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The Future of PR
PR Industry Predictions
PR once operated solely in the realm of earned media. But today, PR firms are managing social media accounts, scoping paid advertising opportunities and touching on content marketing in addition to securing placements in publications and handling other media relations. Although, traditional PR methods still apply and gaining access to media and influencers is vital, there are improvements to be made, to help ensure the industry grows and is future-proofed for generations to come.
Here are just some examples of how the PR industry is changing and what the future will look like:
The value of data
A common misconception about using data in communications is that research and creative storytelling are incompatible. However, data would be completely valueless if we didn’t apply it to our work. Using data-driven research can actually help us better understand our clients and enable targeted storytelling.
Reporting data requires strong storytelling skills and although interpreting data might not be part of our usual creative routine, it is more valuable than ever. Mastering the ability to structure narratives using data is now integral to our work and can help provide clients with new insights into their industries or consumer and business trends, and how their products or services can leverage such trends.
Increase of visual content
People spend more and more time browsing online rather than reading, and when they do read content, only 28% of the words are generally read. To optimise attention, it’s up to us as PR practitioners to ensure appealing and shareworthy content is generated to cater to audiences appetites.
The future demands short, condensed and visually appealing content such as infographics, GIFs and short videos. PR agencies can benefit from careful planning and knowledge of visual content and how to correctly use it, to remain up to date with what is current and potentially viral to appeal to audiences.
PR and marketing working together
The line between PR and marketing is becoming a blur and this is because audiences don’t see a division, they just see the work. This means that PR and marketing teams need to work together and focus on brand building to ensure messaging is consistent and their goals and efforts are aligned.
Brand authority and message delivery can also play a key role in search engine optimisation and digital marketing, which means that PR is becoming more important than ever before.
The scope of opportunities for PR professionals is increasing so we need to continue to adopt forward thinking and accept innovators, such as technology and collaboration in order to remain relevant. At its core PR is still about great storytelling but the future of PR is about creating a shareable experience for all.
