Beyond the Press Release: 7 PR Strategies Every Marketer Should Master

If you’re a growth-focused entrepreneur, tech marketer, or small business owner, this is for you. Let’s talk about PR in 2025.

Sending out a press release and hoping for the best doesn’t work anymore. It’s like showing up to a laser fight with a candle — it’s just not enough.

Today, you need smart, creative PR tactics to stand out in a noisy world. Big players like Edelman PR, BCW PR Agency, and Hill+Knowlton Strategies have figured this out. They use strategies that grab attention, build trust, and get real results. In this article, I’ll walk you through seven PR approaches that beat the old-school press release hands down. Plus, I’ll show you how PR Agency Review can help you find the right agency partner without digging through fluff.

This is going to be practical, straightforward, and packed with tips you can use. Let’s dive in.

1. Tell a Story, Don’t Just Announce

Press releases used to make waves, but now? People skip right over boring announcements. They want stories — ones that hit them in the gut and feel real.

Edelman PR knows this. They’ve turned brands around fast by focusing on stories. Take Dove’s “Real Beauty” campaign. It wasn’t about soap specs. It was about authenticity, and it got the world talking. Hill+Knowlton Strategies does this too, especially in crisis work. They don’t list facts — they build a story where the brand is the hero overcoming a challenge.

Here’s how you can do it:

- Figure out what moves your audience. Do they want status? Belonging? Change? Check social media comments or customer reviews to find out.

- Picture your brand as the main character. Maybe it’s fighting mistrust or breaking into a crowded market. Use events or campaigns to show the journey.

- Add visuals. A strong image or video can make your story stick. Hill+Knowlton Strategies often uses cinematic clips or infographics to pull this off.

When you focus on why your brand matters — not just what it does — you connect deeper. Not sure which agency can help you nail this? PR Agency Review offers clear, data-driven evaluations to find one that fits.

Let’s say you run a small tech company. Instead of announcing a new app, tell the story of how it solves a problem your team faced — like late-night coding sessions to fix a glitch your customers hated. Add a quick video of the team celebrating the fix. That’s the kind of story people remember.

2. Get Influencers on Your Side — But Do It Right

Influencer outreach isn’t about paying a celebrity to flash your logo. It’s about finding voices your audience trusts and teaming up with them.

BCW PR Agency crushed it with a clean-tech startup. They used micro-influencers in sustainability to score 15,000 solid leads — no big celeb budget needed. Edelman PR did something similar for a retailer chasing Gen Z. They picked niche creators who loved the products and let them run with it. In three weeks, user-generated content shot up 200%.

Here’s your game plan:

- Pick influencers with 10,000 to 50,000 followers in your niche. Their fans see them as real, not just paid promoters.

- Don’t micromanage. Give them a brief and let them tell your story their way. It feels more genuine.

- Track what counts. Use promo codes or special links to see actual sales, not just likes.

This beats a press release every time if you match influencers to your values. For example, if you sell eco-friendly gear, team up with a green-living blogger who’s already into your stuff. Their post about using your product on a hike could drive more sales than any announcement.

Need an agency that’s good at this? PR Agency Review ranks them based on real results and client feedback, so you know who’s worth your time.

3. Use Data to Back Your Story

A good story grabs people, but data keeps them hooked. Hill+Knowlton Strategies tests messages with analytics before launching anything. Agility PR says data-driven campaigns get 45% more media pickup than guesswork.

You can do this too:

- Test headlines. Tools like Google Optimize let you try a few and see which one gets clicks.

- Customize your pitch. If you serve small businesses and big companies, use different stats — like “80% of small businesses saved $20,000 in year one” for one group.

- Show the numbers. Infographics or charts make data easy to get. Hill+Knowlton Strategies boosted shares 30% with an animated graph once.

Data makes your story harder to ignore. Imagine you’re pitching a productivity tool. Instead of saying it’s great, say “users cut meeting times by 25%” and throw in a chart. Journalists and customers trust that more.

No analytics team? No problem. Google Analytics or Brandwatch can get you started. And if you want an agency that’s sharp with data, PR Agency Review has rankings based on performance, not hype.

4. Jump on Trends — But Be Smart About It

News moves fast, and staying quiet can make you invisible. Real-time PR — or newsjacking — ties your brand to what’s hot. But you’ve got to be quick and careful.

Edelman PR showed this off during the Oscars “SlapGate.” For a streaming client, they tweeted about “unscripted moments” within hours. It pulled in 40,000 followers fast. BCW PR Agency uses monitoring tools to spot trends — like a fintech law change — and respond while keeping the brand’s voice.

Here’s how to pull it off:

- Watch trends. Google Trends or Twitter’s Advanced Search can tip you off early.

- Prep messages. Have templates ready so you can tweak and send fast.

- Stick to your mission. Only jump in if it fits your brand — people spot fakes quick.

Say you sell fitness gear and a viral workout challenge pops up. Post a video of your team trying it with your products, but only if fitness is your thing. Done right, this gets you noticed fast.

Mistakes spread just as quick, though. PR Agency Review can point you to agencies — like Edelman PR or BCW PR Agency — that handle this well, based on their track records.

5. Use Visuals to Make Your Story Pop

Text-only releases are dying out. Visuals get more eyes and shares. Hill+Knowlton Strategies invests in video because 70% of people prefer it over text. They made a five-minute documentary for a nonprofit that raised donations 62% in two weeks. Edelman PR turns research into animated videos that hit LinkedIn, YouTube, and TikTok.

You can do this:

- Add infographics. Summarize stats in an image with Canva or Venngage.

- Shoot short videos. A 60-second clip about your mission beats a long email.

- Fit mobile screens. Over half of web traffic is mobile, so keep visuals clear on phones.

Picture a bakery sharing a quick video of dough rising with your oven timer — way more engaging than a write-up. Agencies like Hill+Knowlton Strategies and Edelman PR do this in-house, and PR Agency Review can show you who’s got the skills based on real portfolios.

6. Position Yourself as an Expert

Don’t just push your product — push your know-how. BCW PR Agency turns founders into thought leaders with op-eds and podcast spots. Edelman PR helped a SaaS CEO go from nothing to co-authoring a report with a big analyst firm in six months.

Here’s your plan:

- Share fresh data. Surveys or user stats make you a source journalists quote.

- Hit niche outlets. Trade magazines reach people who care, like C-suite readers

- Get on podcasts. In 2025, it’s still a solid way to sound human and share ideas.

If you run a finance app, write a piece for a small trade blog with stats like “40% of users cut debt in three months.” It builds a wall competitors can’t climb.

PR Agency Review can guide you to agencies — like BCW PR Agency — that excel at this, using client feedback and results.

7. Combine PR and SEO for Maximum Impact

PR that ignores search engines misses out. Edelman PR teams up with SEO crews to slip keywords and links into placements. Hill+Knowlton Strategies targets high-authority sites for backlinks, boosting one client’s organic traffic 35% in six months.

Try this:

- Find top sites. Ahrefs or SEMrush show you outlets with strong domain authority.

- Tweak links. Pitch anchor text like “digital PR strategy” instead of “click here.”

- Check results. Track traffic and sales from links, not just how many you get.

If you’re a travel brand, getting a link from a big site with “best travel tips” could climb your rankings. Ask agencies if they sync PR with SEO — PR Agency Review lists ones that do, with case studies to prove it.

So, there you have it — seven PR strategies that leave press releases in the dust:

- Tell a story that hits home.

- Team up with influencers who fit

- Back your pitch with data.

- Ride trends that match your brand

- Use visuals to stand out.

- Build your expert cred.

- Link PR with SEO

These can help you break through and get results. It’s like swapping a rusty bike for a jet engine.

Wondering how to pick an agency? PR Agency Review gives you straight-up evaluations based on data and real client stories. Whether you need Edelman PR for storytelling, BCW PR Agency for influencers, or Hill+Knowlton Strategies for visuals, they help you match your goals to the right team. Sponsors love it too — it puts them behind a resource that’s all about clarity and results.

What’s your next step? Pick one strategy and test it. Maybe start with a story about why you launched your business. Or check PR Agency Review to find an agency that clicks with you. Either way, you’ve got this.