Exclusive insights from 500+ communicators on how they’re evolving their strategy
What does 2026 hold for the PR industry? We surveyed nearly 600 PR and comms professionals to answer this very question. Inside PR 2026: Trends, Challenges, and What’s Next offers a comprehensive, in-depth look at the current state of the PR industry – identifying the key challenges, emerging opportunities, and strategic priorities that will shape the year ahead.
What sets this report apart? More than a compilation of data, Inside PR 2026 provides meaningful analysis and actionable insights to help PR teams like yours plan smarter and craft stronger strategies.
Check out just a few of the report highlights below.
Download the full report to find out what defines PR success in 2026.
The Agility Perspective: Executives vs. Staff
We found that there’s a perception gap between executives and frontline staff. While leadership views their teams as highly agile, staff report operational barriers such as size constraints, rigid hierarchies, and limited data access.
Data point: Thirty-three percent of executives rate their teams as “extremely agile” versus 14% of their staff.
This gap tells an important story about how PR teams operate today – and what may need to shift as teams prepare for a faster, more fluid media environment.
The 3 A’s of Opportunity: AI, Authenticity, and Alignment
AI and automation represent the greatest opportunity, with PR teams leveraging generative tools and analytics for efficiency and insights. At the same time, however, human creativity, relationship-building, and authentic storytelling remain irreplaceable.
Data point: Forty-eight percent of PR pros find AI and automation as the greatest opportunity for their teams in 2026, followed closely by strengthening journalist and creator relationships (39%) and closer alignment with marketing and business strategy (32%).
These priorities highlight not only where teams are investing, but how the most modern communicators are recalibrating their strategies.
The Skills You Need in 2026
Even as new technologies reshape the way PR teams work, the foundational skills of storytelling and content creation, media relations, and strategic planning are the ones that will continue to make PR professionals stand out.
Data point: For 59% of PR pros across all levels of seniority, “storytelling and content creation” will be the No. 1 in-demand skill of 2026, followed by “media relations” (44%).
These insights point to the evolving expectations of PR roles and the capabilities teams need to cultivate heading into 2026
Just the Beginning...
These findings only scratch the surface. Read the full report for a clear, data-driven view of the industry – and the guidance to help you turn insight into action.
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