Social Media Playbook 2026: How to use Social Media in PR campaigns
Key takeaways: Social Media Playbook
1. Post consistently where it counts: LinkedIn and YouTube for B2B and Instagram, TikTok, Threads and Facebook for B2C.
2. Repurpose coverage: Turn press quotes into posts, videos, carousels, or threads.
3. Use founder insights: CEO insights for B2B; behind-the-scenes content for B2
4. Engage directly with your audience: Reply to comments,tag journalists, spark discussion.
5. Use influencers early: Align creators with campaign goals from day one.
6. Follow trends: Where they are relevant to your brand and positioning.
7. Measure and optimise: Track reach, engagement, and audience growth to improve results.
Overall takeaway: Brands that don’t incorporate social media into their PR strategies risk losing out on attention, influence, and even business opportunities. Brands that use it strategically reach new audiences and maximise their PR impact.
This guide shows how social media fits into your PR strategy, the benefits it delivers, and practical ways to use it effectively as part of the broader New Media ecosystem.
1. What is social media in PR?
Social media in PR is the strategic use of platforms to share coverage, tell your brand story, and engage with relevant audiences.
Effective social media PR includes:
- Sharing coverage: making press features visible and easy to access
- Founder and brand storytelling: highlighting leadership insights, company values and your brand’s story
- Audience engagement: connecting with journalists, investors, partners, and customers
- Campaign visibility: ensuring product launches, funding news, and thought leadership are seen on owned channels
Key takeaway: Social media is central to amplifying PR efforts.
2. Benefits of using social media in PR campaigns
When included in PR planning, social media delivers measurable value:
- Extend reach: connect with more people beyond traditional media
- Highlight coverage: give press features a longer presence online
- Strengthen brand narrative: maintain consistent messaging across channels
- Engage stakeholders: encourage interaction with journalists, partners, and audiences
- Maintain momentum: repurpose and share content across multiple platforms
Key takeaway: Social media turns PR into a 24/7 strategy
Download our New Media Litepaper
3. Social Media in PR today: Top UK Facts
1. UK adults spend 4½ hours online daily (Ofcom, 2025)
2. 85% of adults use major social platforms daily (TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube) — making them essential for PR visibility (Cision, 2025)
3. 51% of communications leaders plan to increase earned social media activity this year, showing social’s central role in engagement and influence (Cision, 2025)
4. Social media is now a strategic driver of UK PR, helping brands boost business impact, stakeholder engagement, and market presence, all supporting growth and investor appeal (PRCA, 2025)
4. Top tips for using social media in your PR campaign
Social media isn’t just a broadcast tool, it can help drive your PR campaign’s impact. and engagement. Here’s just some of the ways to do it right:
1. Align messaging across channels
- B2B: Share insights via LinkedIn posts and YouTube explainers, including CEO or leadership perspectives on funding, launches, or company news.
- B2C: Use Instagram Stories, TikToks, Threads posts, and Facebook carousels to highlight product launches, behind-the-scenes content and employee stories to demonstrate your brand’s personality.
Tip: Want to know which channels will work best for your PR in 2026? Check out our dedicated guides for B2B and B2C brands.
Or want to grow your personal brand on LinkedIn? Read our step-by-step guide here
2. Repurpose media coverage
- Share press quotes, visuals, and key insights across platforms.
- Turn articles into short videos, slides, or text threads to keep your audience engaged.
3. Schedule strategically
- Coordinate posts with press embargoes.
- Schedule content across a few days once your story has gone live to maximise visibility.
4. Engage directly
- Reply to comments, mentions, and questions.
- Tag journalists, partners, and collaborators to encourage interaction.
Key takeaway: Plan smart, highlight your leadership, and engage actively - social media amplifies your PR strategy.
Download our New Media Litepaper
5. How to measure the success of social media in PR
- Reach and impressions: How many times your post is shown across social media channels.
- Engagement: Likes, comments, shares, and clicks..
- Traffic to coverage: Use UTM links to see visits to articles, landing pages, or product pages.
- Audience growth: Followers, subscribers, and community size.
- Sentiment: Positive vs negative mentions to understand your audience perception.
- Influencer impact: Engagement and reach from creators’ posts.
- Business outcomes: Leads, partnerships, investor interest, or sales tied to social PR.
Key takeaway: Measure reach, engagement, and outcomes to make social media a data-driven, business-focused part of your PR strategy.
6. Where influencer PR comes into social media
For many brands, influencers shouldn’t be an afterthought or deemed optional - they expand reach, build credibility, and make campaigns more memorable.
- B2C brands: TikTok creators, Instagram influencers, and Threads personalities showcase products, share stories, and reinforce your PR messaging.
- B2B brands: LinkedIn thought leaders and industry micro-influencers lend authority to webinars, reports, and milestone announcements.
- Want to use Influencers as part of your PR strategy? Read our guide here.
Key takeaway: Influencer PR, when planned from the start, extends your reach, builds credibility, and drives stronger results for both B2B and B2C campaigns.
7. Emerging trends and predicted trends for 2026
Social media in PR is evolving fast. Staying ahead means adopting formats and strategies that engage audiences, drive visibility, and deliver measurable results.
- Short-form video: Instagram Reels, TikToks, and LinkedIn Shorts continue to dominate attention.
- Interactive content: polls, quizzes, and live Q&As keep audiences active and invested in your brand.
- Authentic founder or employee content: content that shows real insights and personality resonates more than polished corporate messaging.
- Cross-platform coordination: aligning messages across LinkedIn, X, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Facebook, and YouTube maximises reach.
- Micro-communities: Slack, Discord, and niche groups foster deeper, more meaningful engagement.
- Data-driven planning: analytics guide what, when, and how to post for maximum impact.
These trends show that social media is fully integrated into PR strategy, driving results rather than acting as a separate channel.
Key takeaway: Brands that adopt short-form video, interactive content, authentic storytelling, and cross-platform strategies will lead in engagement, visibility, and PR impact in 2026.
Download our New Media Litepaper
Summary
Social media helps turn PR moments into ongoing visibility. From sharing coverage and spotlighting leadership insights to engaging audiences and collaborating with influencers, it extends the reach and impact of every campaign.
Used strategically, it ensures your stories travel further and stay relevant for longer.
Want to get more value from your PR campaigns?
Get in touch with the expert team at Words+Pixels to see how we can help amplify your coverage and connect you with the audiences that matter most.
FAQs: How to use social media in PR
1. What is social media PR?
Using platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to amplify PR coverage, share thought leadership, and engage audiences.
2. Which platforms work best?
B2B: LinkedIn & YouTube | B2C: Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Facebook.
3. How can I repurpose PR coverage?
Turn press quotes into posts, videos, carousels, or threads to extend reach and engagement.
4. Do influencers help PR?
Yes — they help to improve credibility, expand reach, and make campaigns more memorable.
5. How do I measure success?
Track reach, engagement, traffic to coverage, audience growth, and business outcomes.
