When people think of great PR, they usually picture the big moments.
The viral stunt.
The headline‑grabbing story.
Creativity is what gets noticed.
- The colour‑coded project plan that kept six workstreams in sync.
- The approval process that caught a factual slip before it hit the news.
- The resource tracker that meant no one was still working at 2 a.m. (well, almost).
That’s PR operations – the hidden engine behind every successful campaign. They’re not flashy. They don’t win awards. But without them, even your brightest ideas stall in a pile of missed deadlines and muddled Slack threads.
In this blog, we’ll explain what PR operations actually are, why they’re the difference between good teams and great ones, and how to build structure into your work – without becoming a process bore.
Jump to section:
- What are PR operations?
- Which tools should you use to support PR operations?
- Why PR operations matter
- What do good PR operations look like in practice?
- How to strengthen your own PR operations
- Key takeaways
What are PR operations?
PR operations are the structures that sit behind every campaign. They’re what stops “Final_v6_ACTUAL_FINAL_USE_THIS.docx” from becoming your team’s daily reality. They make sure everything runs smoothly, from project planning through to delivery and reporting.
They usually cover:
- Clear roles and responsibilities
- Shared workflows and project management tools
- Quality assurance and approval processes
- Time and resource tracking
- Data, monitoring and reporting systems
In other words, PR operations keep teams aligned, clients reassured, and campaigns on track.
Which tools should you use to support PR operations?
Behind every successful campaign is a mix of clear processes, collaborative teamwork, and the right technology. Yes, we’re about to talk about project management software and media databases. Stay with us.
At Definition, we use a suite of tools to stay organised, ensure accountability, and measure impact – all of which support smoother delivery and better client outcomes.
Below, we’ve outlined some of the key platforms we use and how they enhance our day‑to‑day work.
1. Project management tools (e.g. Asana, Scoro)
Or: how to avoid “sorry, I thought you were doing that”
Good project management is the backbone of consistent delivery. Platforms like Asana and Scoro help us coordinate work across multiple teams and clients, keeping every brief, deadline, and task clearly visible.
By tracking time and capacity, we can see where workloads might need to be rebalanced – for instance, if a project is absorbing more resources than planned. This level of visibility means we can adjust early, maintain quality, and protect our team’s capacity.
2. Media databases (e.g. Muck Rack, Roxhill)
Effective PR starts with knowing who to talk to. Media databases such as Muck Rack and Roxhill give us up‑to‑date information on journalists, publications, and current coverage areas.
These insights help us identify the most relevant contacts for each story and understand what topics are driving conversation across sectors. It’s a data‑led way to build stronger, more targeted media relationships.
3. Media outreach and distribution (e.g. Muck Rack, Roxhill)
There’s no single “right” platform for media outreach, each has its strengths. We use both Muck Rack and Roxhill to make the most of their different capabilities, from researching journalists and monitoring coverage areas to distributing press releases efficiently and compliantly.
By comparing results across campaigns, we can see which approaches, lists, or formats generate the strongest engagement. Metrics such as open rates and responses provide useful insight into how content performs, and that intelligence feeds into how we plan the next story.
Testing, learning, and refining in this way helps us stay responsive to media trends and continually improve how we connect clients’ news with the right journalists and audiences.
Technology doesn’t replace strategic thinking; it enhances it. The right mix of tools gives us the structure and insight needed to plan effectively, stay collaborative, and continually improve. For clients, that means communications that are not only creative but also grounded in evidence and delivered with precision.
Why PR operations matter
PR isn’t just about brilliant ideas – it’s about executing them consistently. Strong operations allow teams to:
1. Work seamlessly together
Campaigns often involve many specialists: strategists, creatives, media relations teams and digital experts. Without structure, things fall through the cracks. With shared tools and agreed workflows, handovers are smooth, and collaboration feels natural.
2. Protect quality and trust
In PR, reputation is everything. Processes like peer reviews, structured sign‑offs and templates reduce errors and keep outputs consistent. Clients know they can trust what’s delivered.
3. Use time wisely
Good operations match talent and capacity with the right tasks, so effort goes into the work that has the biggest impact. Time tracking and resource planning help avoid wasted hours on admin churn.
4. Stay flexible when things change
Campaigns rarely unfold exactly as planned. Strong PR operations mean teams can adapt quickly – whether that’s reacting to a breaking news story or re‑shaping a campaign mid‑way.
What do good PR operations look like in practice?
To show how this works in real life, let’s look at a recent campaign.
Benenden Health wanted to run a campaign raising awareness of the gender health gap – and position itself as an advocate for greater equality.
On the surface, this looked like a classic multichannel PR campaign:
- Research and data collection
- Compelling media hooks and storylines
- Engaging content for press, digital and social
- Tracking performance across platforms
But what really made it work was the operational layer beneath the creativity.
We put in place:
- A clear timeline tool showing every deliverable and owner.
- Live collaborative documents so the team and client could edit in real time instead of battling email chains.
- Quality checks at each stage, from fact‑checking the research data through to copy and design consistency.
- Definition AI, our private AI environment, to speed up research collation and first-drafting admin-heavy content.
- Regular feedback loops with the client for fast approvals.
Because of these operational foundations, the campaign delivered seamlessly: accurate data, smooth roll‑out across channels, 1,300 pieces of media coverage – and won B2B PR Campaign of the Year at the Prolific North Marketing Awards.
The creativity caught attention. The operations made it land.
How to strengthen your own PR operations
Not every organisation has a dedicated ops function, but there are practical steps any PR team can take:
- Set objectives early: agree on campaign goals and assign clear roles/responsibilities before work begins.
- Build workflows and use shared tools: platforms like Asana, Trello or Monday.com keep everyone aligned.
- Collaborate in real time: use live docs for drafts, asset reviews and checklists to reduce friction and save time.
- Prioritise quality checks: always run a peer review or approval step before content goes out.
- Track time and resources: understand where energy is going versus where results are coming from.
- Leverage AI smartly: automate repetitive admin and research tasks so people can focus on creative and strategic work.
- Measure and learn: monitor KPIs (coverage, share of voice, engagement, etc.). Use each campaign as a chance to refine your operational approach.
Key takeaways
Creativity makes campaigns memorable – but PR operations make them happen.
Most agencies will sell you creative ideas. The best ones can actually deliver them – on time, on strategy, and without the chaos.
At Definition, we’ve built PR operations into the heart of how we work. Our integrated model, supported by Definition AI, and live collaborative workflows mean we have the structure to move fast and the specialists who know how to execute efficiently and well.
So when you work with us, you get both: the creative B2B PR service that wins attention, and the operational excellence that wins results.
Written by Hannah Syers, Head of Client Operations at Definition on 05/01/2026.
