By adopting these changes, PR campaigns can drive action, foster trust, and grow brand communities, moving beyond “link juice” to impact share of search in this emerging search universe.
Dig deeper: Social search and the future of brand engagement
The inevitable rise of video-led content in digital PR
In 2025, video will no longer be a complementary format in digital PR but the centerpiece of strategies.
Video has proven to be one of the most engaging and effective mediums for capturing attention, delivering messages, and driving action.
Predicted to account for over 80% of all web traffic by 2025, video’s dominance in online consumption is undeniable.
Even press publications that PR teams traditionally target are establishing themselves on social platforms to tap into this trend.
This is evident in TikTok, where publishers are achieving massive engagement.
For example, since January 2024, The Daily Mail’s TikTok channel garnered over 1 billion engagements compared to 40 million on its website.
That’s a staggering 2,400% difference. Content editors and journalists are increasingly seeking video solutions to meet this growing demand.
Dig deeper: A guide to creating social media videos (for search and beyond)
Socially optimized video as the new press release
Traditional text-heavy press releases are losing their effectiveness, especially because they don’t align with social platforms’ visual nature.
Video allows digital PR teams to create versatile press releases that publishers can easily adapt across multiple channels.
Formats like reactive comments, thought leadership, expert insights, and first-party data presentations performed well in 2024.
But they are even more impactful with a video-first approach.
For example, Martin Lewis, a UK financial commentator, has successfully used TikTok to share insights, building his presence both on his account and across media outlet platforms.
Brand mentions: The new metric of success
Brand mentions are becoming a key indicator of authority and trust, much like the traditional goal of achieving “follow” links in website outreach.
Social platform tags, as well as naturally occurring brand mentions in video content, are increasingly valuable.
Social algorithms, particularly TikTok’s, amplify this impact by promoting related content to users who engage with media pieces mentioning a brand.
This makes digital PR a powerful tool for raising awareness and moving audiences through a conversion journey.
Maintaining a strong brand presence on social platforms is now essential for ensuring visibility and trust in this video-first era.
Dig deeper: How to harness the power of brand mentions across the search universe
From backlinks to brand mentions: The ‘search everywhere’ evolution
Digital PR thrives on innovation, and by 2025, success will no longer rely on backlinks or traditional coverage alone.
Thriving in the next 12 to 18 months will require a “search everywhere” approach:
Creating socially native content.
Leveraging video and UGC.
Reaching audiences where they already engage.
This is not a passing trend but a fundamental shift.
The next phase of digital PR is here, and those who embrace it will set the standard for the future.
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