Allison MacDonald, senior account director and strategist at Flow Communications, says clinging to press releases like a life raft is a bad idea. Because that particular life raft is full of holes and is barely staying afloat in stormy seas. People want engagement and personality. So, silence the voice of the man in a grey suit, and start delivering content that echoes the people you want to reach.
Public relations is moving at a speed that makes the Gautrain look sluggish. The old-school ways are dying faster than my New Year’s resolutions, and emerging trends are whizzing past at warp speed, fuelled by tech, trust issues, and TikTok. At Flow Communications, we see these shifts firsthand and we know that staying ahead of them is sorting the PR greats from the PR also-rans.
If your idea of PR is just to ‘get in the news,’ congratulations, you’ve time-travelled back to 2005. Relying solely on editorial placement is like bringing a ballpoint pen to a keyboard fight. It’s still useful, but it’s not enough. PR today means making the most of owned platforms (yes, social and homepage, we’re looking at you), SEO and strategies that deliver engagement.
Please stop worrying about AI. It’s not coming for your job. But if you’re ignoring it, you (and your clients) are missing out big time. Clever PR peeps use AI for split-second access to insights, competitor analysis, and market research. These things make writing strategy and content less of a shot in the dark and more of a bull’s eye.
While it’s impossible to say how things may change day to day, the four big trends shaping professional communications right now are:
The Trust Deficit
People believe their friends, influencers and that oke on LinkedIn who sounds confident (even when he’s totally making it up). Institutions, brands, and businesses, on the other hand, are in trust freefall. Sussed PR teams are making the most of influencers, user-generated content, and word-of-mouth referrals.
The Multi-Headed Monster Of AI
For all its benefits and the ways in which it serves us, AI is also spreading misinformation left, right, and centre. It’s a pothole-strewn, triffid-lined AI path that many brands tread. Don’t believe me? Go Google how Mark Read, CEO at WPP (the world’s biggest ad firm), fell foul of a deepfake scam last year. Only one thing to do, friends: make sure your teams and clients are able to spot an AI scam at 100 paces. Good, old-fashioned crisis communication skills have never been more relevant than now.
The Tech Takeover
Video, audio, and short, snappy messages rule the engagement game. To stay relevant, PR pros need to work closer than ever with digital and social teams. We also need to cozy up to clever, brand-sussed designers.
Social Shuffles
Twitter (X, these days) is not doing great. LinkedIn is growing. TikTok and Instagram are thriving. Facebook continues to shoot the lights out. Keep up or get left behind.
Clients benefit from campaigns that are personable, empathetic, and real. These are brands that build connections; put employee advocacy on steroids; are bringing back in-person events (because we’re all heartily sick of virtual meetings and events); and know that ethics and social responsibility are no longer optional.
And finally, despite all the talk about tech, platforms, messaging, strategy and intelligence (artificial or otherwise), PR is still, and always will be, about people: squishy, organic, emotional beings like you and me. It’s all about the feels. Always has been. Always will be.
FLOW COMMUNICATIONS
https://www.flowsa.com/
