PR trends: Where we’re headed in 2025

It’s almost time to say goodbye to another year—but not before acknowledging a few public relations lessons we learned along the way.  

This past year, we’ve seen the increased progression of branding as a valuable PR tool for businesses and the C-suite. We’ve watched video content rise as an expected tactic of most campaigns, and we witnessed new rules made, broken, or revealed to be irrelevant during various instances, including another political campaign season.  

So, what will we see in the next year? After a year of knee-jerk fluctuations and shifting needs across the industry, evolution might be the only thing we can count on. As the communications landscape continues to change quickly, we asked our team to share trends they’re monitoring—and our clients are asking about.  

Here are some of the trends we’re looking to take hold in 2025: 

Show me the data! 

Chris Colton, Public Relations Director 

Executive Communications & Content Practice Lead 

“Show, don’t tell” has been a best practice in PR since the advent of the profession. But at least one trend in journalism — investing in data visualization — has forced practitioners to reexamine what it means to “show” in our storytelling. For example, Hearst’s new DevHub is using data to produce charts and maps that do the heavy lifting of thousands of words, allowing the written prose to focus less on what is happening and more on why it matters. 

Of course, not all brands can have in-house digital developers or data analysts. Nor can it be expected to be part of a PR practitioner’s core skillset. But we can — and should — challenge ourselves to leverage data in a way that makes our storytelling more compelling. Introducing infographics as a supplement to blogs and pitches is an achievable entry point. 

At the same time, let’s not lose sight of the basics. A well-placed statistic, in plain text, can still elevate a pitch or blog into can’t-ignore territory. Carver Companies isn’t transporting any bridge down the Hudson River; it’s a 5-million-pound bridge floating on the water. (How do they do that?!) Vendée Globe sailors aren’t just collecting environmental measurements while sailing around the world; they’re filling a data gap in the remote, 8.5 million square-mile Southern Ocean. This oceanic “data desert” is a treacherous and costly passage at up to $100,000 per day for a traditional research vessel to operate, but critical to our understanding of climate change. 

In-person events are back—and bigger than ever 

Kate Measer, Public Relations Director 

Media Relations & Community Engagement Practice Lead 

After years of virtual everything, The Martin Group is embracing the return of face-to-face interactions and experiences because we’ve seen firsthand the impact they have.  

Take the Community Town Hall series we produced with Buffalo Pro Soccer. These gatherings didn’t just build buzz for the new pro soccer club coming to the Queen City; they started real connections between the club’s leadership and the community, creating true fans for a team still in its early days. 

Another great example is our ongoing series of in-person live panel discussions and networking events. We’ve hosted several in our Buffalo and Albany offices over the past two years, bringing clients, newsmakers, and area professionals together to explore important topics, such as opportunities for women in sports, food insecurity, AI in healthcare, and the challenges facing today’s journalists. By hosting these conversations, we’ve not only strengthened our thought leadership on these topics, but created opportunities for hundreds to engage, learn, and network together, building trust and lasting relationships, while also delivering memorable moments that resonate with the media.  

While virtual formats certainly had their moment, it’s clear now that people crave real, personal connections more than ever. That’s why we’re prioritizing live events and brand experiences as part of our PR strategies for clients in the new year. They deliver unmatched value, creating moments that inspire, unite, and, most importantly, drive results for our clients. 

Podcasting is here to stay 

Andrew Mangini, Vice President of Public Affairs 

If you’re still waiting to jump on the podcasting bandwagon, bad news: you’re already behind. 

Now firmly implanted in the mainstream, podcasting provides a great avenue for thought leadership and storytelling. Compelling individuals with an interesting narrative can start their own podcast; anyone with some decent audio recording equipment can give it a try; and if you have important information to share, there’s likely an existing podcast who’d love to have you on air. 

But note: Podcasting is a slow burn and you’re not likely to become an overnight sensation. Becoming successful is dependent upon establishing a niche, finding an audience, and keeping that audience with quality storytelling. Catering to all three with patience and consistency could eventually earn big results. Look no further than the 2024 election to see the impact of podcasting. Both campaigns engaged with well-known podcast hosts to record interviews during the waning days of the election season, and the outcome of these appearances had a dramatic effect on the election. 

However, if you need a pure monetary take on the state of podcasting, know this: According to The Podcast Host, ad revenue across the medium is expected to top $4 billion by the end of 2024—which is a $3 billion increase in just three years.  

Conclusion: If you’re looking to connect your message with lots of people, deliver it via podcast. 

LinkedIn articles as your newest asset 

Jenny LePore, Public Relations Director 

B2B Communications Practice Lead 

One major social media trend that should not be overlooked is that more professionals, experts, and organizations are making LinkedIn their primary platform for content sharing, peer discussions, and thought leadership initiatives—following the lead of more than 68 percent of B2B professionals now citing an increased use of the platform in the last 12 months. 

While short-form video content on platforms like TikTok and Instagram are seemingly growing in demand, long-form content hasn’t turned obsolete. The industry is seeing a shift back to more substantive, long-form content, and many brands are obliging with LinkedIn articles. Companies already ahead of the curve are leveraging their own employee advocates to publish and share content on the popular professional platform in an effort to humanize their brands and better connect with stakeholders.  

These articles are written as standalone pieces framed around topics like industry insights, proprietary research, company updates, advice for other professionals, and summaries of professional experiences. What matters the most is that the topic appears authentic to the author, appeals to their existing network of followers, and helps to grow their own credibility alongside their brand.  

If you haven’t considered LinkedIn articles in your content mix, know that LinkedIn articles can easily be shared with an individual user’s newsfeed or a brand’s page— and even have the chance to show up on search engines like Google. Some brands are starting thought leadership efforts on LinkedIn first, then after seeing success, are turning this original content into blogs, white papers, op-eds, and other impactful marketing tactics. 

And the best part: LinkedIn offers readership analytics, which means real-time feedback about the relevance of a topic—and reassurance that the content is connecting. 

Become your own publisher 

John Mackowiak, Vice President of Public Relations 

News organizations continue to navigate a challenging financial climate. In 2023 alone, about 130 newspapers closed and 7,000 newspaper jobs were lost, according to Medill’s State of Local News report.  

At the same time, media fragmentation continues to surge. While 86 percent of Americans regularly rely on their smartphone or other digital devices to get news, people are turning to countless sources for information, from social media platforms and podcasts to search engines and news aggregators. Even if you’ve built an audience on social media, you can’t count on every platform forever. Consider the users fleeing X for Bluesky — or efforts to ban TikTok in the U.S. 

Now is the time to invest in your own publishing platform. Create your own channel to grow your audience, keep people engaged, and build long-term trust among customers and stakeholders.  

In its simplest form, launch a newsletter.  

In recent years, we’ve helped several clients launch and grow newsletters — largely by emphasizing strategy and fundamentals. Understand the audience you want to serve, set clear goals and objectives, measure your impact, adapt your content to meet your audience’s needs and interests, get creative to grow your reach, and always stay consistent.  

Earlier this year, for example, we helped Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR) revamp and relaunch their newsletter — focusing specifically on engaging NYSTAR’s network of resources as a way to nurture the ongoing development of the state’s innovation ecosystem. The “State of Innovation” newsletter earned recognition from the Capital Region MARCOM Awards, reinforcing the value of newsletters today for brands of all types. 

To learn more about The Martin Group’s work in public relations, click here.