If you look at the beginnings of PR in the early 1900s to what it is today there is a huge difference. Techniques and strategies have evolved and technology has radically changed how businesses approach public relations.
This PR evolution is happening now in 2023 too though, and it’s important for businesses to keep up to date with digital PR trends. By keeping aloft of what’s happening in the world of PR, you can make sure your message remains effective. To give you a head start, I delve into PR trends in 2023 and what you can expect in the coming years.
Influencer PR and Marketing Will Develop
Like them or not, influencers are here to stay and they can do wonders for PR campaigns. This is something that more and more businesses are realizing and with the continued rise of social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, this PR trend will continue to evolve in 2023 and beyond.
Influencers have incredible clout and they can reach millions of people instantly via their social media channels. Their followers and fans adore them and businesses use this clout in the form of paid sponsorships.
The premise is simple – you sponsor the influencer and work with them to benefit from the ready-made audience they have. When influencers have millions of followers on TikTok and Instagram and create daily content, it’s easy to see why influencer PR and marketing are so effective.
Storytelling Will Evolve Across Multiple Mediums
The art of storytelling is not new in PR and it’s an especially effective tool we use to add personalization and reach customers on an emotional level, and this is something a leading digital PR agency can assist you with. However, the way storytelling is used is evolving right before our eyes.
Traditionally, stories would be woven into media like press releases, blogs, and news articles. Now, companies are including storytelling in other popular mediums like social media, vlogs, live streaming, and podcasts.
We can only expect this to develop further as other PR channels gain popularity and become the preferred method for getting your message across.
Analytics Will Show Us the Way Forward
We live in a world where we have a virtually limitless array of analytical data via platforms like Google Analytics. The information we can get relating to sales, SEO, customer habits, and industry trends is mind-boggling.
That being said, you can guarantee that analytics will remain a driving force behind PR strategies in the coming years and businesses will continue to develop their campaigns based on what the stats are saying.
AI Could Enhance PR Strategies and Content
Whether AI is a good or bad thing remains to be seen but it is making waves in various industries currently and it’s one of the hottest topics in 2023. Even if you don’t use social media or aren’t overly digital you will have still heard about AI and how it is being used.
I expect AI to continue to make inroads in PR too and already there are companies utilizing AI-enhanced software to improve their strategies and make more effective business decisions. In some instances, AI programs like ChatGPT is also being used to generate written PR content or article outlines.
Effective Crisis Communication Will be Vital
How many times have you checked your social media feed or preferred online news portal only to see that another business or individual has been “cancelled”? With how fast information can travel, even the slightest mess up from one of your employees, or bad feedback from a customer can cause a crisis.
Before you know it, your business is under fire on social media, and everything is spiralling out of control. This is why one of the most important digital PR trends is to have effective crisis communication. You need to have an effective plan of action to deal with a crisis and stop it from hitting your PR message negatively.
Customers Will Prefer Humanized Content
I’ve previously written a piece on the importance of humanized content and this is something you can expect to continue.
The general public isn’t interested in faceless corporations spilling out a load of generic business spiel. It simply isn’t interesting, doesn’t resonate with them, and gives them no reason to trust companies or get invested in what they are saying.
Making your PR content personal and humanized is the way forward and this is one of the most important public relations trends currently happening. Customers now want more from their interactions with businesses and want to make an emotional connection.
Both Local and Global PR Strategies Will be Required
Traditionally, companies would push either a global or local approach to PR but now we are seeing businesses place equal emphasis on both.
Local PR cannot be ignored as it allows companies to tap into their home community and rally support from the towns and villages they service.
Similarly, global PR is also incredibly important due to the digitalization of companies, the increased availability of international business, and the fact that PR messages can be relayed to millions of people via the internet and social media.
PR Strategies Will Look Very Different Compared to Years Past
As you can see, the PR landscape is changing and how we communicate with the public will look very different in a few years. I urge you to take these PR trends on board and re-evaluate your strategies so that you can futureproof your business and keep your brand awareness and reputation sparkling for the long term.
