In order to keep pace with the changing world and stand out from competitors, it’s important for your business to stay up-to-date with the latest PR trends. According to a recent Muckrack survey, 73% of PR pros said they don’t think the term “public relations” as it’s defined today will describe the work they’re doing in five years. It’s crucial to understand and implement these emerging trends if you want your business to thrive in an age where PR is always evolving.
In preparation for the inevitable changes in the industry, we’ve outlined a list of 6 PR trends to monitor as you gear up for 2022.
Leverage data insights. PR is the management and dissemination of information from an individual or an organization to the public in order to maintain or cultivate public image. Many organizations spend a lot of time and money investing in PR campaigns to help establish their brand identity and increase credibility. Technology has made it easier to collect data and measure the effectiveness of these campaigns. As we head into 2022, it’s important to start thinking about how your organization can leverage data insights to help improve your image, brand and services.
Personalize pitching. Journalists and reporters receive several email pitches a day, making it crucial that yours stands out from the rest. An effective way to make this happen is to personalize your pitch. This will show the journalist or reporter that you’ve made an effort to get to know their interests and get their attention. Personalizing your pitches is a great way to cultivate relationships with the media and through these efforts land some impressive media coverage.
Utilize influencer marketing. Influencer marketing is a form of social media marketing that uses endorsements and product mentions from people who have an established social following or expert level knowledge in their field. This marketing strategy has allowed organizations to build credibility and even increase sales. As every organization is different, it’s important to research and understand how this strategy can best help you meet your company’s goals.
Increase social media engagement. Social media can be used as a tool to help build brand awareness and connect your organization with new target audiences. Here are some key ways to keep your social media engagement rate on the rise:
- Post quality content
- Be consistent
- Interact with your audience
- Remember to be authentic.
What steps have you taken to increase social media engagement for your brand?
Drive DEI initiatives. Prioritizing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the workplace is of critical importance. In order for organizations to lead a more equitable future of work they must first understand the meaning DEI:
Diversity refers to the presence of difference in a given setting. In the workplace, this can mean differences in gender, religion, race, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, education, and other attributes.
Equity in the workplace is the concept of providing fair treatment and opportunities for all employees.
Inclusion is the practice of ensuring that every employee feels a sense of belonging in the workplace.
In an effort to drive DEI initiatives in the workplace, organizations must reshape their current operations to build a sustainable system that fosters inclusivity and a collaborative culture.
Prioritize internal and crisis communications. The global pandemic has shed light on the importance of crisis and internal communications. Internal communication refers to how people within the company share information with one another, while crisis communication broadly refers to the collection, processing and dissemination of information to effectively communicate during a crisis situation. Both forms of communication are essential for the overall health of your organization. If you’d like more information on how to respond to a crisis situation, read our last blog, “5 Tips for Preparing for Crisis Response.”
We hope you find this list helpful as you prepare for the new year ahead. If you have any questions or would like to find out how these trends can benefit your organization – set up a call with our team — visit our website for more. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.