What worked yesterday doesn’t always work today. 

This age-old sentiment applies perfectly to the rapidly evolving landscapes of both SEO and digital PR. 

As we’ve discussed recently, adopting digital PR techniques into your SEO campaigns is one of the best ways to:

  1. Attract high-authority backlinks from trusted media outlets and news sites
  2. Expand your brand’s online reach
  3. Introduce your products and services to new audiences 
  4. Boost your brand’s credibility and achieve thought leader status 

However, you’ll only enjoy these benefits if you’re implementing the latest and greatest digital PR techniques. 

For instance, if you’re still trying to generate backlinks and buzz through static guest posts on obscure domains, you need to go back to the drawing board. 

Instead, you’ll find much greater success if you incorporate cutting-edge digital PR techniques like AI-driven personalization, data journalism, and leveraging compelling interactive content.

SEO is the same way, as it’s a constantly evolving practice. Simple generic outreach and keyword spam used to be all it took to reign at the top of the search rankings, but now it’s become far more sophisticated, which is why digital PR became popular amongst SEOs in the first place. 

By merging your future SEO with digital PR tactics, you’ll have the easiest time maintaining your current #1 rankings while breaking new ground for emerging keywords. 

In this article, we’ll cover the top trends for digital PR in 2025, so stick around! 

Emerging Digital PR Trends to Keep an Eye On 

Thanks to rapidly advancing technologies, shifting cultural norms, and the powerful impact of social media influencers, the digital PR landscape has gone through a lot of recent changes. 

Over the last few years, AI-powered tools have been used in virtually every industry, and digital PR is no different. 

In fact, digital PR professionals are one of the largest adopters of AI technology, and they have a generally positive outlook for its future. 

According to a survey by WE Communications and the USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations, 66% of PR pros use AI frequently, and 95% report having a positive outlook on AI moving forward. 

Besides AI, there’s been an increased focus on authenticity and highlighting human experiences in digital PR content, both of which may be a direct result of the prevalence of AI-generated content. 

Here’s an in-depth look at the top digital PR trends to pay attention to over the course of the next year. 

Trend #1: The rise of AI-driven PR tools 

So far, digital PR professionals primarily use AI tools to:

  1. Help draft press releases
  2. Generate ideas for content 
  3. Automate repetitive tasks for things like follow-up emails and task assignment 
  4. Conducting research into target audiences 
  5. Using social listening tools to monitor audience behavior 
  6. Creating original visuals for content and campaigns 

As you can see, AI tools have quite a lot of uses, and this list will only continue to grow as the technology keeps evolving. 

While many generative AI tools still pose risks for things like plagiarism and providing false information, they’re still enormously helpful for boosting productivity and efficiency. 

However, as long as you fact-check the output of AI-powered writing tools, you shouldn’t have much trouble leveraging the technology in your favor. 

Writing can be an extremely time-consuming activity, especially for SEOs and PR professionals who have lots of other tasks to focus on throughout the day. Writer’s block is also a very real phenomenon. It can occur during every stage of the writing process, and it can lead to missed deadlines and a loss in overall productivity. 

Yet, with a generative AI tool like ChatGPT at your side, writer’s block becomes a non-issue. 

All you have to do is ask the tool to generate some ideas for you, and you’ll have branching-off points to work within a matter of seconds. 

This is a big reason why digital PR specialists have welcomed AI-powered writing tools with open arms. In fact, research found that users can produce content with AI-writing tools 30% faster than without. 

Image-generation tools have also been an enormous help for the digital PR space, as professionals can create custom graphics and images from scratch without having to A) hire designers or B) pay for existing stock images. 

There are even AI tools that can create PowerPoint and Google Slides presentations, which come in handy for creating pitch decks.  

What are some of the most popular AI tools for digital PR?

Here’s a quick look at some of the most widely adopted AI-powered digital PR tools:

  • ChatGPT. The generative tool that sparked the AI craze back in 2021 remains one of the go-to choices for users looking to spark ideas, create content, and conduct research.  
  • Midjourney. This is one of the most powerful and reliable tools for generating images, so it’s perfect for creating original designs for your digital PR content.  
  • Beautiful.ai. If you’re in a pinch to create a PowerPoint pitch deck, you can use this tool to create one using the power of AI. 
  1. Brandwatch. This AI-driven social listening tool will help you keep up with the latest trends that matter to your target audiences.  

Of course, there are dozens of other tools out there, but these 5 cover the gambit of digital PR functions (writing, image generation, pitch development, and social listening). 

Trend #2: Personalized media outreach 

If you want to get attention from news sites and media outlets, you have to appeal to what journalists want. 

Also, journalists are constantly bombarded with requests for backlinks and brand mentions from digital marketers and PR professionals. 

If you want your pitch to stand out from the crowd, you need to personalize it to appeal to a journalist’s specific interests. This means you should take the time to build a rapport with a journalist before requesting anything from them. 

Cision’s State of the Media Report in 2024 asked journalists what they wanted to see from digital PR professionals. These were the top 3 results:

  • Newsworthy announcements and press releases (76%). If something truly newsworthy is happening at your organization, journalists want to know, as evidenced by press releases claiming the #1 spot on this list. However, you should avoid distributing generic press releases, as they may cause journalists to ignore future releases from your brand. Instead, ensure the topic is actually something journalists would want to report on, and you’ll have the opportunity to generate backlinks and traffic. 
  • Original research reports (63%). There’s been an increased focus on data-driven storytelling in recent years, especially in lieu of AI-generated spam containing fake news. Journalists are eager to learn the results of your original studies and surveys, so don’t be shy about sharing them. 
  • Opportunities to attend company events (49%). This is another great way to personalize your approach, and it’s something that journalists are genuinely interested in. If there’s a company event happening, inviting journalists will give you the chance to A) build rapport with them and B) partner with them in the future. 

Trend #3: The rise of video content for digital PR campaigns

This should come as no surprise, as video content has been on the rise for many years now. 

Visual content is always more effective and accessible than static, written content, which is why brands have flocked to video more and more over the years. 

Combine that with the decreasing costs of video production equipment (you can produce high-resolution videos by just using a smartphone and simple editing tools), and it’s no wonder why 61% of marketers plan on increasing their spending on video content in 2025. 

What type of video content are digital PR specialists currently using?

Multi-platform streaming is an emerging trend, which is where a brand streams live on multiple platforms at once. 

An example would be a clothing brand streaming a live fashion event on their Instagram, YouTube channel, and TikTok at the same time. 

Interactivity is also taking off, as brands are using engaging features like real-time polls and audience shout-outs. In other words, they’re taking a page out of the average Twitch streamer’s book. 

How These Trends Impact SEO 

Now that you’re familiar with the trends currently shaping the digital PR landscape, what does it all mean for your search rankings?

Well, you can use all three of these trends to improve your SEO performance. 

Let’s start by looking at some of the AI tools that we previously mentioned. You can use ChatGPT and Midjourney to bolster your content creation process. 

ChatGPT can help you brainstorm content ideas and even conduct keyword research. Also, if you’re having trouble getting a draft started, you can use it to start spitting out paragraphs (which you can add your personal touch to later). 

From there, you can use Midjourney to create 100% original, relevant images for your new post. 

Better content equals higher rankings and more organic traffic, which is how these tools will provide SEO benefits. 

Next, personalized media outreach is extremely valuable for generating high-authority backlinks, which are notorious needle movers in the search rankings. 

Lastly, video content provides all of the previously listed benefits (attracting backlinks, more traffic, etc.), but it’s also great for expanding your reach and introducing your brand to new audiences. 

Practical Takeaways for Businesses 

How can you start incorporating these trends into your SEO and Digital PR strategies?

We recommend:

  1. Equipping yourself with the necessary tools to follow the trends 
  2. Taking inspiration from other successful brands 

We’ve already provided some helpful AI tools to aid your content-generation process. As far as reaching out to the media, you can use tools like Prowly and JustReachOut to make finding and getting in touch with relevant journalists easier. 

For video content, Wirecast is an excellent tool for incorporating live video into your repertoire, and Videoshop is an excellent editor that keeps factors like A/B testing in mind. 

Here are a few examples of creative campaigns you can take inspiration from. 

The sexiest bald man alive by Reboot 

This campaign is a great example of how to leverage fun visual content to start a buzz and encourage audience interaction. 

They surveyed various bald celebrities based on their facial symmetry and head shine (among other factors). 

The results?

A ton of interaction online, including responses from celebrities like Dwayne Johnson. 

Reebok: 29,915 days video campaign 

Next, let’s look at a powerful example of a brand using video to go viral and inspire its audience. 

Reebok’s 29,915 days video does not feature any dialogue and lets the visuals do the talking. It’s a great embodiment of the moviemaking mantra ‘show, don’t tell.’

As the numbers tick down on the screen, we start to realize that they represent how many days the women have left to live. 

It’s a reminder for Reebok’s audiences to value their lives and respect their mortality. The video went viral and made a huge splash online, and it’s a unique way to trigger a sense of urgency in an audience. 

Use These Trends to Secure Future SEO Success 

To summarize, digital PR tactics are the future for SEO link-building, and the industry is currently going through some changes. 

If you leverage AI-driven PR tools, personalize your media outreach, and incorporate live video in your campaigns, you’ll remain on the cutting edge. 

Do you need help launching a successful SEO campaign that incorporates digital PR?

Our new Digital PR service will expand your brand’s reach while boosting your SEO through valuable backlinks and traffic, so don’t wait to check it out! Also, feel free to get in touch for a free consultation to discuss your specific needs.