AI and tech adoption in PR on the rise

18 July 2023

PR Pros embrace AI tools, and over two-thirds are on board. AVE still lingers in PR reports, but advanced tech takes the lead. A survey of 303 comms professionals shows that advanced data analytics, AI, and automation are making their way into the PR world. While they are welcomed with optimism, budget constraints remain a concern.

PR people currently use ChatGPT primarily for idea generation, content creation, and research. Interestingly, agencies seem to have slightly more confidence in their AI skills compared to in-house teams (55% feeling assured vs 46%). Nevertheless, half of the respondents admit to uncertainties in their abilities with the new technology.

The people that are confident and comfortable with AI have found ways to utilize it to assist them in their workflow. Those that find themselves in the lower satisfaction group have not quite found how this new tool can help them in their processes. They may not have an established consistent process or they may fear technology.

Tonya McKenzie, Founder of Sand&Shores

People who have already adopted AI technology generally view it positively when it comes to boosting efficiency (almost two-thirds rated it 7 or higher out of 10 on scale). They also have a hopeful outlook on the future integration of AI into their work. The most significant advantage cited by over three-quarters of respondents is automating repetitive tasks, followed by perks related to time-saving, reducing costs and improving content creation.

Among the expected benefits, better measurement and reporting using AI ranked the lowest. However, these areas have significant potential for improvement. The adoption of AI-based tools could lead to more data-driven decisions in PR planning. Currently, over two-thirds of PR professionals measure their efforts, while one in three doesn't have a system in place.

I find it astounding that over 30% of respondents are not measuring the success of their overall strategies.Gone are the days of cutting up clippings and sending them to your client as a measurement of success. We now have the ability to track real metrics that affect the bottom line. Revenue, clicks, share of voice & share of search to name just a few.

James Hayward-Browne, Co-founder of creative PR agency Bottled Imagination

The most popular metrics mentioned by the respondents are related to quantity: the number of media placements, and online mentions followed by audience reach and website traffic. AVE (advertising value equivalent) as a success metric is unfortunately not gone yet, 1 in 5 PR pros are calculating it. Compared to 2022, there is more interest in improving measurement (22% vs 38%) and reporting (5% vs 17%).

The trend towards professionalization boosts demand for advanced tools. Nearly 30% more people are searching for "PR software" in 2022 than they were in 2021. However, the current market situation might impact the final purchasing decision. Tight budgets appear to be an increasingly prevalent issue, with almost half of respondents mentioning it (14% more than the previous year). In-house PR practitioners mention cost-cutting more often (55%) than agencies (41%).

What should be the actual budget allocated for tools? On average, spending varies by the size of the company:

Solopreneurs and small companies usually pay up to $1000 per year.
Mid-size companies and agencies (10 or more people) spend around $1000 - $3000 per year.
Large companies (500 or more people) spend $5000 - $10,000 per year.

Budget constraints are the main reason for not using any tool, mentioned 25% more often year-over-year (47% vs 72%). One-third of respondents do not use any PR tool in their workflows. Within this group, there are slightly more in-house team members than agency employees (37% vs. 24%). The second most popular reason, given by 26% of respondents, was "I don't have time to learn".

I’d like to challenge that thinking.The next time you pull a media list, email news out to reporters, monitor news and social media or create a dashboard of results, track how much time it takes you. Then multiply that by your hourly rate. I’m willing to bet it costs you far more in time than any PR tool costs annually.

Gini Dietrich, Founder of Arment Dietrich

Among those who use PR tools, over half are satisfied (versus 35% in 2022), which indicates that the adoption of PR technology continues to grow. PR software platforms are introducing more features, while PR professionals are gaining confidence in using them.

“The State of PR Technology” survey was conducted in May 2023, with 303 PR professionals from different types of teams (non-profits, PR agencies, and in-house teams) and company sizes (from 1 to over 500 employees), located mainly in North America and Europe.

Prowly is a SaaS platform that helps public relations professionals save time on everyday tasks, reach more journalists and report on brand performance. For the past 10 years, this PR tool has been used by over 7,000 customers from more than 70 countries. Prowly was acquired by Semrush, a leading online visibility management SaaS platform in 2020.