Where PR is Headed | A Quick Look at the 2025 Report

Every year, I look forward to the Cision/PRWeek Comms Report to get a clear sense of where our industry is headed. The 2025 edition, "Advancing: The Story," is out, and it confirms what many of us have been feeling - the communications field is making real progress, getting smarter with technology, and proving its value in new ways.

The report surveyed over 300 senior-level professionals, and their answers give us a great look at what’s working right now. Here are the four points that, in my opinion, stood out the most.

1. AI is Officially Part of the Daily Routine

The conversation around AI has moved from "what is it?" to "how are we using it?". The report shows a majority of communicators, a combined 67%, are now using generative AI in their strategies, and 37% of organizations have even created their own proprietary AI tools.

It's helping in practical ways, as well. Almost two-thirds of PR pros (65%) say AI tools are "notably improving" their data and analytics work. It’s becoming a standard tool for everything from brainstorming campaign ideas to optimizing content.

2. We're Getting Much Better at Proving Our Worth

For a long time, one of the toughest parts of PR was connecting our work directly to a company's bottom line. That's changing. Today, 68% of professionals say they have the tools to show the cause-and-effect relationship between their efforts and business objectives. For comparison, back in 2017, 75% felt the industry could do much better in this area.

We’re seeing real improvement in overcoming common measurement challenges:

• There's a 15% drop in professionals who feel they are over-relying on media impressions compared to last year.

• Fewer people are struggling to align their metrics with revenue goals.

• It's becoming easier to turn raw data into useful, actionable insights.

3. The Most Effective Influencer

When asked which type of influencer has the most impact on consumers, the number one answer wasn't a celebrity or a social media star. For the first time, the top spot went to employees.

This is a huge shift. Eight years ago, in the first Cision report, employees were ranked last, while celebrities were at the top. Now, the roles have completely reversed, with celebrities at the bottom of the list. The reason is simple - authenticity. People trust the genuine voices of employees who believe in their company, and research shows their content gets eight times more engagement than posts from official brand channels.

4. PR Pros Feel More Capable and Prepared

With all these changes, there’s a strong sense of confidence in the industry. As much as 95% of professionals feel their teams are better prepared for a major crisis now than they were in early 2020. And as AI becomes more common, 75% are confident their company is in a good position to adapt and use it well.

To conclude, this growing capability is getting noticed. A remarkable 84% of respondents agree that their C-suite has sought their team's advice more in the past year than in prior years. It confirms that communications is increasingly seen as a vital part of leadership, and that makes me happy. :)