Ever since I was in school, I have been fascinated by the idea of using strategic communications to create mutual understanding and build lasting relationships. That interest only grew stronger as I progressed through my education and internships, all of which revolved around some form of content creation, digital marketing, or communication. It was this exploration into strategic communications that eventually led me to realise that Public Relations was the ideal path for me.
Public Relations has always been an area of great interest for me. There have been many reasons that have nurtured my love for Public Relations. Ever since I chose my stream when I was leaving school, my sole reason for choosing Journalism and Mass Communication was to reach out and extend communication with people that might contribute to a mutual sense of understanding and respect. The foundation of this desire was built on strategic communications, which allows professionals to use messages thoughtfully to achieve specific outcomes.
My love for reading sparked a soft corner for writing. Therefore, I started with content writing internships for an NGO and then for a general blogging site. These experiences gave me exposure to different formats and styles of writing. Later, to explore more of the components and functions of Digital Marketing, I took up a social media management internship. My responsibilities included content writing, content designing, maintaining relations with important personalities, reaching out to potential clients, managing existing relations through effective communication, event planning, and social media management. Each of these tasks involved the careful use of strategic communication to connect with varied audiences and build meaningful relationships.
This internship gave me a wider scope to understand the role communication plays in enhancing the reputation of a brand. Whether it was through crafting Instagram captions or replying to queries on LinkedIn, I realised the importance of strategic communication in every small detail. It helped me connect dots between storytelling, branding, and audience engagement. Every campaign and every caption was not just a task—it was a planned move designed to elicit a specific response or emotion.
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Parallelly, I was exploring various ways to understand how digital technologies, particularly AI, are helping brands grow stronger. This exploration made me realise that no matter how AI-driven the systems and workplaces become, it would never replace Public Relations as a career. Strategic communication is rooted in understanding context, empathy, and nuance—qualities AI is yet to master.
Effective communication necessarily requires a better and human understanding of a situation—something that serves the interest of a client, holds strong the reputation of a company in the face of crisis, and maintains internal balance within employees. It fosters a sense of belonging, inclusiveness, and understanding. Strategic communication allows you to showcase your perspective, explain your point of view, and use emotional intelligence to broaden the explanation rather than just jotting down your thoughts and placing them in front of your client. It is this human sensibility that makes a strong case for why AI cannot handle communication: being sensible is not just about data; it’s about human insight.
In my SEO internship for Digital Marketing, I was responsible for reaching out to potential clients for getting backlinks, maintaining long-term relationships for mutual interest, strategically communicating with targeted high-quality sites, leading campaigns, answering colleague queries, social media posting, and periodically preparing review reports for the company. Each of these tasks demanded a strong grasp of strategic communication, from cold emails that needed to sound warm, to campaign briefs that had to align with brand tone. I was no longer just writing; I was strategically communicating.
As an avid reader, I found it exciting to have opportunities to frame my own thoughts, use my creativity, and design communication using elements of storytelling. Whether I was communicating with clients, the general public, potential investors, or employees, I was crafting narratives that informed, engaged, and built trust. Strategic communication isn’t just about information—it’s about how that information is presented.
Hence, all of the internships I’ve completed played a vital role in helping me realise my interest in Public Relations and pushed me further to gain a better understanding of what a PR professional does. It made me research more on how it aligns with my passion and how all of the internships I’ve done are directly or indirectly connected to strategic communication.
In interviews, I’ve been asked why I chose Public Relations when I had such a strong background in Digital Marketing. I believe that all the internships I completed were partly an integration of the work of a PR professional, if not entirely. But more importantly, each experience planted in me the passion for pursuing Public Relations and continues to water it every day.
Shrimoyee Sur, a passionate communicator from Howrah, has recently completed her B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication (2025) from Shri Shikshayatan College, Kolkata. With a strong foundation in media, content creation, and digital strategy, she is now set to begin her journey in the field of public relations. Joining SCoRe – School of Communications and Reputation, Shrimoyee aims to sharpen her skills in strategic communications and build a meaningful career in reputation management and corporate storytelling.
Strategic communications have rapidly evolved in today’s media landscape. Although the core principles remain intact, modern tools and audience behaviours have changed drastically. In the early days, communication strategies were limited to press releases and scheduled media events. But now, with social media, influencer outreach, and content marketing, the scope has broadened dramatically.
Moreover, brands today must communicate across platforms in real-time. This means strategic communications are no longer a support function. Instead, they have become central to shaping public image, consumer trust, and even internal culture.
Therefore, students aspiring to enter Public Relations are now looking at strategic communications as their core entry point. It combines traditional communication values with data-driven decisions and digital-first thinking.
Internships have also adapted. Earlier, they were mostly about observing or shadowing senior professionals. But now, interns actively participate in designing communication plans and drafting social media content. They often even interact with clients directly.
Hence, internship structures are more hands-on. Strategic communications are embedded into every intern’s experience. Young graduates learn how to identify target audiences, tailor messages, and schedule campaigns across multiple platforms.
Furthermore, the rise of hybrid and remote work settings has made strategic communications more collaborative and accessible. Interns often attend virtual meetings with clients and teams across the globe. Therefore, they get a real-time understanding of cross-functional communication.
Read More: What Are the Best PR Strategies for Startups and Small Businesses?
The growing influence of digital tools has revolutionised content creation. Social media platforms demand short-form, engaging content. But they also require depth and consistency. Hence, content is no longer written for the sake of publishing—it’s structured, goal-oriented, and data-informed.
Moreover, storytelling now plays a key role in brand reputation. A compelling narrative isn’t just a marketing tool—it’s a business necessity. Strategic communications professionals, therefore, must blend creativity with strategy.
Although creativity remains essential, every creative output today is measured for engagement, click-through rates, and impressions. This metric-driven approach means communication is both an art and a science.
Artificial Intelligence tools are now commonly used in campaign management. From predictive analytics to automated responses, AI has simplified several tasks. But its limitations are clear.
For instance, AI can draft an email—but it can’t intuitively sense tone, urgency, or emotion. Strategic communications depend heavily on emotional intelligence, empathy, and context—all inherently human traits.
Therefore, while AI enhances productivity, it cannot replace the human insight that strategic communications demand. Moreover, in times of crisis, human judgement remains irreplaceable.
Hence, the future will likely see AI supporting—not replacing—communication professionals. Strategic communications will evolve to balance technology and humanity, rather than choosing one over the other.
Strategic communications today require more than writing skills. Emotional intelligence is critical. Professionals must interpret client concerns, anticipate audience reactions, and adjust tone or approach quickly.
Moreover, building lasting relationships requires empathy and authenticity. Audiences now prefer brands that feel relatable and genuine. Therefore, communication specialists must connect emotionally, not just inform logically.
In moments of public crisis or backlash, emotionally intelligent messaging helps prevent damage. It builds trust and ensures respectful dialogue. Hence, strategic communications professionals are increasingly being trained in behavioural insights and psychology.
Although strategy matters, sensitivity shapes the outcomes.
Search Engine Optimisation has become a vital skill in the strategic communications toolkit. Earlier, SEO was seen as a separate function. But today, it directly impacts content visibility and brand reach.
Therefore, strategic communications are now aligned with SEO strategies. Professionals research keywords, understand search trends, and create content that ranks.
Moreover, backlink campaigns and domain authority have become essential metrics. Communications teams often pitch stories not just to inform—but to gain high-quality links from reputed platforms.
Although SEO seems technical, its success depends on clear messaging and storytelling. Hence, strategic communications are at the intersection of marketing and media visibility.
Despite the rise of metrics, creativity has not lost its charm. In fact, with increasing digital saturation, only creative content cuts through the noise.
Therefore, professionals must think like artists but plan like strategists. They need to tailor messages to different audiences, platforms, and tones—all while maintaining brand voice.
Moreover, strategic communications rely on storytelling. A good story makes a campaign memorable, boosts shares, and increases emotional engagement.
Although data matters, creative expression is what turns insight into impact.
Students entering the communication industry may have varied academic or internship backgrounds. Whether it’s journalism, digital marketing, or branding, each contributes to the broader skillset needed in strategic communications.
Therefore, roles are no longer linear. One might begin in content writing and move to crisis communication. Or start with social media and progress to stakeholder engagement.
Moreover, every experience helps build a holistic understanding of audience behaviour, platform preferences, and brand positioning.
Although the field is dynamic, the core remains unchanged—clear, consistent, and purposeful communication.
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