| PR in 2025 is a balancing act. Between misinformation, AI tools, and tighter news cycles, comms teams are working harder than ever to keep control of their narrative. And yet, many are still tripping over the same avoidable mistakes, not because they lack skill, but because the landscape is changing faster than their tools. Let’s cut the crap. Here are the five mistakes still plaguing comms teams in 2025, and how to stop them for good. |
What are the Top 5 PR challenges of
2025?
Before we unveil the 5 most common PR mistakes - let’s take a quick look at the top 5 PR challenges of 2025 for a bit of context.
According to the recent PRWeek 2025 Comms Report, the top 5 challenges include reactive comms, ineffective measuring capabilities, and a lack of access to the right tools.
Source: Cision × PRWeek 2025 Comms Report – Advancing the Story (p. 10). Respondents were asked to select up to three of their top PR challenges.
5 Common PR Mistakes to Avoid
PR mistakes aren’t usually dramatic; they’re gradual. A missed update here, a late response there, a dashboard no one checks. But over time, those small cracks can widen into big reputation risks…
1. Staying Reactive Instead of Proactive
What happens:
If your team only speaks up when things go wrong, you’ve already missed the boat. Being “too reactive” is the second most reported challenge in PR today. It’s the constant firefighting, waiting for the story to break instead of breaking it yourself.
When comms teams only react, the brand’s narrative is shaped by others. That means headlines filled with speculation, journalists quoting “sources close to the matter,” and teams scrambling to approve statements after the damage is done.
“If you’re waiting for the story to break, you’ve already lost control of it.”
How to fix it:
Build your newsroom like a command centre, not a storage unit. Monitor conversations, track sentiment, and keep pre-approved statements ready to publish.
Proactive comms teams use tools like Presspage to stay one step ahead, drafting templates for common scenarios and scheduling updates directly in their newsroom before rumours take off.
2. Mishandling Controversy or Backlash
What happens:
Silence in a crisis doesn’t read calm; it screams guilty.
Too many brands still freeze up when sh*t hits the fan. A study from Agility PR found that delayed statements during controversy often worsen public perception, as audiences fill the silence with their own conclusions.
The first hours after a controversy breaks are the most crucial. Wait too long, and you lose both the audience’s trust and the media’s attention.
How to fix it:
Prepare your crisis communication playbook before you ever need it. Outline who approves what, which channels to use, and what tone fits your brand when things go south.
With the right crisis communication software, PR teams publish verified updates, FAQs, and visuals directly to their newsroom in minutes. No outdated PDFs, no frantic email chains. Just one clear, trustworthy version of the story for everyone to find.
“The silence after a crisis often hurts more than the crisis itself.”
3. Not Measuring Impact or Proving Business
Value
What happens:
PR teams have more data than ever, and yet, many can’t tell if their work drives results.
According to Cision’s 2025 Comms Report, 44% of PR professionals struggle to align metrics with business KPIs.
It’s not that comms teams aren’t measuring, it’s that they’re measuring the wrong things. “Reach” and “mentions” sound nice in a report, but they don’t convince CFOs.
Without linking outcomes to business value, PR teams risk being seen as a cost, not a catalyst.
How to fix it:
Define what success looks like before you hit publish. Move from vanity metrics to outcomes that matter, audience trust, message recall, sentiment shift, and conversion to action.
Modern PR tools integrate dashboards that connect newsroom engagement, journalist pickup, and readership behaviour into clear insights. This turns “we got coverage” into “we drove measurable reputation results.”
4. Failing to Connect with the Right Audience
What happens:
You’ve crafted a great pitch, but no one’s reading it. Why? Because it’s not relevant.
According to PRLab, 86% of journalists cite lack of relevance as the top reason for rejecting PR outreach.
In 2025, sending mass emails or generic press releases is a surefire way to burn your bridges. Journalists expect tailored angles, accurate data, and easy access to assets. Audiences expect transparency and speed.
How to fix it:
Get smart about segmentation. Group your media lists by topic, region, or audience type, and make sure each outreach matches the journalist’s beat.
Your brand newsroom should act as a living resource, complete with visuals, quotes, and background info journalists can use instantly.
Presspage’s built-in PR distribution software helps comms teams send targeted updates to curated lists and give journalists one-click access to images, bios, and statements, so you stay relevant, not repetitive.
“If your story isn’t relevant, it’s just more noise for the inbox.”
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RESOURCE ALERT Need help crafting a personalised pitch? |
5. Ignoring AI-Driven Change
What happens:
For better or worse, AI is here to stay. The conversation is no longer about whether AI belongs in comms; it’s about how it’s used.
PRLab reports that up to 80% of PR professionals now use AI for monitoring, analytics, or content creation. But that adoption comes with risk. Some teams rely too heavily on AI outputs without editorial checks. Others avoid it completely, falling behind competitors who publish faster and analyse smarter.
How to fix it:
Treat AI as a partner, not a ghostwriter. Use it to draft, not decide. Let human judgment set the tone and verify the facts before anything goes live.
A good PR platform should enhance human thinking. Integrated AI tools can surface trends, suggest headlines, or summarise analytics, while comms pros handle context, nuance, and ethics.
How A Purpose-Built PR Tool Helps You Avoid These PR Challenges
Technology alone won’t make you better at PR, but the right setup removes a lot of what slows you down.
Here’s how modern PR software helps comms teams move faster, stay visible, and actually enjoy the process again.
1. Stay Ahead of the Story
Great PR is predictive. With purpose-built corporate newsroom software and the right crisis comms tools, teams can track conversations, prepare pre-approved responses, and launch updates before rumours spread.
Tools like Presspage combine monitoring, planning, and publishing in one place, helping comms teams shift from “damage control” to “direction control.”
2. Handle Controversy and Backlash with
Confidence
A newsroom should be your single source of truth, a place where journalists, stakeholders, and employees find verified updates fast.
When backlash hits, having structured templates, ready-to-go media assets, and multi-language publishing options saves hours and prevents confusion.
Any PR software worth its salt lets teams update live statements, embed FAQs, and attach visual proof, ensuring your version of events leads every story.
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RESOURCE ALERT Want to know how to build a bulletproof PR newsroom? Check out our blog: 5 Practical Steps to Make Your Newsroom Your Brand’s Single Source of Truth >>> |
3. Measure What Really Matters
The best PR tools translate communication performance into business impact.
Modern dashboards let teams track how newsroom visitors engage with content, which journalists download assets, and how sentiment shifts over time.
With these insights, comms teams can finally move beyond “coverage counts” to prove their contribution to reputation and trust.
“When you connect PR results to business results, comms finally gets a seat at the strategy table.”
4. Connect with the Right Audience &
Stakeholders
From tailored press lists to analytics that show what journalists actually engage with, the right tool helps you target smarter and publish with purpose.
An integrated PR newsroom gives every stakeholder access to the same clear, accurate information. That consistency builds familiarity and trust, even across markets or time zones.
5. Turn AI Into a Strength, Not a Risk
We get it - every tool you open these days has an “AI assistant,” and half the time it’s more distraction than help. But like it or not, AI is part of the PR toolkit now. The trick is using it on your terms.
A next-gen PR tool helps teams use automation with control: suggest smarter headlines, surface trends worth watching, and analyse sentiment, all while keeping editors in charge.
That balance keeps publishing fast, credible, and human.
The Takeaway
PR success in 2025 isn’t luck. It’s structure, speed, and strategy, powered by tools that help you own your story instead of chasing it.
Whether you’re managing a crisis, pitching journalists, or measuring what matters, a purpose-built newsroom keeps your communication credible, visible, and fast.
Want to stop rumours in their tracks, handle crises without panic, and keep every newsroom story tight, fast, and fact-checked?
