The
PR industry is more important than ever before —
especially for brands who need to communicate with the public. This is because PR professionals maintain
trust with the public. They bring on the human-to-human element and can showcase a brand’s values.
But in order to do this
perfectly, PR pros need to take a look at what the future of the publicity space looks like and accommodate for what it holds. This is so that they can better support brands and become invaluable to them. Here,
media update’s Talisa Carlson is taking a closer look at the future of the PR industry.
Got the pen and paper ready, PR pro? Let’s go:
Influencer PR is on the increase
Influencers can be found
everywhere online — and this is not going to subside any time soon. Influencer PR is going to continue to grow in 2022 because brands have seen its value: It ensures that their content is
relatable and
authentic.
Influencer PR is all about building brand awareness through word of mouth and PR professionals working closely with influencers to build a PR strategy. And there is a
lot of communication happening online, which means that there’s a need to effectively reach a brand’s target audience on social media. A great way to do just this is with influencer PR.
Inclusivity is no longer negotiable
Long gone are the days where a press release or PR campaign simply focuses on a stereotypical version of someone. Inclusivity is
vital for the future success of PR companies and the brands that they represent. But what exactly would this entail?
Well, in 2022, PR professionals will need to ensure that diversity is evident in their communication efforts.
This diversity needs to look at — and acknowledge — variances within:
- race
- sexualities
- age
- gender
- disabilities,
- belief structures, and
- culture.
A PR campaign that nailed the diversity mark was with Benefit Cosmetics UK. The company chose
Kate Grant, an Irish model with Down’s Syndrome, to be its brand ambassador back in 2019.
*Image sourced from Instagram
This brand continues to include diversity in its PR campaigns and, at the same time, create awareness regarding inclusivity.
*Image sourced from Instagram
Additionally, take note that you cannot
assume your target audience. You, dear PR pro, need to look at generating content that is inclusive of
every person seeing it — this is
despite the fact that not every person may buy into your offering.
Personalisation is the future
Everything from PR pitches, press releases —
all the way to events —
needs to be personalised. This is because everyone
loves seeing something that is specially and specifically made for them. The future of being a successful PR agency will fall back on the personalisation of content, campaigns and communications.
It’s been proven time and time again that
a PR pro needs to choose the words that they use
carefully when communicating with clients, the public and influencers.
Proving the worth of PR efforts is necessary
Most brands are now aware of the vital role of a PR professional; but it has also become necessary for public relations professionals to show companies
exactly where their money is going.
If a PR pro says that they will get an X amount of earned media for a brand, their client will want to see that they did
indeed reach that target.
The PR industry will need to be able to
show how invaluable they are to a brand. A PR pro essentially needs to tell the
brand’s story but these
stories will need to be backed by data and clear reasoning.
What are some other trends you think the PR industry will see in 2022? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
With the end of the year approaching stress can start to kick in, if that is the case be sure to read Four ways PR pros can deal with stress.
*Image courtesy of Vecteezy