PR TRENDS TO LOOK OUT FOR IN 2023

-Gaurav Jain

Public relations professionals play a huge role in a brand’s online and offline image. Good PR helps you promote the image you’ve built and protect it. And by implementing the right PR strategies at the right time, you can maximize good PR while making bad PR matter very less.

Part of a PR professional’s job is to stay updated on the latest industry trends as our world is ever-changing so as PR.

What mattered to consumers in the past might look extremely different today. Meanwhile, PR is all about shaping your image in the minds of consumers, you need to know how certain strategies and tactics may resonate with your audience at any given time.

Why It Pays to Pay Attention to PR Trends

Just like marketing firms, public relations firms experience trends, too as there are more noticeable trends emerging each year as the gap between PR and marketing is widening.

And like marketing, a lot of things influence PR trends: consumer preferences, employee expectations, and technology, for example. As each of these areas evolves, your PR strategies must also evolve if you want to continue to present your company in a favourable light.

For example, if your new product is receiving lots of negative reviews, then who should respond: public relations or marketing? Some time back, this might have fallen solely on PR departments but today, it’s an increasingly shared responsibility.

Check out this blog if you want to learn more about the differences between PR and marketing.

Paying attention to PR trends can help brands in addressing problems and opportunities. This helps in reducing the chances of PR opportunities falling through the cracks. Also, you gain a better sense of how to promote or respond in a way your consumer will appreciate.

As we say goodbye to 2022 and welcome 2023, let’s take a look at some of the top PR trends to look out for in 2023:

Data & Analytics Take Center Stage for PR Strategies

In the near past, businesses don’t know how to measure the result of their PR strategies. Brands would issue announcements, publish some press releases, and hope for the best.

And yet, many marketers and PR pros still aren’t sure about their ROI. With today’s analytics and PR reporting technology, data will play an increasingly essential role in PR strategies.

In 2023, measuring the result of your public relations efforts will be key. PR teams need, at a minimum, basic KPIs like brand awareness and favourability, social media engagement, and quality web traffic.

The need for good PR is increasing while headcounts in PR departments are decreasing.

Moreover, having data-driven insight into your PR strategies can help you see where and how you’re moving forward.

Influencer Marketing Is Still Going Strong

Influencer marketing has been a middle force in PR trends of the past several years, and 2023 will be no different. Influencers continue to top in every corner of the web, from influencers on Snapchat to influencers on Instagram with millions of followers.

PR campaigns will continue to lean on influencer promotions for brand growth.

An influencer can be just about anyone whose views are trusted. For example, a local radio DJ, podcaster, or online blogger or vlogger could be an influencer but they have enough followers to influence the opinions of those who are listening.

Finding and working with the right influencer can be complicated. Influencer marketing strategies can help brands to identify and collaborate.

In 2023, the PR aspect of working with influencers will be on maintaining good relationships with existing influencers and connecting with new influencers. Interacting with influencers requires a unique approach.

To fully leverage the power of influencer marketing, PR teams need a good understanding of the influencer’s audience, niche, and content.

One way to avoid bad influencer experiences is to add dedicated influencer resources to your PR team. Someone who is well-versed in influencer marketing or have good relations with influencers can lead to the best results.

Consider the Personalized PR Pitch

The concept of personalized marketing has spilled over into the PR world as it continues to build customer loyalty and increase sales because it meets the customer during their journey. The same happens for personalized PR.

Customized PR pitches to individual journalists or influencers helps you create messages that speak directly to their interests. It presents an eye-catching idea that’s difficult to miss. This helps to create instant trust when pitching new sources, and deepens the trust you have with existing media outlets and professionals.

As a result, you have a much better chance of being published by the outlets or resources you target.

Authenticity is Paramount in Post-Pandemic PR

Authenticity, reliability and credibility continues to shape the expectations of consumers and PR agencies alike. Though, these are much higher on the radar in a post-pandemic world than it has been.

We’re seeing two key areas driving up the need for authenticity:

First is the growing use of technologies such as AI to create personalized customized experiences. While technology allows us to learn more about a target audience than ever before, it also lacks the human touch. As more marketers and PR pros are using technology to develop digital experiences, it’s important to maintain the human touch.

Second, the pandemic itself has led to a shift in messaging, branding and content marketing. False news and wrong information leave consumers wary of whom to trust.

People are more concerned over how they use their time, with which brands they engage with, and how they’re spending money.

Consumers continue to be less forgiving and more demanding. Brands need to be prepared to address this “new normal” at every aspect.