British business leaders on their companies’ PR efforts
Communication can make all the difference for a business. A good PR strategy can raise brand awareness, bring in new customers, and boost retention – and a bad one can cause outrage, scandal and embarrassment.
But what do business leaders in Britain make of their companies’ current PR efforts? We asked senior decision makers at companies of all sizes how they feel about their organisation’s communications strategy. Here are six key takeaways.
- Two in five British businesses simply don’t do PR at all
Some 43% of business leaders said their organisation had no PR efforts whatsoever. This rises significantly among micro businesses with fewer than ten employees (86%), and smaller businesses with 10-49 employees (54%). The proportion of enterprises with no PR function falls dramatically among medium businesses with 50-249 employees (26%) and even further for larger businesses employing 250+ workers (9%).
2. Most British businesses rate their PR strategies highly
Among businesses with a PR function, decision makers are generally – but not universally – happy with their companies’ PR efforts (74%).
That said, large businesses (82%) are generally happier than SMEs (64%).
3. 37% of businesses say they always or often use surveys in their PR strategies
Nearly two in five (37%) business decision makers say they always or often use surveys in their PR strategies, with three in ten (30%) doing so sometimes and 22% saying they rarely or never employ polling in their comms efforts.
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4. 37% of businesses are using AI in their PR efforts
Our data shows that nearly two in five business decision makers say their company is using generative artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT in PR efforts (37%). That said, not all businesses are using it equally.
Among smaller businesses, a quarter (24%) are using AI for communications, rising to 45% of larger enterprises.
5. ...but London-based businesses are keener on AI in PR than the rest
Another key difference: London-based businesses are far more likely to use AI in PR than the rest.
Over half (56%) are doing so compared to three in ten (29%) businesses located elsewhere in the country. Could companies outside the capital benefit from incorporating AI into their PR strategies? The answer may well be yes – especially as…
6. Most businesses want to see more AI in their PR efforts
Businesses would generally prefer to see more AI in their PR efforts: 54% say they want more of it, and just 5% say they want less. This is true for larger businesses (58% vs. 2%) and SMEs (50% vs. 11%), and for businesses in London (68% vs. 2%), and outside the capital (50% vs. 8%).
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YouGov Surveys: Serviced provide quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. This study was conducted online on 9-13 June 2025 with a sample of 547 business decision makers in the UK, using a questionnaire designed by YouGov. Learn more about YouGov Surveys: Serviced.