PR Glossary

Public relations terms, explained simply

Plain-English definitions of the PR and communications terms that matter, from media relations to answer engine optimization. Written to be clear, accurate and quotable.

What is a PR glossary?

A PR glossary is a reference that defines the key terms used in public relations and communications. This glossary covers the concepts brands ask about most, from earned media and media relations to newer disciplines like answer engine and generative engine optimization, each explained in plain English with an India-specific note.

Advertising Value Equivalency (AVE)

Advertising Value Equivalency, or AVE, is an old PR metric that estimates what a piece of earned coverage would have cost if you had bought the same space as an advertisement. It is widely criticised because it confuses the price of ad space with the value of editorial trust, and most serious communicators now avoid it.

Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)

Answer engine optimization is the practice of structuring content so it is selected as the direct answer in search features and AI Overviews. Answers are written as clean, self-contained passages, marked up with schema, so a machine can lift them without editing. AEO aims to be the answer itself, not just a ranked link.

Boilerplate (PR)

A boilerplate is the short, standard paragraph about a company that appears at the end of every press release. It sums up what the organisation does, who it serves and where it is based, in a few approved sentences. Because it is copied into coverage and reused widely, the boilerplate should be accurate, current and consistent everywhere.

Byline Article

A byline article is an opinion or expertise piece published under a named author, usually an executive or expert, rather than written by the outlet's staff. It lets a leader share a genuine point of view in a credible publication. Unlike an advertisement it is editorial, so it must offer real insight rather than a sales pitch.

Corporate Communication

Corporate communication is how an organisation manages all its communication with the people who matter to it, including media, employees, investors, customers, regulators and the public. It covers reputation, media relations, internal communication, investor and financial communication, public affairs and crisis response, working to keep what the company says consistent and credible across every audience.

Crisis Communication

Crisis communication is how an organisation communicates with the public, media and stakeholders during a serious incident that threatens its reputation. It covers preparation, a clear chain of decisions, holding statements and honest, timely updates. Handled well it protects trust; handled badly, the response often causes more damage than the incident itself.

Digital PR

Digital PR is public relations built for online discovery. It earns coverage, links and mentions on high-authority websites to grow both reputation and search visibility. Unlike traditional PR, it is measured in links, referral traffic and search rankings as well as coverage, so PR and SEO work together as one program.

Earned, Paid and Owned Media

Earned media is coverage a third party chooses to give you, such as a news article. Paid media is space you buy, such as an advertisement. Owned media is the content you control, such as your website or social channels. Earned media is the most credible because an independent source, not the brand, is vouching for it.

Embargo (PR)

An embargo is an agreement that a journalist will not publish a story before a set date and time. PR teams share news under embargo so reporters can prepare in advance and everyone publishes together at launch. Embargoes rely on trust, so they work when both sides honour them and can backfire if a reporter never agreed.

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)

Generative engine optimization is the practice of shaping how generative AI systems describe and recommend a brand. It focuses on the signals models rely on: consistent entity data, credible third-party citations and clear, verifiable statements. The goal is for AI assistants to mention and recommend a brand accurately when users ask questions in its category.

LLM Optimization

LLM optimization is the practice of making a brand easy for large language models to find, understand and repeat. It means publishing honest facts, original data and clear definitions in the formats models cite, and keeping consistent information about the brand across the web, so AI assistants describe and recommend it correctly.

Media Impressions

Media impressions estimate how many times a piece of coverage could have been seen, usually based on a publication's audience or reach. They show potential exposure, not guaranteed views or impact. Impressions are useful for scale and comparison, but on their own they say nothing about whether the audience noticed, believed or acted on the coverage.

Media List

A media list is an organised, up-to-date directory of the journalists and outlets that cover your category. It records each reporter's beat, publication, focus and contact details, so pitches reach people who actually write about your space. A good media list is built and maintained continuously, not bought once, because journalists move and beats change.

Media Relations

Media relations is the practice of building and maintaining relationships with journalists and editors to earn favourable news coverage. It covers media lists, story pitching, press materials and interviews. It is the core of most PR programs, because credible earned coverage depends on genuine relationships with the reporters who cover a brand's category.

Newsjacking

Newsjacking is the practice of adding a brand's timely, relevant angle to a breaking news story or trend to earn attention and coverage. Done quickly and well, it makes a brand part of a conversation people already care about. Done clumsily, or on a sensitive topic, it backfires, so judgement and speed both matter.

PR (Public Relations)

PR stands for public relations. A PR agency is a firm that manages an organisation's public image and media coverage on its behalf. The team earns coverage, builds reputation, handles communication with journalists and stakeholders, and responds to issues, so a brand is understood and trusted the way it intends to be.

PR Retainer

A PR retainer is an ongoing arrangement in which a company pays a PR agency a fixed monthly fee for continuous work, rather than paying per project. It usually covers media relations, content, monitoring and reporting. A retainer suits brands that want sustained, compounding visibility instead of one-off bursts of activity.

PR vs Marketing vs Advertising

PR earns trust and coverage through independent sources. Advertising buys attention through paid space you control. Marketing is the broader discipline of understanding and reaching customers, of which PR and advertising are both parts. In short, advertising is what you say about yourself, PR is what others say about you, and marketing is the whole system that drives demand.

Press Kit

A press kit, also called a media kit, is a ready-made pack of everything a journalist needs to cover you accurately. It usually includes a company boilerplate, key facts, executive bios, high-resolution logos and images, recent announcements and contact details. A good press kit makes it faster and safer for reporters to write about you correctly.

Press Release

A press release is a short, factual announcement written in news style and sent to journalists to inform them of something worth covering, such as a launch, a result or an appointment. It leads with the most newsworthy fact, includes quotes and background, and gives reporters what they need to write about it accurately.

Public Relations

Public relations is the practice of managing how an organisation is perceived by earning trust and coverage rather than buying it. It uses media relations, content, events and communication to build and protect reputation with the public, media, customers and other stakeholders. Unlike advertising, the attention it earns is credited to independent sources, which makes it more credible.

Publicist

A publicist is a professional who earns public attention and media coverage for a person or organisation. They find the story worth telling, pitch it to journalists, arrange interviews and protect reputation. In India the role now goes beyond print and broadcast, since a publicist also shapes how a client appears in search and AI answers.

Reputation Management

Reputation management is the practice of shaping how a brand or person is perceived, especially in search results, reviews and AI answers. It combines monitoring, positive content, earned coverage and thoughtful response to criticism, so what people find when they look you up reflects the truth you want represented rather than only the loudest voice.

Share of Voice

Share of voice in PR is the proportion of media coverage or conversation a brand earns compared with its competitors, usually measured over a period and topic. A rising share of voice means a brand is being talked about more than its rivals, which is one of the clearer signals that a PR program is gaining ground.

Thought Leadership

Thought leadership is the practice of building a person or company's reputation as a recognised authority on a subject by consistently sharing a credible, original point of view. It is expressed through bylines, interviews, speaking and commentary. Done well, it earns trust, media demand and inbound opportunity that outlast any single campaign.

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