The PR industry’s biggest blind spot? Not promoting itself.
This story was originally published on Jan. 27, 2025. We’re republishing it as part of our countdown of top stories of the year.
Rachel Huff is president and founder at agency search consultancy Victoire & Co.
Measurement remains PR’s evergreen obsession, dominating industry headlines, conferences and conversations among communications leaders. But in 2025, it’s time to reconsider the real issue behind the buzz. It runs deeper than just tracking better metrics — communicators face a fundamental challenge in proving their value.
Even in organizations that champion brand-building, PR budgets are often the first to be cut when sales falter or earnings disappoint. Why? Because communications leaders, by nature, amplify others but often fail to advocate for themselves.
PR needs its own PR
Agencies love citing “the cobbler’s children have no shoes” when explaining why they struggle to market themselves, but this issue extends to in-house teams, too. From my daily conversations with communications leaders across industries, a common thread stands out: a reluctance to highlight their own wins.
This reluctance to promote the impact of PR isn’t just a missed opportunity; it’s a liability in an increasingly ROI-driven business environment.
These professionals excel at identifying white spaces, crafting compelling narratives and leveraging the right platforms to build credibility. It’s time to turn those skills inward.
Finding your voice on LinkedIn
Audiences today are skeptical of overly polished or promotional content, instead gravitating toward real, human voices that educate and entertain. This shift has led to an explosion of thought leadership programs aimed at elevating executives’ profiles.
In 2025, many organizations are prioritizing LinkedIn as the must-use platform for these efforts. Communicators should follow their own advice and apply the same LinkedIn tactics for themselves. Here’s how:
- Show your expertise. Post consistently, offering actionable advice or surprising takes that reflect your expertise. Don’t get caught up in the algorithm or vanity metrics like how many “likes” you receive. The more regularly you post, the more you’ll notice it feeds your real-life conversations, and vice versa.
- Engage meaningfully. Comment on others’ perspectives, start a conversation, and most importantly, demonstrate a point of view. It’s not enough to say “congrats” to the career updates that come across your feed. People appreciate when you take the time to read and react to their content and will be more likely to engage with yours.
- Share the credit. Highlight team successes and celebrate collaborative wins. Go beyond a pat on the back. The more you can take folks behind-the-scenes of your team or organization, the more compelling it will be.
You don’t have to be a LinkedIn expert or dedicate countless hours to the platform to see results. You may even find your next Zoom conversation begins, “you had a really interesting point in your recent LinkedIn post…”
Elevate your presence across channels
LinkedIn is just the beginning. Just as you would with any executive communications plan, expand your own visibility efforts to include a variety of touchpoints:
- Pursue speaking engagements. Don’t limit yourself to PR-focused events. Look for panels, webinars or conferences in industries your work supports – whether it’s healthcare, consumer tech, or sustainability – where your expertise will shine.
- Publish op-eds demonstrating your expertise. If you represent an emerging food brand, for example, your perspective on how other food brands are leveraging the latest TikTok trends in their marketing and communications may be compelling to a popular food and beverage trade publication.
- Embrace podcasts and emerging platforms. With the proliferation of podcasts and Substack newsletters that cater to niche audiences, seek opportunities to provide a guest perspective relevant to their listeners or readers. These platforms may have smaller reach, but often foster deeper, more targeted engagement.
- Don’t overlook internal platforms. Highlight your team’s impact within your own organization through internal newsletters, company-wide meetings and other cross-departmental opportunities. Be the first to raise your hand to present your proudest work at the next town hall.
By stepping into the spotlight, communications leaders can demonstrate that PR is more than a “nice-to-have”—it’s a strategic business driver.
The added bonus? Practicing what you pitch sharpens your skills, boosts your confidence, and builds credibility in the process.
After all, if you don’t tell your own story, who will?
The post Top Stories of 2025: PR needs PR: How to step into the spotlight in 2025 appeared first on PR Daily.
