As the year draws to a close, many are taking stock of which marketing channels worked well and which need a revamp for the year ahead. Where does your public relations program rank on those lists?
From expert articles in the right trade publications to powerful segments on broadcast news, PR – and media relations – can help brands to strengthen their reputations, grow their share of voice and gain an edge over the competition. Whether your public relations program is event-driven, data-focused, supports a sales strategy or underscores a commitment to philanthropy (and more), connecting the right spokespeople with the right media and influencers can make a significant impact on organizational goals and strategic objectives.
As you look for ways to make an even bigger impact with PR in 2026, keep these ideas top-of-mind:
Diversify Your Expert Source List
While some organizations opt solely to have the CEO or Executive Director serve as the voice of the brand, other organizations may benefit from having a diverse roster of spokespeople who can speak to specific aspects of a company or cause. As you embark on crafting your 2026 media outreach strategy, consider: (1) would adding additional spokespersons allow the organization to tap into new media outlets and broaden their share of voice on new topics, and (2) how can you best equip new spokespersons to become powerful brand ambassadors?
While it may require some additional media training, adding additional spokespeople who can broaden the list of topics on which your organization can provide expert sources to media can yield additional exposure while providing a steady stream of fresh content to cross promote on social media and in email marketing.
Refine Your Messaging
Organizations evolve and your brand’s messaging should reflect the latest programs, services, expert insights and value propositions. While fine tuning your messaging, take a moment to look back at the messaging that resonated the most – and the least – with media over the course of the prior year. This can provide a tangible baseline to work off of when tweaking, eliminating and crafting new message points.
Another valuable exercise is looking at what the competition is saying about themselves. Is there increased competition in the marketplace for a particular product or service? Are the differentiating points between your company and its biggest competitors feeling less pronounced? These insights can also play a powerful role in informing what messaging needs to be revamped and what should remain the same for the year ahead.
Expand Your Media List with Relevant Podcasts
The explosive growth of podcasting has opened up a new realm of opportunities for experts to share their insights. While some podcasts are built around hearing from a single source, there are many that welcome guests and new voices on a regular (often weekly or monthly) basis.
As you work with your PR team to identify where podcasting fits into the overall media relations strategy, consider which topics within your expertise and spokespeople are best suited to the medium. For example, the spokesperson who prefers to submit written comments to reporters may not enjoy a 30–60-minute conversation. Similarly, some podcasts produce video episodes and not everyone is comfortable on camera.
Once you know who you want to pitch and where you would like them to air, take the time to play the consumer and listen to a few episodes. Once you have a better understanding of the tone, host-guest interactions, etc. you’ll be able to tailor a pitch for optimal success.
If your spokespeople are already well-seasoned podcast guests, you can, of course, consider launching your own podcast as well.
Integrate Your Media Coverage More Deeply into Your Overall Marketing Program
What happens after an interview airs or an article publishes? Yes, many media outlets promote the content on their own social media channels and email marketing. But how are you getting that coverage in front of your prospects, clients, referral sources and strategic partners?
Documenting a process for promoting press coverage is a simple process that ensures optimal reach. For example, a developer may decide to share media coverage around major projects with an email list of past clients as a way to potentially re-engage them. Similarly, a nonprofit in need of volunteers may share coverage of a new volunteer audiences with a list of lapsed supporters. And, it only takes a couple of clicks to post the CEOs latest interview, podcast, byline or news segment across the business or nonprofit’s social media channels.
A quick tip: When outlining what will be shared where, don’t overlook key team members personal LinkedIn accounts. You’re likely garnering press that would be relevant to their connections and a simple protocol can help amplify your reach by getting key content in front of those audiences as well.
Leverage Your Own Media Channels to Fill in the Gaps
What topics are you eager to talk about but struggling to find space for in target media? Inevitably, some topics won’t be media darlings. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t important to your prospects, clients, referral sources and other strategic partners. Finding the right place for these nuanced and niche topics often requires looking inward, even more so than it does looking outward.
Take a step back from your PR plan and look at your content strategy as a whole. What topics are best suited for earned media and which are most appropriate for your owned media?
Whether you decide to launch a multi-part YouTube series breaking down a complex topic, lean into a drop email marketing campaign that nurtures prospects with niche educational content, or decide to take a leap and launch your own podcast, owned media can help to fill in any gaps from your earned media strategy.
PR and media relations can help organizations to reach new audiences while providing a wealth of third-party content to help populate a company’s owned media channels. As you prepare to your launch your 2026 public relations campaign, focus on topics that are timely, relevant and high impact while ensuring your spokespersons are well-prepped and easily accessible when opportunity knocks. And, if you’re looking for a PR partner to help guide your media relations program in 2026, we can help.
