Digital PR keeps evolving – and while not everything is brand new, there are proven strategies we expect to continue gaining traction in 2025.
As more brands recognise PR as a core part of their marketing strategy, the quality of work across the industry continues to level up.
It’s a great time to explore what’s working in digital PR and make the most of where we’re headed by taking note of the current trends. Read on for 12 digital PR trends in 2025, from data-led campaigns to integrated PR and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) strategies.
Why staying on top of digital PR trends in 2025 is important
Staying on top of digital PR trends in 2025 helps brands remain relevant, land top-tier coverage, and avoid wasting time on outdated tactics. PR evolves rapidly, with algorithm shifts, AI tools, and media changes constantly reshaping the entire industry. Which is why it’s best practice to stay in tune with the latest changes.
What worked last year might not work the same way in 2025. It always pays to keep your finger on the pulse and understand where the industry is heading.
While long-standing methods that focus on quality first still stand, being aware of the latest trends helps you focus your efforts on strategies that are working.
Data-driven PR – use stats and figures to stand out
Data-driven research helps your content stand out by adding substance, credibility, and insight into a story. According to Buzzstream’s latest survey, data-led campaigns are the most popular digital PR strategy, with 95% of respondents utilising this type of content for PR.
It’s been a go-to tactic in digital PR for years, but it’s even more valuable now as AI-generated content becomes more common. However, AI can’t yet develop headline worthy stats by working with the data it has available to it to add value to stories.
Facts and figures give weight to your ideas and prove there’s something worth reporting on. It also offers a new angle to what could be a common topic. When done well, it also feeds into SEO and link generation – but more on that later.
A quick example of this tactic in action is a piece where we conducted a semantic word analysis using over 18,000 reviews to uncover the world’s most disappointing artistic masterpieces. As you can tell from the image above, the Mona Lisa came out top and giving us a great hook to send to journalists.
Leading with data gave us a fresh angle on a naturally attention-grabbing and newsworthy topic. The campaign earned widespread coverage in The Telegraph, The Guardian, The Times, Elle France, Le Figaro, and MSN, and even sparked political conversations. While the French president’s announcement to move the Mona Lisa didn’t directly link to our campaign, the media attention it received likely contributed to the broader discussion.
Using complex data sets and original analysis makes these campaigns difficult to replicate (by journalists on their own, competitors and AI), which adds credibility and value. It also gives journalists confidence in the story’s value and relevance.
Prioritising link relevancy – get in front of the right audience on related websites
Getting coverage everywhere isn’t the goal anymore – getting relevant coverage is.
Last year, leaked documents shared by Rand Fishkin and Mike King (founder of Moz and former Google employee respectively) revealed that link relevancy is likely to influence how backlinks are weighted in future algorithms. Link relevancy was one of the topics included in Search Engine’s key takeaways from the Google leak.
We’ve all seen a news story backed by research from a gambling website, where the backlink has no real connection to the topic. These types of irrelevant links feel forced, and while they may once have been common SEO tactics, they’re now more likely to confuse readers and be filtered out by Google’s ranking signals. The Google API leak revealed signals like anchorMismatchDemotion, which indicate that off-topic or misaligned links are actively downweighted, reducing their impact on search rankings.
Relevancy boosts the value of a backlink and also makes your story more interesting to (niche-specific) journalists, increasing the chances of your campaigns being picked up by major publications.
Less link reclamation – a move away from outdated link building tactics
In 2025, digital PR won’t just be shaped by emerging strategies – we’ll also see a shift away from outdated tactics such as link reclamation, broken link building, and unlinked brand mentions.
Link reclamation involves reaching out to website owners to replace broken or outdated links with a working link on your website (finding the most relevant page on your site). It used to be a quick and efficient way of gaining links.
While these strategies are effective link building tactics and still hold value for crawlers, we know from the Google API links in 2024 (analysed in depth by Rand Fishkin and Mike King as mentioned above) that one of the signals Google takes into account when evaluating the link equity is the source traffic.
That’s to say – the more traffic a page is generating, the value will be passed to external websites when linked to from that page.
Turning an unlinked mention from an older Forbes article (for example, 2022) that mentioned your brand will still hold the same DR (Domain Rating), TF (Trust Flow), and DA (Domain Authority) compared to a new article going live on Forbes.com today with a link to your website.
However, it makes complete sense that the newer article should pass more equity compared to the older updated link. It’s not only a freshness signal, but a new page is likely to be gaining more traffic too.
2025 onwards will be less about a padded backlink profile and more about meaningful coverage that is fresh and is being actively viewed by users. This is much more likely to drive engagement (depending on the page) – and this is why search engines value them so much more.
Authenticity – setting a tone that is true to the brand
Don’t underestimate your audience, they can spot inauthentic messaging a mile off.
Thoughtlab discusses the importance of authenticity in branding, not only by authentically communicating values but also through connecting with the audience by speaking to the value, aspirations, and lifestyles of the audience. Branding should be connected to digital PR, ensuring that you’re ensuring continuity in the brand’s messaging.
This year, brands can’t afford to fake it. From tone of voice to campaign angles, everything needs to genuinely reflect who they are and what they stand for. Authenticity builds trust, and in a world full of AI and fluff, it’s a real opportunity to stand out.
Integrating AI tools – streamlining systems and tools to speed up mundane tasks
Whether you’re a fan of AI or not – it’s fast becoming part of how many companies operate today. According to Siege Media’s survey, AI usage for content marketers rose by almost 7%, going from 83.2% in 2024 to 90% in 2025.
This doesn’t necessarily mean cutting corners or using AI to do the work for you, but there are lots of AI integration tools that can be used for those within digital PR, with many content marketers using it for content ideation (71%) and strategy (40%).
Although useful, the public opinion is still less favourable for writing stories and other difficult tasks, highlighting the importance of knowing where and when AI can be an asset. The prominence of AI is another good reason to differentiate your content from what’s out there using your human touch. Through fresh angles, proper analysis, and extensive research.
Newsjacking – putting a twist on what’s already working in the news
Newsjacking, also known as reactive PR, allows you to jump on what’s already getting attention and spin it in a way that fits your client.
Again, it’s not a new tactic, but it’s a trend we expect to continue rising. With the sheer amount of platforms sharing headlines, there are more angles to go after. Almost all UK adults (96%) consume news in some form, with more than half (52%) using social media as a source of news, according to Ofcom. This means more angles and more headlines to go after.
The key is speed, pitching before the news cycle moves on. This requires adding something worthwhile and valuable to an already popular topic.
Social media research – using all the tools available to find your next campaign
Facebook may be dwindling, but TikTok is all the rage – and this makes it an ideal place to kickstart your ideation process. Scrolling short-form videos may not seem like the most productive thing to do, but it can spark ideas for your next campaign or headline.
Georgina O’Brien-Perry describes TikTok as a “secret weapon” in her LinkedIn post – expressing how it gives digital PR experts a head start on viral trends.
It’s not just about research, either. Platforms like TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, and X (Twitter) offer new ways to get a brand’s voice out there. Social-led campaigns are becoming just as valuable as press coverage.
Tailored outreach – adding a personal touch to your outreach approach
Outreach still makes or breaks a campaign. Adding a personal touch – such as checking a journalist’s bio or reading their recent pieces and referencing them, can be the difference between getting coverage or missing an opportunity.
Almost two-thirds (64.2%) of respondents to Buzzstream’s survey confirmed that they verify a journalist’s fit by looking at recent articles.
Tailoring your pitch can be time-consuming, but also worthwhile in the long run. Knowing a publication’s style, what a journalist prefers, and getting to know journalists can increase your success when pitching ideas.
It can also help develop long-term relationships with journalists. As our Founder, Darren Kingman, mentioned on LinkedIn, these relationships are never ones you can rely on for guaranteed placements (Digital PR doesn’t work that way), but it does increase your chances of feedback and ability to work with journalists to craft a story they can feature.
Ditching vanity metrics – real results and not just numbers
Not all numbers mean something. It’s great to get mentions and links on high-DR websites, but how much difference does that really make?
Rather than obsessing over impressions, potential reach, or shares – it’s integral to land coverage on relevant publications, in front of a relevant audience. Taking other metrics, such as brand sentiment, brand mentions, and customer feedback, is just as important as the ones previously mentioned.
The Verge touches on the topic of metrics such as views on video platforms or reach on social media – and how they can be skewed. That’s not to say they’re not worth looking at, but it’s all about context. It’s even been reported that major PR agencies that support respected tech clients such as OpenAI, Coinbase, and Google will be ditching metrics such as impressions for readership numbers instead.
Premium content – choosing quality over quickfire campaigns
Competition for attention is only becoming more challenging, which is why well-crafted, meaningful content always outperforms throwaway PR stunts built for speed.
Demand Metric’s latest research shows that content marketing generates three times the amount of leads that traditional marketing does, showing that premium, high-value content has a greater long-term return than mass efforts we are used to.
PR isn’t just about coverage – it’s about getting a message across – and that’s why spending the time to create a lasting impression goes a long way with the audience and the brand.
PR budgets – companies will make the most of PR in 2025
There’s been a 34% increase in the search term “digital PR” since 2020 worldwide, according to Buzzstream. With more companies becoming aware of digital PR, it could mean increased investment in the industry. Digital PR is becoming an essential element of the marketing budget, not just an add-on.
With brands seeing PR as a driver of long-term visibility, we could see more campaigns with bigger budgets.
Agencies may also need to rethink their pricing and service models to reflect this shift, offering clients room to grow with additional price plans or packages.
SEO and PR – working together for better results
When Digital PR and SEO are aligned, the benefits compound.
More PR companies are now seeing the value in taking the reins of SEO for their clients, in addition to PR – and it makes a lot of sense. Campaigns built on relevant topics, backed by data, and placed on the right sites don’t just earn coverage, they also build authority. Over half of the PRs that answered Buzzstream’s survey work closely with their SEO team.
Strong backlinks may improve SEO performance, and who better to land them than the PR team? We may see more brands trusting their PR agencies with SEO responsibilities, and likewise, more PR agencies adding an SEO arm to their expertise, if they haven’t already.
