The survey from Prowly shows PR pros betting big on a future that blends technology with human relationships. Their top two budget priorities for 2025 confirm this direction: strategic partnerships and AI-powered tools.
Top PR Trends for 2025
AI stands as the clear frontrunner, with three in four professionals predicting its dominance. One-third of teams see data-driven strategies replacing gut feelings in the coming year. A similar number bet on personalized communication becoming the new standard.
1) AI-powered PR (74%)
2) Data-driven PR Strategies (37%)
3) Hyper-personalization (32%)
4) Real-time Crisis Management (28%)
5) Purpose-driven PR (25%)
Trends to Be Left Behind in 2024
More than half of PR professionals hope to see less mass pitching next year. Nearly half want greenwashing to become a thing of the past, while two in five believe PR teams should move away from juggling too many responsibilities.
While AI tools lead the trends, more than a quarter of professionals warn against overreliance on AI-generated content.
1) Spray-and-pray Pitching (52%)
2) Greenwashing (45%)
3) PR Teams Wearing Too Many Hats (40%)
4) Vanity Metrics (38%)
5) Reliance on AI-generated Content (26%)
Budget Plans for 2025
As PR professionals translate these trends into actionable plans, their budget sheets reveal where they're placing their biggest bets.
Strategic partnerships top the priority list, maintaining their leading position from last year's survey. They continue to be a smart way to connect with new audiences and build stronger industry networks.
AI tools have made a remarkable leap — jumping from 19% to 46% in just one year. This isn't just following the hype — it's PR people putting real money into AI. Solo practitioners are leading this tech adoption, with 63% planning such investments, compared with 52% of in-house teams and 48% of agencies.
Comms leaders plan to invest in social media (34%) and influencers (30%), shifting toward owned media and more personalized content strategies. Events are back as a popular budget position, just redefined — whether online or offline, building relationships remains at the heart of PR.
Market research spending aligns with the push for data-driven PR strategies. The message is clear: PR teams and consultants are serious about measuring what works.
1) Strategic Partnerships (48%)
2) AI-powered Tools (46%)
3) Social Media Platforms (34%)
4) Market Research (32%)
5) Event Production (online, offline or hybrid) and Sponsorship (30%)
6) Influencer Collaboration (30%)
7) Crisis Management Resources (23%)
8) Tech-enhanced Content Creation (AV/VR) (17%)
As budgets tighten and expectations rise, PR teams are investing strategically. The survey points to one clear direction for 2025: successful PR will blend the best of human relationships with smart technology.
Methodology
The "PR Trends" survey results are based on responses gathered in November 2024 from more than 300 PR professionals, collected online and at industry events including the Future of Communications Conference and PRSA ICON 2024. Respondents included in-house teams, agencies and solo practitioners from companies of all sizes, ranging from startups to enterprises with more than 500 employees, across North America and Europe.
About Prowly
Prowly is a SaaS platform that helps public relations professionals save time on everyday tasks, reach more journalists and report on brand performance. Prowly is used by over 7,000 customers from more than 90 countries. Prowly was acquired by Semrush, a leading online visibility management SaaS platform, in 2020.