As PR pros know, their industry is changing. With continuous advancements in technology, increasing emphasis on analytics and increasing competition, PR pros need to hone their skills to keep themselves up-to-date. So we’ve looked into our crystal ball and outlined below the future for PR pros and the skills you’ll need to succeed!
Selling PR’s value
With technological advancements like AI and automation gaining market share, senior leaders frequently look at emerging solutions for quick, easy ways to publicize their brands and products. What they may overlook is that third-party credibility and substantial press coverage is still an essential part of telling an organization’s story, because objectivity breeds trust. Many PR pros know this, but they need to be sure leadership teams keep in mind that some tried-and-true tactics are still critical to moving the company forward.
Influencer marketing
The concept of influencer marketing has been around since the late 1800s when cigarette companies used well-known stars in their print ads to try and influence the general public to use their product. Today, its core remains with celebrities as the faces of major brands. It has even since evolved into more strategic, digitalized methods. For example, Instagram influencers with millions of followers are paid to promote products. YouTube is also incredibly vital to advertising. According to HubSpot, video content is 50 times more likely to drive organic search results than plain text. Even more fascinating, after watching a video, 64% of users are more likely to buy a product online.
Artificial intelligence
As technology advances, we fear that robots will eventually render some jobs obsolete, including PR. But AI also has the potential to improve PR as an industry by automating some of the most crucial PR functions, which will help, not hurt, PR specialists. The research will become automated, and it’ll enable PR pros to see exactly who their target audience is, when’s a peak time to target their customers and be able to identify a potential crisis and stop it in its tracks. One emerging trend that we’re already beginning to see is chatbots. With the rise of chatbots, PR pros must focus on developing and implementing creative strategies to create awareness, improve their company’s reputation and generate profits. Doing what machines can’t will allow PR teams to thrive.
Your time is now!
Critical Mention
Jolie Shapiro
Passionate about all things communications, Jolie found her dream job as a copywriter with Critical Mention, where she’s continuing her passion for writing and editing. With a background working for high-profile clients in the financial, hospitality and technology industries, she’s excited to bring her experience to Critical Mention. When she’s not writing you can find her at music festivals, hiking or snowboarding.
