A Guide to Modern Digital PR

Sjors Mahler on Feb 5, 2025

What Is PR?

Behind every memorable brand interaction that drives results, a PR strategy is hard at work.

Understanding these strategies is crucial whether you’re building a brand or starting your PR career.

This comprehensive guide, compiled by PR.co’s experts, introduces you to the fascinating, fast-changing world of public relations.

Defining PR

Let’s start with the basics: What does “PR” stand for?

Public relations (PR) definitions previously revolved around traditional media. But this is a narrow view in today’s digital-first world.

A more modern definition reads like this: PR is a strategic communication discipline focused on building, managing, and sustaining a favorable public image for brands, organizations, or individuals. This is achieved by deliberately creating, disseminating, and managing compelling content and narratives across various media channels.

A mouthful. However, the goal makes the concept easier to grasp: PR aims to foster trust, shape public perception, and cultivate positive relationships with key stakeholders, including the media, customers, employees, investors, and the broader community.

What it involves simplifies the concept even further: PR often includes activities such as media relations, crisis communications, event coordination, and thought leadership to convey a desired message and reinforce a brand’s reputation over time.

Understanding Public Relations

Today, PR goes way beyond getting a press release published in the local paper. It’s become a critical subset of the broader business communications function.

Perhaps confusingly, there’s much overlap between PR, communications, marketing, and other business functions.

Take the data from Muck Rack’s State of PR 2024 report: Surveyed PR professionals said they spend only 25% of their time on media relations. The rest goes into other activities, such as developing thought leadership pieces and working on corporate communications.

The industry continues to evolve, with the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) noting that PR teams must urgently upskill as they face new challenges in 2025. These challenges include navigating crises with speed and strategy, quickly adapting to emerging PR trends, and understanding AI’s benefits and risks.

The key takeaway? The modern PR professional’s role is more complex than when traditional media reigned supreme. In 2025, the PR pros that win big for brands are those who embrace new roles, master new skills, and adapt to an industry that shape-shifts faster than a chameleon on a Christmas tree.

Common PR Misconceptions

Confusing traditional PR with modern PR is one of many common misconceptions. Others include:

• PR means “press release.” Press releases and online newsrooms are part of the PR engine. However, the broader abbreviation includes other PR functions, like event management, crisis communications, and relationship-building.
• PR is “spin doctoring.” Many people think PR involves manipulating public perception to cover up bad behavior. In most instances, this isn’t true (and when it is done, there’s a significant risk of backlash). Modern PR is about building positive, authentic audience relationships and brand touchpoints. Many modern PR strategies are anchored in practices like corporate social responsibility (CSR) and open, transparent communication.
• PR is only for crisis management. A good PR team can help a brand manage a crisis. A great PR team can make sure the crisis never occurs. A good PR team proactively addresses problems, engages with the public, and generates genuine, positive sentiments to prevent crisis situations.
• There’s no such thing as bad publicity. This one saying is as old as the hills but still crops up (sometimes even in PR circles). Bad publicity is a bad idea. And while it’s sometimes unavoidable, bad PR often indicates the PR team isn’t effectively managing the brand’s messaging and customer touchpoints.

Components of PR

We’ve covered a lot of what PR isn’t. But what goes into the modern PR mix? Buckle up—the list is long.

Corporate communications

Corporate communications, or “corporate comms,” includes the strategies, channels, and messages an organization uses to communicate with all its stakeholders, both internal (employees, management) and external (customers, investors, media, public). It focuses on building and maintaining the company’s reputation, sharing its vision and values, and ensuring consistent messaging across all platforms.

Crisis communications

When a crisis occurs, the PR team manages communications and protects the company’s reputation.

In large organizations, the PR team typically works alongside the company’s crisis management team to execute the crisis communication strategy, coordinate messaging, and manage media relations.

Executive communications

The PR team may be involved in important communications between the C-suite and the rest of the company or the public. Executive communications could include speech writing, writing or overseeing social posts, or helping executives prepare for important media interviews.

Internal communications

This function involves all the strategies, channels, and messages used to inform, engage, and connect employees across an organization, from company updates and policy changes to culture-building initiatives and employee feedback. For PR professionals, this could mean anything from producing company newsletters and articles for internal platforms to managing change communications during restructuring processes.

Investor relations

Investor relations (IR) involves managing communications and relationships between a company and its financial stakeholders, including investors, shareholders, financial analysts, and the broader investment community. PR specialists may be called on to produce financial communications materials and manage media coverage.

Marketing communications

This term refers to the messages media marketers and PR professionals use to communicate with a brand’s target audience. These comms could include sharing news about a new product range across broadcast media, printed media, partner websites, and social media.

Integrated marketing communications

Integrated marketing communications (IMC) builds on the previous definition and describes an approach aimed at building consistent brand messaging across all channels. PR pros contribute to IMC strategies by managing and monitoring brand perception and experiences across all touchpoints.

Media relations

Media relations remain a cornerstone of PR, even as the field expands into new territories. This function involves building relationships with journalists, influencers, bloggers, and media outlets. Common tasks include managing media inquiries, pitching stories, and coordinating media events.

Content marketing

This function involves creating and distributing relevant content to attract and engage target audiences. Content could include anything from social posts and blog articles to newsletters, whitepapers, podcasts, and videos. Unlike traditional advertising, content marketing focuses on delivering information and insights that audiences actively seek out rather than interrupting them with promotional messages and ads.

Event marketing

Event marketing creates strategic experiences—both in-person and virtual—to connect brands with target audiences, launch products, build relationships, and achieve business objectives. With around 85% of consumers saying they’re more likely to buy a product or service after a branded event, there’s no denying event marketing sells.

Social media marketing

PR teams now treat social media as a primary communications channel, going far beyond basic posting. They craft strategic narratives across platforms, develop editorial calendars, manage online communities, and forge partnerships with influential voices to strengthen brand visibility and engagement. All these elements fall under the social media marketing umbrella.

Reputation management

Reputation management is the strategic foundation for all PR activities. This function involves proactive communication initiatives, crisis response planning, and continuous monitoring of public sentiment. Through reputation management, PR teams actively shape brand perception while protecting against reputational risks.

Brand management

Today’s PR professionals often serve as brand guardians, partnering with marketing teams to ensure brand consistency across all messages, content, and channels. This process could involve guiding digital content strategy, co-creating compelling brand stories, sharpening key messages, and aligning all communications with the organization’s purpose and values.

Brand journalism and thought leadership

Brand journalism involves creating editorial-style content that informs or entertains target audiences. It follows journalistic principles and storytelling techniques but aims to build a brand. A thought leadership article, in which an executive is positioned as an authority in their field, can be classified as brand journalism. PR professionals often play a pivotal role in ensuring the writer’s content aligns with brand values and business goals.

PR examples

It’s safe to say that modern PR teams have a pretty broad mandate. But what does it look like when all these elements combine to produce a PR masterpiece?

An example from our list of the best PR campaigns of 2024 perfectly demonstrates what happens:

When California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) turned a viral TikTok video from a customer into an opportunity to promote the brand, a smart PR team worked in the background. The disgruntled customer claimed he received only cheese when he ordered mac 'n cheese. The dining chain acknowledged its mistake and offered all customers a month-long discount on mac ‘n cheese orders while giving the original customer a year’s worth of free food. The brand’s response combined social listening, a smooth take on crisis management and, most importantly, an authentic response to valid customer feedback.

Other great examples include:

• Deliveroo’s sun cream campaign tapped into the experiential shopping trend by using eFoil surfboards to deliver sun cream to British beachgoers.
• Patagonia’s ongoing “Worn Wear” initiative combines on-brand environmental messaging with social media marketing and educational in-store events. The program encourages customers to trade in and repair their Patagonia gear, ensuring they stay in circulation as long as possible.

Why Do Brands Invest in PR?

Companies invest in PR to strengthen their brand reputation and drive business growth. A great PR strategy allows you to:

• Build brand awareness: Good PR helps brands reach new target customers and cement their standing with existing customers, ultimately strengthening the brand.
• Build and maintain a positive reputation: PR campaigns and press coverage are excellent for showcasing company brand values. Over time, these campaigns build a positive brand reputation.
• Establish your brand as an authority: When a company demonstrates domain expertise, media coverage often follows. Producing thought leadership articles or whitepapers can, for example, put your brand on the radar of 90% of C-suite executives who state that strong leadership increases their admiration and respect for other organizations.
• Prevent and manage crises: A strong PR strategy equips brands to handle unexpected challenges effectively. This plan can help minimize reputational damage in a crisis and maintain stakeholder trust (remember what CPK did with their “mac ‘n cheese”?).
• Build relationships with stakeholders: Building genuine relationships with stakeholders isn’t optional in today’s highly personalized business world. This is part of why a PR team capable of building genuine connections isn’t, either.
• Shape public perception: An experienced PR team shapes how the public views a brand. This role includes reinforcing positive messaging (for example, a company’s commitment to achieving its net zero goals) and getting ahead of bad PR.
• Promote products or services: PR teams collaborate with marketing and sales teams to boost visibility for new products and services. They enhance marketing and sales through earned media coverage and influencer partnerships, adding third-party credibility to campaigns.
• Enhance employee engagement: Internal PR can foster a closer connection between a company and its employees. This might involve featuring staff in media coverage or organizing internal events where employees are celebrated. These efforts create a sense of pride and can help align employees with the company’s mission and values.
• Generate media coverage: An effective PR team cultivates strong relationships and credibility with journalists and media outlets. These trusted connections lead to meaningful coverage opportunities, which enhance the organization’s reputation.
• Generate leads: PR teams often partner with sales and marketing teams to conceptualize lead-generation campaigns. For example, they can turn audience interest into qualified leads through strategic initiatives such as industry-focused webinars and in-depth whitepapers.
• Grow the business: PR campaigns support business growth by building brand awareness, generating interest in products or services, establishing trust with target customers, building ongoing relationships with various stakeholders, and bringing in leads.

What’s the Difference Between Traditional PR and Digital PR?

Traditional PR focuses primarily on established media channels such as print publications, television broadcasts, radio coverage, and in-person events. Digital PR, meanwhile, leverages online platforms to build a brand’s presence through a mix of content marketing, influencer partnerships, SEO optimization, and digital storytelling across news websites, blogs, and social media channels.

While both approaches have their place, often serving distinct audiences, digital media offers greater agility and real-time engagement. This responsiveness enables brands to capitalize on emerging trends and address potential issues before they escalate.

Modern PR operates on two frequencies: traditional media’s established wavelength and the pulse of the world’s algorithm-powered digital platforms. By leveraging both, organizations can maximize their impact and reach diverse audiences across multiple touchpoints.

What Is the Role of Public Relations in Marketing and Sales?

Marketing and sales turn leads into conversions, but PR builds the reputation and relationships that make those conversions possible.

While marketing drives direct sales through paid channels, PR creates trust and authenticity through earned media coverage, thought leadership, and strategic relationship building.

Specifically, PR supports marketing and sales teams by:

• Building brand credibility: Third-party validation through media coverage and industry recognition makes marketing messages more believable.
• Creating brand awareness: PR activities raise brand visibility among target audiences to support campaigns.
• Shaping perceptions: PR helps craft and control the narrative around a brand, creating a positive environment for marketing messages to resonate.
• Amplifying marketing campaigns: PR activities can extend the reach of marketing initiatives through earned media coverage and influencer partnerships.
• Managing reputation: PR protects and enhances brand reputation, directly impacting how audiences receive marketing messages.

How Do You Become a PR Professional?

A career in PR offers endless opportunities and many interesting projects. It’s a great choice of profession, especially if you have a bold, outspoken, and persuasive personality.

There isn’t a cut-and-dried answer to the question of how to become a PR professional. However, broadly speaking, you should focus on three key areas:

Skills: A versatile skill set is invaluable in modern PR. For example, it’s worth mastering social media platform algorithms and analytics, writing compelling copy, and communicating effectively with stakeholders at all levels. With the world of PR constantly evolving, prepare to continue learning and gaining new skills throughout your career. The fact that the field never stands still is part of why PR is an exciting career choice.

Education: Many PR professionals have degrees or diplomas in PR or related fields like communications, marketing, or journalism. Learning the basics via online platforms is easy. For more advanced training, there are many good diploma and degree programs. The option you choose depends on your goal: If you’re trying to break into a big corporation like Google or Amazon, a degree would look good on your resume. If you’re learning PR to boost your startup’s prospects, tapping into a good online PR course should have you covered.

Experience: Of course, nothing beats on-the-job experience. Keep an eye out for internships or entry-level roles and use them as a stepping stone to bigger and better gigs. It’s also worth boosting your PR vocabulary so you can “talk the talk” in any setting. Getting the lingo right is particularly important if you’re interviewing for roles.

Learning PR

To quickly get up to speed with the latest trends and must-have skills in public relations, we recommend starting with online short courses like the ones offered through PR.co’s Pioneer Academy. These courses have the advantage of distilling years of practical PR experience into actionable knowledge—without the massive time investment that comes with a more extensive academic program. Short courses are a fantastic way for established PR professionals to sharpen their skills. These programs are particularly valuable when you need to strengthen specific areas like crisis communications or media training.

PR Compared to Other Commercial Departments

PR doesn't exist in a vacuum—it intersects with and enhances multiple business functions. Here’s how PR complements and differs from other key departments:

Marketing: This business function drives business growth by creating and executing strategies to attract customers, promote products or services, build brand awareness, and generate revenue through various channels and campaigns. PR builds trust among target customers and cultivates a good brand reputation through relationship management and earned media.

Communications: The communications function manages and strengthens relationships with all stakeholders through strategic messaging, reputation management, and consistent information flow across internal and external channels. PR is a specialized subset of the communications function that focuses on brand perception and reputation, but much overlap exists.

Advertising: Advertising refers to paid media where brands have direct control over the message, placement, and timing of messages. The brand creates specific ads or purchases space or time to display them. Conversely, a PR team earns media coverage and builds relationships through newsworthy stories, relationship-building, and strategic communications. While advertising guarantees placement through payment, PR secures coverage through credibility and newsworthiness.

SEO (search engine optimization): This refers to the practice of optimizing digital content and websites to rank higher in search engine results, making them more visible to people searching. When reputable websites and news outlets feature your organization and link to your website as a result of PR efforts, search engines view these as votes of confidence. These backlinks help to improve your search rankings.

Digital: A business’s digital department manages its online channels and customer touchpoints, including the company’s website, social media platforms, newsletters, apps, internal communication hubs, and software platforms. PR teams collaborate with digital teams to maximize message impact across these platforms, ensuring the content strategy aligns with broader communication goals while maintaining a consistent brand voice and user experience.

Branding: The branding function develops and maintains a company's unique identity, values, and personality through strategic positioning and design. The PR’s team’s job is to ensure the company’s identity and values shine through in all stakeholder engagements and PR campaigns.

The Difference Between Corporate Communications and Marketing Communications

Corporate communications, PR, and marketing teams work closely together. However, it’s important to realize that corporate and marketing communications demand a distinct approach.

Here’s how they differ:

• Corporate communications target investors, shareholders, and key business stakeholders who have a financial or strategic interest in the company. These communications convey essential information about business performance, market strategy, growth initiatives, and other factors that influence stakeholder confidence and decision-making.
• Marketing communications target consumers and potential customers, focusing on driving interest and purchasing decisions. Marketing comms requires a distinctly different approach from the measured, data-driven tone used when addressing investors and stakeholders.

A Brief Overview of Tools and Software for PR Professionals

If you’ve read everything in this guide, you’re already well on your way to being a PR pro. But there’s still one last vital area to cover: Your tech stack.

The PR world moves at lightning speed. Getting ahead of the curve means relying on tools like Miro for brainstorming, Basecamp or Asana for project management and collaboration, and Grammarly for keeping your i’s dotted and t’s crossed (check out our complete list of software favorites). Many PR teams also see the value in consolidating their PR activities into powerful platforms that cover everything from building press lists to publishing news.

In fact, this is exactly what PR.co offers. Dynamic brands like JBL, Dolby, Domino’s, and Wise use our AI-powered software to grow their brands and empower their PR teams to work better and faster.