The Complete Guide to PR Strategy in 2026

Now it’s time to do the heavy lifting—create the strategy that will lay the groundwork for all future communications to come. Overwhelmed? Break up your approach into the following pieces to make the work (and the output) more digestible. Bonus tip: We suggest creating a multi-tab workbook (in Google Sheets, Excel, etc.) to document all of the following steps. 
 

1. Goal Setting: Not surprisingly, goals and objectives give your strategy intentionality. Start from the top and work your way towards more granular program tasks. First, draft a purpose statement: ask yourself why PR is important to your brand and what you hope to achieve.

   This exercise dovetails nicely into both goal and objective setting. We recommend establishing 3-5 SMART goals prior to program launch. Example: Increase referral traffic by 20% over a 3-month period. Take a step further with 3-5 objectives that ultimately give clear direction for reaching those goals. Example: Pitch 3-4 local stories monthly and 1-2 national stories quarterly.

   To cap this initial planning phase, create a timeline to map out more granular activities by month or even week. These are the tasks that come from your objective statements, like regular pitching, but can also include additional foundational elements like media training.

2. Messaging: Inserting your brand into the right conversations at the right time starts with messaging. Identify overarching talk tracks (or content topics) that resonate with your mission, services or products. These main tracks should align with existing editorial publishing and social conversations (if you’re not sure, these are a good place to dig into for ideation).

   Within each topic, you can take it a step further by building associated sub-topics. A good example that everyone should include:
   • Track = Brand
   • Subtopics = New Hires, Awards, Speaking Opportunities, Culture.

   Specific pitch ideas take shape within each topic and/or subtopic. Keep in mind that these can be evergreen, but allow your team to come up with more reactive ideas based on current trends or events.

   Final note: At this stage, take note of any no-go messaging to be aware of. Are there any specific topics that your brand would like to stay away from?

3. List Development: With messaging in hand, where would you like to see your brand featured? List development is largely dependent on the software available to you. If you have a tool like Cision, Muck Rack, Meltwater, to name a few, you can filter your contact targeting by topics, beat, and so much more.

   Regardless if you’re building your lists in a database or in a spreadsheet, ensure you segment your contact targeting by media type (i.e. national, local, trade, etc.) for later reference. It’s also helpful to tag contacts by relevant talk tracks, notes related to pitching or professional history, and social profile links.

4. List Management: Media churn is more prevalent than ever. Keep your database up-to-date by annotating outreach efforts and circling back on reporter status on a quarterly basis. If you happen to see a new reporter hired within a relevant beat, send an introductory note to get on their radar early on.

   Even if you don’t have media monitoring software, you can set up free Google Alerts to stay in-the-know. Create alerts for key terms at high-priority publications to identify high-profile opportunities—and so you don’t miss a brand mention.your brand would like to stay away from?

5. Distribution Methods: This is where your larger content ecosystem comes to life. Aim to weave key messaging and talk tracks consistently across all owned and paid media channels. This includes your company blog, social media posts, email newsletters, paid campaigns, and sponsored content. A strong earned media strategy is rooted in a unified brand voice and editorial point of view that ties all of these channels together.

   When it comes to media pitching: Build relationships with journalists and producers before you need something from them. One effective way to do this is by creating a short, compelling intro deck that highlights your unique story, key differentiators, and why your brand matters right now.

   Also, be mindful of how your media contacts prefer to engage. If a priority journalist is active on X (formerly Twitter) but slow to respond to email, tailor your outreach accordingly. Meeting them where they are—digitally and contextually—can make all the difference.

6. Reporting: Maintain a dedicated tab within your PR tracking workbook to log all earned media mentions. Include relevant context such as publication date, topic, experts quoted, sentiment, and any other metrics aligned with your brand goals. If you don’t have access to media monitoring software, tools like Google Alerts can help you stay on top of new coverage.

   
   Showcase your impact: At the end of each month, compile a concise report for leadership to highlight PR program performance. Consider incorporating visual elements—such as charts or infographics—to illustrate key metrics like media placements, referral traffic, conversion activity, media sentiment, and the number of expert mentions. Demonstrating these results consistently helps reinforce the value of your ongoing PR efforts.

With these elements in mind, don’t wait to take action. You can start distributing your message thoughtfully, while continually elevating and expanding upon your strategy.