GITNUXREPORT 2025

Public Relations Industry Statistics

Public relations industry thrives with digital, influencer, and data-driven strategies.

Jannik Linder

Co-Founder of Gitnux, specialized in content and tech since 2016.

First published: April 29, 2025

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Statistic 1

About 85% of brands invest in public relations as part of their marketing mix

Statistic 2

72% of PR professionals believe earned media is more credible than other forms of advertising

Statistic 3

78% of PR practitioners believe influencer partnerships can significantly impact brand reputation

Statistic 4

68% of consumers say they trust earned media more than paid advertising

Statistic 5

92% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family over other forms of advertising

Statistic 6

62% of consumers prefer to learn about brands through social media posts

Statistic 7

50% of consumers say they are more likely to buy from a brand they follow on social media

Statistic 8

89% of consumers find visual content more engaging than text alone

Statistic 9

88% of PR professionals believe personalized communication is crucial for campaign success

Statistic 10

60% of PR professionals use analytics tools to measure campaign success

Statistic 11

37% of PR professionals say they are highly likely to adopt new PR tools in the next year

Statistic 12

67% of PR campaigns are now optimized for mobile devices

Statistic 13

The global public relations industry was valued at approximately $16.9 billion in 2022

Statistic 14

58% of PR firms report an increase in demand for crisis communication services

Statistic 15

Millennials make up 58% of the public relations workforce

Statistic 16

40% of PR agencies have increased hiring in digital and social media roles

Statistic 17

The use of AI in PR has grown by 35% in the past year

Statistic 18

80% of PR agencies report a higher demand for integrated marketing communication services

Statistic 19

40% of PR firms plan to expand their services into new international markets within the next two years

Statistic 20

44% of marketers believe that PR offers the highest ROI among marketing channels

Statistic 21

The share of digital PR in overall PR budgets has increased by 25% since 2020

Statistic 22

The utilization of podcasts as a PR channel increased by 22% in 2023

Statistic 23

The use of virtual events in PR increased by 30% during the COVID-19 pandemic

Statistic 24

The global PR agencies market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.2% from 2023 to 2028

Statistic 25

Media monitoring services are used by 75% of PR firms to track coverage and reputation

Statistic 26

42% of PR efforts are now focused on sustainability and CSR communications

Statistic 27

74% of PR professionals believe that AI will significantly change the industry in the next five years

Statistic 28

55% of organizations have integrated influencer marketing into their PR strategies

Statistic 29

70% of PR agencies report that inbound marketing strategies have improved lead quality

Statistic 30

85% of PR campaigns include some form of influencer marketing as of 2023

Statistic 31

60% of PR campaigns now include employee advocacy

Statistic 32

Social media stories have a 70% higher engagement rate than traditional posts

Statistic 33

The top three priorities for PR professionals in 2023 were media relations, crisis management, and content creation

Statistic 34

55% of PR campaigns now include video content as a key element

Statistic 35

The average length of a press release is 400 words

Statistic 36

45% of PR campaigns are planned six months in advance

Statistic 37

The average cost per media mention in 2023 was approximately $2,500

Statistic 38

Email pitches have a 17% average response rate according to recent studies

Statistic 39

70% of PR campaigns now incorporate data-driven storytelling

Statistic 40

Mobile devices account for 72% of online media consumption, influencing how PR content is distributed

Statistic 41

Video content generates 1200% more shares than images and text combined

Statistic 42

About 35% of crisis communications are now handled via social media platforms

Statistic 43

The average number of media hits per press release is 2.4

Statistic 44

69% of PR practitioners globally are using analytics to refine their messaging

Statistic 45

65% of PR campaigns leverage storytelling to enhance brand positioning

Statistic 46

The average lifespan of a news story before it is regurgitated or replaced is 24 hours

Statistic 47

48% of respondents in a 2023 survey said they use influencers to augment traditional PR strategies

Statistic 48

54% of PR professionals see digital storytelling as essential for future campaigns

Statistic 49

The average number of media mentions per campaign has increased by 15% since 2020

Statistic 50

82% of brands believe social media is the most effective channel for PR

Statistic 51

The top three challenges faced by PR professionals in 2023 were measuring ROI, managing misinformation, and crisis management

Statistic 52

65% of PR campaigns now use user-generated content to enhance authenticity

Statistic 53

The average PR professional manages around 10-15 media relationships simultaneously

Statistic 54

65% of organizations increased their PR budgets in 2023

Statistic 55

The average PR professional spends 56% of their time on media outreach and relationships

Statistic 56

63% of organizations worldwide plan to increase their PR spending over the next year

Statistic 57

78% of organizations use crisis management plans regularly

Statistic 58

63% of organizations report a positive ROI from social media PR efforts

Statistic 59

52% of PR practitioners expect remote work to be a permanent feature in the industry

Statistic 60

35% of PR budgets are allocated toward digital tools and software

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Sources

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Key Highlights

The global public relations industry was valued at approximately $16.9 billion in 2022
About 85% of brands invest in public relations as part of their marketing mix
72% of PR professionals believe earned media is more credible than other forms of advertising
The average PR professional manages around 10-15 media relationships simultaneously
65% of organizations increased their PR budgets in 2023
Social media stories have a 70% higher engagement rate than traditional posts
The top three priorities for PR professionals in 2023 were media relations, crisis management, and content creation
55% of PR campaigns now include video content as a key element
The average length of a press release is 400 words
45% of PR campaigns are planned six months in advance
78% of PR practitioners believe influencer partnerships can significantly impact brand reputation
68% of consumers say they trust earned media more than paid advertising
The average cost per media mention in 2023 was approximately $2,500

The public relations industry is booming, with a $16.9 billion valuation in 2022 and an evolving landscape driven by digital innovation, influencer partnerships, and a growing emphasis on data-driven storytelling that reshapes how brands build trust and engage consumers worldwide.

Consumer Behavior and Trust

About 85% of brands invest in public relations as part of their marketing mix
72% of PR professionals believe earned media is more credible than other forms of advertising
78% of PR practitioners believe influencer partnerships can significantly impact brand reputation
68% of consumers say they trust earned media more than paid advertising
92% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family over other forms of advertising
62% of consumers prefer to learn about brands through social media posts
50% of consumers say they are more likely to buy from a brand they follow on social media
89% of consumers find visual content more engaging than text alone
88% of PR professionals believe personalized communication is crucial for campaign success

Consumer Behavior and Trust Interpretation

In an era where nearly all brands incorporate PR strategies, trust still hinges on genuine, personalized, and visually compelling earned media and influencer partnerships—reminding us that authenticity is the ultimate currency in consumer engagement.

Digital Transformation and Technology Adoption

60% of PR professionals use analytics tools to measure campaign success
37% of PR professionals say they are highly likely to adopt new PR tools in the next year
67% of PR campaigns are now optimized for mobile devices

Digital Transformation and Technology Adoption Interpretation

With a growing reliance on analytics and mobile optimization, PR professionals are clearly navigating the digital age with both precision and adaptability, ensuring their campaigns are smarter, more targeted—and ever more mobile-minded.

Industry Growth and Market Trends

The global public relations industry was valued at approximately $16.9 billion in 2022
58% of PR firms report an increase in demand for crisis communication services
Millennials make up 58% of the public relations workforce
40% of PR agencies have increased hiring in digital and social media roles
The use of AI in PR has grown by 35% in the past year
80% of PR agencies report a higher demand for integrated marketing communication services
40% of PR firms plan to expand their services into new international markets within the next two years
44% of marketers believe that PR offers the highest ROI among marketing channels
The share of digital PR in overall PR budgets has increased by 25% since 2020
The utilization of podcasts as a PR channel increased by 22% in 2023
The use of virtual events in PR increased by 30% during the COVID-19 pandemic
The global PR agencies market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.2% from 2023 to 2028
Media monitoring services are used by 75% of PR firms to track coverage and reputation
42% of PR efforts are now focused on sustainability and CSR communications
74% of PR professionals believe that AI will significantly change the industry in the next five years
55% of organizations have integrated influencer marketing into their PR strategies
70% of PR agencies report that inbound marketing strategies have improved lead quality

Industry Growth and Market Trends Interpretation

With a robust $16.9 billion valuation fueling a rapidly evolving landscape where AI growth, digital innovation, and global expansion are paramount—yet driven by a predominantly millennial workforce committed to sustainability and measurable ROI—public relations stands at a pivotal intersection of technology, talent, and trust, promising both challenge and opportunity in equal measure.

Market Trends

85% of PR campaigns include some form of influencer marketing as of 2023
60% of PR campaigns now include employee advocacy

Market Trends Interpretation

With 85% of PR campaigns embracing influencer marketing and 60% leveraging employee advocacy in 2023, it's clear that personal influence and authentic voices are now the cornerstone of credible, effective public relations strategies.

Media Strategies and Content Formats

Social media stories have a 70% higher engagement rate than traditional posts
The top three priorities for PR professionals in 2023 were media relations, crisis management, and content creation
55% of PR campaigns now include video content as a key element
The average length of a press release is 400 words
45% of PR campaigns are planned six months in advance
The average cost per media mention in 2023 was approximately $2,500
Email pitches have a 17% average response rate according to recent studies
70% of PR campaigns now incorporate data-driven storytelling
Mobile devices account for 72% of online media consumption, influencing how PR content is distributed
Video content generates 1200% more shares than images and text combined
About 35% of crisis communications are now handled via social media platforms
The average number of media hits per press release is 2.4
69% of PR practitioners globally are using analytics to refine their messaging
65% of PR campaigns leverage storytelling to enhance brand positioning
The average lifespan of a news story before it is regurgitated or replaced is 24 hours
48% of respondents in a 2023 survey said they use influencers to augment traditional PR strategies
54% of PR professionals see digital storytelling as essential for future campaigns
The average number of media mentions per campaign has increased by 15% since 2020
82% of brands believe social media is the most effective channel for PR
The top three challenges faced by PR professionals in 2023 were measuring ROI, managing misinformation, and crisis management
65% of PR campaigns now use user-generated content to enhance authenticity

Media Strategies and Content Formats Interpretation

In an era where social media stories outpace traditional posts by 70% in engagement and video content fuels 55% of campaigns with an average cost of $2,500 per mention, PR professionals are leveraging data-driven storytelling, influencer partnerships, and mobile-centric strategies—yet still grapple with measuring ROI, managing misinformation, and capturing fleeting news cycles—all while planning six months ahead in a digital landscape where the lifespan of a story is just 24 hours.

Organizational Practices and Budgeting

The average PR professional manages around 10-15 media relationships simultaneously
65% of organizations increased their PR budgets in 2023
The average PR professional spends 56% of their time on media outreach and relationships
63% of organizations worldwide plan to increase their PR spending over the next year
78% of organizations use crisis management plans regularly
63% of organizations report a positive ROI from social media PR efforts
52% of PR practitioners expect remote work to be a permanent feature in the industry
35% of PR budgets are allocated toward digital tools and software

Organizational Practices and Budgeting Interpretation

As PR professionals juggle 10-15 media relationships, bolster budgets—now rising for 63% of organizations—and devote over half their time to outreach, it’s clear that navigating the digital and remote era demands both strategic agility and a finely tuned crisis plan, all while digital tools and social media deliver measurable ROI amidst a industry in rapid transformation.