Business Wire hosted a webinar where experts discussed the top trends impacting public relations in 2021.
The panel featured Sandra Fathi, President, Affect PR; Ginger Porter, President, Central Region, Golin; and Stuart Bruce, PR Futurist and CEO, Stuart Bruce Associates. Here are the highlights from the discussion.
5 public relations trends PR needs to know:
- As more and more shareholders and consumers demand authenticity, companies must be ready to deliver authentic answers to hard questions. Communication pros should update crisis strategies and reactions to move past the apology and showcase the true commitment management has toward rectifying negative situations.
- Events must be reimagined, and it is time to bring creativity to the table. The move from in-person events to a virtual or hybrid model has brought about opportunities for communications teams. Online events will draw in audiences that may not have been able to previously attend – forcing marketing teams to think of new ways to attract their attention, online. Online events force PR pros to rethink how they get their show materials out to a wider audience. This means embracing new technologies that can provide the same educational experience for online audiences that you provide onsite.
- We need to create more experiences for at-home audiences. The rapid-fire change of 2020 ushered in new opportunities to create customer experiences across a wide range of devices and technology types. PR pros have multiple channels and mediums to connect with today’s consumers. Test to see which ones resonate with your culture and constituents.
- Use influencers to fill in for missing coverage. The shrinking media relations opportunity funnel has smart communicators looking at ways to inform audiences to help amplify their messages. One of the biggest opportunities comes from employee advocacy and activation. Employees are highly trusted voices for brands. It is time for PR pros to rethink how to present content internally to create brand fans who will take messages out to their audiences.
- PR must take control of stopping fake news. Disinformation is at an all-time high and it is time for PR pros to take an active role in understanding the incorrect information surrounding their company and industry, then move to clarify and correct.
The world has changed, and that brings terrific opportunities for PR and communications teams to tell their stories in new, interesting ways that support both long-term relationship growth and brand visibility alike.
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