After a challenging 2020, an unpredictable 2021, and a looming recession in 2022, the PR industry has had to adapt and evolve according to the ever-changing media landscape and new PR trends.
With this in mind, and buying behaviours ultimately shifting too, we delve into the PR opportunities and trends for 2023 to ensure our fellow industry experts are clued up on what’s to come in the New Year:
Thought leadership
One tactic PRs should start to implement in 2023 (or focus on more) is thought leadership. With more complex and sector specific topics, journalists will find value in long-form content being contributed to them by other experts. This is a massive time saver for journalists, who might not otherwise have the capacity or knowledge to speak on a certain topic.
There are also plenty of reports showing journalism in the UK is declining¹. So with fewer journalists at desks, publications will look to other sources to get their news stories and content.
It’s guaranteed that every business has an expert who can provide valuable commentary on topics relevant to their industry. Engaging in thought leadership PR is a great way to amplify a business’s stance on a subject that others will find difficult to replicate. If an expert can intersect the news agenda at the right time, it’s a massive opportunity to become the thought leader on a topic, influence opinion, inspire change, lead a debate, and ultimately, generate brand awareness and build authority.
Artificial intelligence and technology
Something that’s being talked about more and more in the PR space is Artificial Intelligence (AI), with the idea being that harnessing technology like this is a great way to receive rich data that can underpin PR activity.
With digital transformation expected to continue its acceleration in 2023, PRs should consider how they can jump on the AI bandwagon. According to Public Relations Today, some ways AI is helping to support PR now and in the future include:
- Speech-to-text technology AI-assisted contact recommendations
Predictive analytics
Video authenticity monitoring
Natural language generation
Sentiment analysis
Attribution for earned media
Niche marketing
Over the last year, we’ve heard more people talking about the ‘quality over quantity’ mindset. This is something that, at Wild PR, we believe to be really important when it comes to pitching to the media and building campaigns that provide real value to a brand’s audience.
Having a media list with hundreds of contacts on there is no good if the journalists included are irrelevant to your client’s campaign. In 2023, PRs should focus on distributing stories tailored to the client’s product/service offering and audience and specific journalists and publications within the brand’s industry.
Building relationships
Whether a client or a journalist, building strong relationships will be vital to success in 2023. With the world finally seeming somewhat normal after the pandemic, face-to-face meetings have slowly been making a comeback in 2022. However, in the New Year, PRs should make this a priority. Whether you’re presenting a monthly report or running a campaign idea past your client, picking up the phone or nipping over to their office for a chat will make all the difference in building a strong, and trusting relationship.
To build relationships with journalists, it’s not expected anymore to meet up with them in person, or pick up the phone; they’re busy people, after all. But what journalists will appreciate in the New Year is that you’re taking time to understand what they’re interested in covering and that you don’t just care about breaking your client’s latest story.
If you can provide value and prove that you’re a PR worth listening to, journalists might even start coming to you for stories, not the other way around. Here are a few ways you can start building those relationships in 2023:
Learn what journalists really care about
Make helpful introductions to people in your network
Share their articles and praise them in public, on your client’s socials and yours
Quantifying data
It can often be challenging to quantify the ROI of PR efforts, but implementing strong KPIs that allows you to measure metrics that matter to your client’s business goals is a good starting point. Metrics you should pay attention to in 2023 include:
Brand mentions and links
Sentiment
Engagement
Reach
Share of voice
Website traffic and referrals
- If you’re able to measure metrics like this effectively, you will be able to adjust your campaign based on what works and what doesn’t, and you will be able to prove the value of PR to your clients.
2023 is within reaching distance – are you or your brand ready for these New Year PR trends?
For support with your PR strategy, get in touch to discuss your goals and requirements. To keep up to date with the latest industry trends and developments, you can follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn!
Sources
- https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/3707/documents/36111/default/