public-relations word cloudOur Lumenatti authors post a lot about content, content marketing, social media, thought leadership and community.  To showcase another area of our expertise that harkens back to our roots, I thought a post on another area of our expertise was in order: public relations.

The public relations industry has gone through an amazing transformation over the past 10 to 12 years. The ever-changing nature of traditional media, emergence of new types of online media outlets, continued evolution of social media and the shift away from traditional media consumption has literally reformed the industry.  With this, the way PR pros pitch stories will continue to evolve and we will need to work hard to find new ways to connect and make our clients relevant.

Here are a couple of the major trends that will continue to impact the evolving world of PR:

Visual storytelling and content. Being able to tell a good story on behalf of our clients, and effectively selling that story to promote them have always been the defining strengths of solid public relations. Today there is an even stronger need to embrace storytelling, in an easier to digest and visual way.  Content has to be strategic and include visual elements in order to cut through the clutter. Check out my colleague Cheryl’s recent post for some of her favorite visual content standouts.

Press releases will continue to evolve. Just as other forms of communication vehicles are changing, so are press releases. There is certainly still a place for releases to help disseminate news, but they need to be short and engaging to remain relevant.  Visual content has also become more prevalent in press releases as a better way to engage reporters and editors.

Mobile will continue to grow.  Mobile device adoption and mobile marketing continues to grow rapidly.  The impact of mobile on companies of all kinds is becoming more and more noticeable.  It is certain that the audiences you are trying to reach on behalf of your clients have access to the Internet on the go. Therefore, solid mobile strategies are a must.

Real-time marketing. Flexible messaging based on current events that can be disseminated quickly has always been a sound PR strategy for those that possess this agile behavior.  With continued increases in social media adoption, this type of marketing is no longer “a nice-to-have.”  It should be an element of all communications campaigns and is a terrific way to show brand personality.

Tapping the crowd. Having a campaign go viral is the dream of all PR pros hoping to turn social media buzz into brand awareness.  This strategy and attempts to replicate the success of some of the most famous will continue in the coming years.

Hyper-local strategies. With the proliferation of new outlets and venues for publishing content, it becomes more important for PR folks to dig deep and develop highly customized and personalized campaigns to find the most appropriate subset of a market and niche offerings.

With the continuing evolution of social media, the shift away from traditional media consumption, and the demand for more visual content, the way PR practitioners pitch stories will continue to evolve. We need to find new and engaging ways to connect in order to keep our clients relevant.  We also need to be strategic and proactive and take the time to plan and anticipate clients’ needs. How have your PR programs changed to serve today’s individualistic, on-demand, mobile culture?

 

Pam Flores

Pam Flores

Pam is adept at fostering relationships with respected thought leaders and influencers. She has 20-plus years of experience in social engagement, media and blogger relations, thought leadership, community building and copywriting.