The UK’s largest dedicated digital PR conference, The Digital PR Summit, is gearing up for its third edition in Manchester with what organisers describe as its strongest line-up yet.
Taking place at the Royal Northern College of Music on 22 April, the one-day event, hosted by digital PR agency Digitaloft and sponsored by globally recognised SaaS platform Ahrefs, will bring together more than 500 agency, freelance and in-house marketing professionals to tackle some of the industry’s most pressing challenges and opportunities.
With two content tracks running throughout the day, the programme is packed with sessions from leading marketers, brands and journalists.
Some of the highlights include Naomi Francis-Parker, SEO manager at Deliveroo, addressing the ‘in-house buy-in problem’ alongside an unmissable journalism panel session, and a deep dive into the rise of AI-generated experts appearing in news stories.
It’s just a slice of what to expect from The Digital PR Summit, which has grown rapidly since initially launching as a virtual event in 2019.
Beth Crowe, growth director at Digitaloft, reflects on the event’s evolution, why it has become a go-to event for digital PR professionals, and what else attendees can expect this year.
What to expect from The Digital PR Summit 2026
Following the success of the inaugural virtual event, the team made the leap to an in-person format in 2024, identifying what Crowe describes as a “clear gap” in the market for an event focused on digital PR.
“It felt like there were lots of general search events, or ones focused purely on SEO, paid or performance marketing. But there wasn’t anything dedicated to digital PR and its place within the world of SEO. So we just went for it!” she tells Prolific North.
“Even though we have people working across the UK, we see ourselves as a Northern agency, with offices in the Lake District and Manchester. It felt like the right place to launch and grow the event.
“What we really wanted was to bring together the best people from digital PR, SEO and journalism, and give those working in SEO and PR the opportunity to learn, develop and meet like-minded people.”
Now in its third year, this year’s event features more content than ever, delivered across two stages, and moves away from a traditional keynote format in favour of “great speakers all day long”.
“We’re not having a keynote speaker this year because of the calibre of talks we already have planned. We feel like we’re levelling up,” she explains.
“And, for the first time, we’re also hosting a drinks reception the night before, giving people the chance to have a great time and connect ahead of the event.”
One of the standout sessions includes Faces of Fakery: how AI and SEO poisoned the well for PRs and journalists.
Featuring Rob Waugh, journalist at Press Gazette, and Sarah Waddington, CEO of PRCA, the discussion will explore findings from Press Gazette that suggest fake, AI-generated experts have made their way into UK news coverage, examining how the industry should respond, and what both PRs and journalists can learn from the issue.
Other speakers across the day include Ryan Law, director of content marketing at Ahrefs, alongside an expert SEO panel focused on influencing brand visibility in search beyond Google, a special journalism panel discussion with speakers to be announced soon, and many more. Check out the speaker line-up here.
There will be plenty of opportunities for attendees to ask questions at the end of each panel session too.
“We always moderate those panels but we open it up to the floor for people to ask their questions. The journalism panel in particular is invaluable for digital PR professionals who want direct insight from journalists. That’s what really sets the event apart.”
The Summit’s reach is also growing, with attendees now travelling from as far afield as the US.
“That’s been fantastic to see. It shows how the event is continuing to expand further and further, year on year.”
Check out all the speakers so far and make sure you secure your tickets to the event here.
