO received 6,6 points. Abdulrahman Al-Fageeh, CEO of SABIC came in second place with a score of 2,2 and Alexandre Ricard, CEO of Pernod-Ricard, took third place with a Communication Excellence score of 2,1.

Alexandre Ricard, Pernod-Ricard’s CEO, wins first place

Simply having a social media profile is not enough. If you want to have an impact on opinion leaders outside of editorial offices or on consumers and digital elites who are not easily accessible through the mass media, you have to be mentioned frequently on social media. The Social Excellence Index answers whether a company's attempts at this have been successful. 

Last month, Alexandre Ricard, CEO of Pernod-Ricard, topped the ranking with a Social Excellence score of 2,7 points. 99% of the conversation came from social media and his engagement was somewhat indifferent with 5 interactions per mention. Moreover, the sentiments of his mentions were 97% positive, meaning Ricard was ahead of runners-up Geir Haoy, CEO of Kongsberg, with 2,5 points and Aliko Dangote, CEO of Dangote Group, who placed third with 2,3 points.

Al Jaber, CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), has the highest number of mentions surrounding social responsibility

The .companion metrics bot also determines whether CEOs appear in the digital media echo as leaders in the context of the UN's sustainable development goals, e.g. in the context of social responsibility or climate and environmental protection. Our Responsibility Index shows how well this has been achieved. For this index, the metrics bot only analyses mentions related to this topic.

In November, Al Jaber, CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), saluted us from first place in the responsibility ranking, with 63% of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) CEO's mentions related to social responsibility topics. His engagement rate was 61 which can be considered highly interested. The tonality of media conversations was more positive than negative. Overall, Jaber’s Responsibility Index came to 9,1. Oliver Zipse, CEO of BMW, followed in second place with 5,2 points, and Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis, in third place with 3,7 points.

Mads Nipper, CEO of Orsted, takes the number 1 spot for the financial echo

CEO mentions in the context of balance sheet figures offer little scope for setting content-related agendas but are crucial for building investor confidence. In this environment, the metrics bot determines which CEOs were mentioned from a financial standpoint, forming an index for investor communication.

In November, the .companion metrics bot identified Orsted's CEO, Mads Nipper, as the top communicator for investors after he achieved 46,4 points. 59% of his mentions were related to the financial environment, which is 7,5 times this month's average. His readership was highly interested, indicated by an engagement rate of 1165, and he experienced more negative than positive comments. He is followed in second and third place by Oliver Zipse, CEO of BMW, with 3,0 points and Michael Lamach, CEO of Trane Technologies (2,0 points).

Media conversations were tracked and analyzed globally with the help of the market-leading monitoring tool, Meltwater

All content is in German and/or English and publicly accessible across websites, forums, and social media

The text and content of the CEO Echo are generated automatically by the .companion metrics bot

All Excellence index values are based on three criteria: 
1. How often the respective CEO is mentioned in a certain context 
2. How many of those mentions were positive
3. How many engagements did those posts and articles received

While it is necessary to have an above-average share of mentions in the respective category it's still possible to score high on a certain index despite one of the sub-criteria receiving results that are somewhat sub-par


For individual evaluation or questions about the KPI bot, please email contact@companion.de 

For a customized report involving any given CEO, please email contact@companion.de.

For further information on Meltwater's brand and reputation management services, including 1-1 advice for your business or the creation of a more advanced brand/CEO media analysis report, simply fill out the form below.

Gain insight into which CEO's are leading today's conversation. Access the dashboard here and filter for CEO, industry, company, or country and get direct get powerful insights visualized in mentions and hashtags.

The CEO Echo | November 2024 Rankings | Categories: Communication, Social, Responsibility & Investor Excellence

The end of another year brings another opportunity to survey how digital language and behavior have evolved over the past 12 months. Last year, the non-negotiable dislikes better known as “the ick” beat out “nepo baby” and “girl dinner” to be the most viral phrase of 2023. 2024 gave us a whole new collection of viral internet slang to assess for their impacts on digital culture and communication.  This year, we used our social listening and analytics solution to analyze a new crop of viral phrases:

Brainrot: This year, “brainrot” and “brain rot” became internet expressions referring to the often negative effects of being too steeped in social media and internet culture. It is also frequently used to describe absurdist, ironic digital content popular with young audiences.

Brat: Following the release of pop artist Charli XCX’s hit album brat in June 2024, using the phrases “is brat” and “brat summer” became a trendy way of describing someone or something as carefree, confident, and, often, kind of messy.

Demure: Thanks to content creator Jools Lebron, the phrase “very demure, very mindful” took the internet by storm this year. As a result, “demure” has become synonymous with quiet, unbothered sophistication.

Rizz: Particularly popular among Gen-Zers, “rizz” is shorthand for “charisma”. Content creator Kai Cenat is often credited with popularizing the term online. 

Yap: In internet parlance, to yap is to chat at length, often about light-hearted or inconsequential topics. “Yap”, and its variations “yapper”, “yapping”, and “yapped”, became newly popular on social media in 2024.

Here’s how English-language usage of these viral terms across 21 sources — including social media platforms, digital media outlets, podcasts, broadcast programs, comments, and blogs — measured up against each other.

Learn more about the cultural shifts driving “brainrot”, “brat”, and other examples of today’s irreverent internet culture in the 2025 Webby Trend Report.

What was the most viral slang term of 2024?

“Brainrot” (Oxford University Press’s Word of the Year) was mentioned 2.92 million times from January through November 2024. Its biggest day of usage was October 1 when mentions spiked five times higher than average. This was partly due to a viral post on X proclaiming, “they hate it when you serve internet brainrot along with critical thinking while also serving fits.”

This post on X helped the term “brainrot” go viral in October. 

The phrases “is brat” and “brat summer” were used about 786,000 times from January through November. The biggest day for brat slang was September 3, 2024, just after Charli XCX declared “goodbye forever brat summer” in an X post. Far-reaching media outlets like BBC and The Independent reported on the post as the official end of brat summer.

Learn more about the ins and outs of hopping on social media trends with our Ultimate Guide to Trendjacking.

“Demure” (Dictionary.com’s Word of the Year) was mentioned more than 3.19 million times in 2024. Its biggest day for usage was August 17, 2024, when mentions spiked 165 times higher than average. 

That day, the most common keyword mentioned along with “demure” was “vocabulary” thanks to a popular post on X praising viral slang for introducing people to new words. 

There were about 10,400 daily mentions of “rizz” from January to November 2024, or about 3.48 million total. Mentions soared 214% higher than average on February 22, 2024, after the release of a BuzzFeed interview in which actress Zendaya praised her boyfriend Tom Holland for having “rizz”.

“Yap” and its conjugations were mentioned about 6.63 million times across sources from January through November 2024. 

It went most viral on March 9, 2024, when mentions were 120% higher than average due to a viral post on X that used the term with another viral slang phrase, “rizz”.

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