Looking ahead – What PR trends will shape 2025?

14/02/2025 15:55:14
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Now that we’re all settled into 2025, we thought it would be the perfect time to gaze into our crystal ball and see what the world of public relations holds for this year.

Once again, it appears the winds of change are upon us. Shifting audience perceptions, the undeniable rise of AI, and a heavier focus on employer branding means we PR folk are constantly adapting to make sure your campaigns get noticed.


Here are our predictions on what PR trends will define the industry this year.

PR Trend One - AI, PR and SEO will continue to battle


Already this year, we have seen AI take centre stage as the introduction of DeepSeek threatened to knock ChatGPT off its perch. 

DeepSeek is a new contender in the world of AI but is supposedly designed to rival ChatGPT with a heavier focus on deep logical reasoning and problem-solving capabilities. Whichever platform you favour, it’s clear to see that AI is here to stay, but what does that mean for PR?

Well, that’s where things get a little more complicated. While we see the benefit of AI in helping to brainstorm and structure our ideas, we can smell AI-generated content a mile off, and it seems the overlords at Google can too. 

When it comes to content creation, while Google is now pushing AI-generated search results through searches, it certainly isn’t holding back when it comes to SEO pushback.

As SEO continues to prioritise authentic, human-generated content we are likely to see Google continue to penalise AI generated content which undoubtedly will impact the overall digital footprint and Google rankings for a business. 
AI in content generation

Now, we know copywriting isn’t everybody’s cup of tea, but rather than relying solely on AI, we recommend adding your brand personality, insight and data to give your content some authenticity, and give it a fighting chance against the everchanging SEO algorithm. 

However, if content generation is a key focus this year, we recommend speaking with a PR professional who will be able to devise a full strategy, draft compelling content that fits your brand, and place it in the hands of the people that matter the most to you. 
 
Fact check

PR Trend Two - Trust and social media


Well, here’s a polarising one. As if the whole Twitter/ X debacle wasn’t enough, now Mark Zuckerberg has announced that Meta platforms will stop fact checking content. Does this spell the end for social media as we know it?

Audiences may have taken a step back from X in recent months, but it seems that Facebook and Instagram may be next in line. Now, misinformation on social media platforms is nothing new when it comes to Tik Tok, but this latest update could begin to undermine the level of trust that business audiences expect from a business, which could in turn impact reputation.   

Now, we are not for a second suggesting we boycott social media altogether, but it will pay to have a social media strategy that aligns perfectly with your business and echoes your wider marketing strategy. 

With all that said, what does 2025 hold for social media? Well, we predict we will see the rise of more social media platforms, that feel more authentic and reminiscent of the ‘good old days’ where social media was more, social and light-hearted – think Threads and BlueSky. 
 

PR Trend Three


Nowadays with technology at our fingertips, negative news spreads at lightning speed and the digital world is an open forum for interaction. When it comes to crisis management, it is impossible to predict, but just relying on reactive communications simply doesn’t cut it anymore. 

As Warren Buffet once said, “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.” Whether it’s a social media backlash, supply chain hiccups, or a reputational issue, the goal is to address the problem before it escalates and tarnishes the reputation you have spent years building. 

Shifting towards a more proactive approach to crisis management means you have a solid plan in place and are ready to react in the event of a crisis. PR professionals, such as the team here at Partners PR can work with you to look at all potential scenarios, identify risks, and ensure you are ready to respond. 

From drafting and issuing statements, to managing media relations, we can help to control the narrative of the story to stop the spread of misinformation and safeguard your reputation. 

Proactive crisis management isn’t just about avoiding PR disasters - it’s about reinforcing trust and showing your audience that you’re prepared, transparent, and committed to doing the right thing. 

Crisis management goes proactive


Failing to plan is planning to fail

PR Trend Four - The return of long-form content 


As professional wordsmiths, this one is music to our ears. After years of short-form content reigning supreme, the tides are changing, and audiences are craving more substance. 

While catchy headlines, bite-sized snippets, and surface-level insights have a place in a well-crafted PR strategy, we are starting to see a growing appetite for content that dives deeper, tells a compelling story, and delivers real value. 

Long-form content such as white papers, thought leadership articles and detailed blogs give you the space to really showcase your expertise, tackle complex topics, and build trust with your audience. However, long-form content isn’t just about engaging readers - it’s also a win for SEO. 

Search engines love detailed, well-researched pieces that keep people reading longer. So, by investing in original content that’s rich in substance, and of course authentic, you can boost your visibility and credibility at the same time.

That doesn’t mean short-form content is going away. We think it’s all about balance. Use long-form content to position yourself as a leader in your field, then repurpose it into bite-sized pieces for social media to ensure your audience is getting exactly what they need.  

PR Trend Five


Best employer

Employees as your advocates


Are you struggling with recruitment now? You are not alone. As organisations compete to attract top talent in an oversaturated market, recruiting and retaining the right person is tricky. 

With social media, employer review sites, and platforms like LinkedIn giving job seekers unprecedented insight into workplace culture, businesses must proactively take charge of reputation and ensure what is reflected externally aligns with what is happening internally. 

Over the past couple of years, potential employees have been more focused on values, career development opportunities and on overall staff well-being. If this is something you take seriously within your business, now is the time to let that shine through in your marketing and PR strategies.

An effective PR strategy can help you to create a well-rounded campaign that focuses on media relations, social media and internal communications to help you showcase what it is like to work for your company. Whether it’s a heavy focus on employee well-being, a committed long-standing workforce or regular charity and team building activities that show you care, an effective employer brand PR campaign highlights your corporate values to help you shine.

PR Trend Six - Showing stories


We might be expert storytellers and wordsmiths, but before we put pen to paper, we always think about what media we have available for content. 

Over the past few years, we have seen video content dominate social media but now we are starting to see multimedia approaches with media pitches as well. Imagine press releases that don’t just tell the story but show it - complete with videos, infographics, and clickable links that bring the words to life. 


For us, keeping pace with change is all about being adaptable. Besides working our magic to help our clients grow, we also invest heavily in our own development with CPD to help us stay ahead of the curve and get the best result possible for our clients.  

What are your predicted PR trends for 2025?