6 PR Trends to Look out for in 2022

Every brand depends on a solid PR strategy to grow recognition, and expand brand reach and exposure. With good PR you can influence buying behaviors and consumer sentiment, cut through the noise, and position your brand in the right light and direction.

Before we dissect the most critical PR trends from my point of view, let’s remember the golden rule

: Media is harder and harder to win over. There are many more boxes to check, more than just your name on a byline.

Therefore, to get the necessary attention, you need to prove your expertise and take control over how you appear to your audience and the media. You drive the conversation; you are not just a passive participant.

Both users and algorithms operate in “harder to get” mode thus, constantly raising the bar.

With this said, as a PR professional, you will need to roll your sleeves up to constantly evolve and find ways to resonate more with users. You need to ensure that you and/or your PR team are always on the look for trend changes, and regularly optimize your website and content for both search and social media.

Every tactic you use should tie back to an objective. Think long-term, think of your goals and values.

This has been said over and over but I can't just highlight it enough - Marketing and PR need to be in alignment when it comes to generating publicity. Both sides need to understand the goals and the purpose they serve in your business. Only then can you decide how to use these opportunities.

· Quality content is king: We are in mid-2022, it is now the time to come out of the traditional shells and take on some new responsibilities alongside maintaining media relationships and shooting out classic PR content, partnering with professionals in content creation.

· Influencer PR: Social media is now more than ever a potent marketing weapon. Micro-influencers are powerful, especially in niche markets with smaller followings. Their main objective is engagement, and hence they fit perfectly well when it comes to your brand awareness as they are authentic and relatable to the masses. Quality beats quantity when it comes to Return on investment (ROI) on social media.

· Target Audience’s Values: Custom your messages according to your target audience’s values – you need insights into their needs and expectations. Do your homework, and integrate PR with social media, brand consultation, and digital marketing when creating your impactful social strategy.

Diversity and Inclusivity reign supreme for PR: Base your future PR campaigns on various races, genders, disabilities, cultures, and ages. Diversity and inclusivity stand premium here.

As per Sprout Social: "70% of custom consumers expect much more than a mere “no comment" regarding critical social topics; companies embracing diversity have a 19% increase in revenue and a 35% performance advantage.

· Personalization: Make it personal: Humans are unique but they share one intrinsic trait: they love to feel special and distinguished.

Personalization is the key to crafting a bullet-proof PR strategy. Everything should have a personal touch: press release glitches, hosting events, etc.

Find that critical component when crafting content, campaigns, and communication.

· Authenticity: Even when you adopt the latest technology to develop custom experiences, maintain the human element that makes personalization authentic. It is no longer enough to spew generic phrases like “We are in this together” but rather back up your statements with actions.

Developing a solid PR strategy and quality PR campaigns requires a great deal of focused intent. Creating campaigns for Gen Z consumers is all about targeting diversity and ethics.

Studies have shown that 58 percent of Gen Z are much more likely to engage with PR campaigns that speak directly to their personalities and the causes or values that they are passionate about (again refer to point 3 – tailor your messages to your target audience’s values). So, to stay on the top and succeed in your PR efforts, invest more time and effort in knowing your audience, what makes them tick, their passions, etc. PR is all about adaptation, hence, your strategy needs to be always under process with a button that helps you to quickly adapt to new ever-changing trends, new emerging audiences, and of course the global trajectory as we head out of the covid era.

Stay tuned for our next blog as we take you through a quick recap on “How to Create your PR Strategy?”