Australia’s Guide to Reactive Digital PR: What Is It and How to Do It Right

Key takeaways

• Digital PR thrives on speed, flexibility, and insight.
  
• Combining reactive ideas, proactive planning, and journalist requests keeps brands front of mind.
  
• Leveraging internal data creates exclusive stories and stronger media relationships.
  
• An always-on newsroom mindset turns PR into a superpower that builds trust and authority.

In a world where TikTok trends can explode in hours, staying reactive isn’t just useful — it’s essential. Social media has made the news cycle faster than ever. In 2025, everyone’s online, all the time, so why shouldn’t brands be too?

For agencies and brands alike, having your finger on the pulse means you can jump into timely conversations before they’ve peaked. With an “always-on” mindset, you can be first out of the gate with a sharp comment or campaign that cuts through the noise. In digital PR, timing is everything.

Get there early, and you don’t just join the conversation; you shape it.

Yes, hero campaigns still have their place. But journalists live in the now; they’re looking to explain why something matters today. Give them that, and you’re likely to land coverage and secure those all-important links.

Reactive PR in digital doesn’t mean chasing every trend for the sake of it. It’s about listening carefully, spotting opportunities, and inserting your client into the conversation in a way that makes sense for them, quickly, credibly, and with purpose.

What is reactive digital PR?

There are three core types of reactive PR: reactive, proactive, and journalist requests. Each works differently, but together they form a strong, agile strategy that can deliver consistent media cut-through.

Reactive PR

First up, reactive — the kind most people think of. It’s about newsjacking: jumping on a breaking story and offering timely, relevant commentary. It can be tricky to land, but when done well, the results speak for themselves. For example, when a knife-related incident dominated headlines in Melbourne, we knew it wasn’t right for every client. But for one of our clients, a criminal law firm, it made sense. We quickly gathered expert commentary highlighting the penalties young people could face for carrying a knife, even in self-defence. The result? 29 links across major media outlets such as News.com.au and Sky News.

In a lighter example, we noticed a TikTok trend where someone claimed you don’t need to pay fines for private parking lots. Our client quickly provided expert commentary clarifying the law, and the story exploded, resulting in 115 links across national and local media, including being featured on The Australian. 

Another example from TikTok monitoring was our Christmas car reactive, which reacted to a trend of people decorating their cars. Again, our criminal lawyer client was the perfect fit — we created a story around the fines drivers could cop for it, which went viral and landed 87 links, social coverage, and radio pick-up.

Reactive PR is all about speed, fit, and relevance — and when those three align, the impact can be huge.

But, how do you spot reactive opportunities for Digital PR?

• Monitor the news nationally and in your niche – regularly and as a team. Implement a newsroom as part of your weekly schedule where the team can share stories and flag angles in a dedicated meeting and in a channel throughout the week.
• Tailor your TikTok – create a separate account for trendspotting and engage with content that reflects your client’s world. TikTok’s ‘For You’ feed is personalised, so what trends for one niche may never surface on your personal feed.
• Follow media outlets on social – news is often shared faster and in a more digestible format on platforms like Instagram and X than on traditional websites.
• Watch trending hashtags – keep a note of what’s bubbling up. Spotting trends early gives you the head start you need to act quickly, and don’t forget to read the comment sections to gather sentiment.
• Use TikTok’s trend discovery tools – track what’s rising and align with what’s relevant to your clients/brands’ consumers..
• Track Google search volume – spikes in search interest often mirror growing news stories or viral moments and can be great hooks to an existing campaign.
• Check Pinterest trends – it’s especially useful for spotting seasonal and lifestyle shifts before they hit the mainstream.
• Become a Reddit reader – Reddit is a great source for social listening. It can show you what real people are actually talking about and also find any pain points your client/brand could solve.
  

What is proactive digital PR?

Proactive PR is all about looking ahead. It’s about understanding your client’s industry and anticipating what journalists will be covering in the coming weeks and months.

There are calendar moments you can plan for — from big events like Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and EOFY, to more niche hooks like Small Business Month, pop culture moments, sporting events, and even award shows.

You can also prepare for industry-specific moments like new legislation, policy changes, or government inquiries. These tend to come with longer lead times, giving you space to plan meaningful commentary or campaigns.

The best way to stay prepared? Build a forward-looking calendar that includes:

• Major public dates – holidays, seasonal peaks, and widely celebrated events.
• Industry-specific events – conferences, launches, or sector milestones.
• Awareness days – e.g., Road Safety Week or Are You OK Day.
• ABS data releases – e.g., 2025 Health Report or Household Expenditure Survey

That way, you’re not just reacting — you’re ready.

Monitoring proactive events like these isn’t just useful for generating new ideas — it can also help strengthen the relevance of your existing campaigns. By aligning your stories with timely events, you give journalists a clear ‘why now?’ angle. For example, we recently linked a driver behaviour campaign to the Anzac Day long weekend, knowing more Australians would be hitting the road — helping the story land with stronger context and impact.

How to take advantage of journalist requests

The third element of reactive PR is exactly what it sounds like: responding to journalist requests. Journalists often need expert commentary, case studies, or insights to round out their stories. They post these requests on platforms like Source Bottle, Twitter, or sometimes reach out directly if you’ve built a strong relationship.

Being ready to respond positions you as an authoritative voice. You don’t just get coverage; you get on journalists’ radars, which can pay off again and again. Even if your comment doesn’t make the story this time, it could lead to future opportunities.

Unlike reactive or proactive PR, here you’re giving journalists exactly what they want—no guessing required. Plus, scanning requests is a subtle way to spot trends. Seeing what journalists are asking for now can inspire your own timely campaigns or quick reactive wins.

Building strong journalist relationships can also turn the tables — instead of you chasing opportunities, they start coming to you. When journalists know you can provide quick, reliable commentary, they’ll often reach out directly. For example, we were recently contacted for expert insight on BBLs. Because we responded fast and delivered relevant commentary, our client secured quality coverage across major News Corp publications.

The best way to navigate reactive PR is by having an always-on approach and a strategy of all three I’ve mentioned here today.

How to use internal data for reactive and proactive opportunities

Your clients’ internal data is a goldmine of reactive and proactive opportunities—if you know how to use it. Think of it as your PR secret weapon. Sure, journalists can pull basic trends from Google Trends or ABS data, but what they don’t have is your client’s unique insights. That’s where the real stories live.

Internal data can reveal patterns and behaviours that make your campaigns more credible, timely, and compelling. For example:

• Purchase and product trends: Track what people are buying, when they’re buying it, and spot rising trends before they hit mainstream awareness. A jump in home coffee machine sales? That’s a story about Aussies brewing their way through a caffeine-fuelled year.
• Marketing engagement: Newsletter sign-ups, consultation bookings, or app downloads can tell a story about interest in a product or service. For instance, “X% of Australians are signing up for virtual fitness classes this spring” is a story backed by real evidence.
• Website and customer behaviour: Look at what pages people spend the most time on, which products they click on, or what they add to their cart. These behaviours can reveal emerging trends, consumer interests, or seasonal shifts before anyone else spots them.
• Regional or demographic insights: If your client operates across multiple regions or segments, you can compare data sets to find interesting contrasts or highlight standout areas. Visuals like maps or charts can make these stories even more compelling.
  

Using internal data this way doesn’t just give you reactive or proactive angles—it gives you angles journalists can’t get anywhere else. It positions your client as authoritative, timely, and in-the-know, while also providing media with fresh, credible insights that drive coverage. 

For example, we’ve leveraged a client’s online driving theory test practice database to reveal the questions learners struggle with most, and used internal data to compare the cost of driving lessons across Australia. These unique insights not only make campaigns more compelling but also turn your client’s data into a powerful PR asset.

Summary

Digital PR works because it’s fast, flexible, and driven by insight. By combining reactive opportunities, proactive planning, and journalist requests, brands can stay ahead of the news cycle, insert themselves into conversations that matter, and become trusted voices in their industry. Internal data adds another layer, giving you stories no one else can tell and trends journalists can’t access anywhere else. The key is having an always-on newsroom mindset: monitor the news constantly, know what’s happening in your clients’ world, and be ready to act. Nail these elements, and digital PR becomes more than campaigns—it becomes a superpower that builds authority, drives coverage, and keeps your client front of mind in today’s fast-moving media landscape.