PR TRENDS FOR 2022
What are the PR trends for 2022? Our PR professionals have put their heads together and come up with six PR strategies and tactics to look out for this year.
Crunching the numbers: data becomes increasingly important
For marketing professionals, it has always been all about data and numbers, but public relations has always been about storytelling, which is harder to measure. Digital PR and modern tracking tools give us an enormous amount of data and make it easier to measure PR activities and assess what content in particular is driving success.
In 2022 PR professionals will start relying heavily on data, if they haven’t already done so. We live in a world where almost everything is online and trackable – and PR is expected to be measurable too. By gathering data on important KPIs, such as SEO, social media, earned media, traffic and conversions, PR professionals can justify their plans and budgets and learn to improve their strategies.
Effective pitches are personalised
In a recent study, 96 per cent of PR professionals said that exclusive individual pitching emails have resulted in better conversions of media stories compared to mass emailing. The future of pitching is all about marketing with personalised messages. Journalists receive tons of press releases and pitches daily. Nurturing personal relationships is more important than ever: the email sent by a trusted lead is much more likely to be opened than the email from a stranger.
The impact of influencers
Almost half of the UK population actively uses social media platforms and social media influencers have become an important part of PR. So far, influencers have been mostly part of B2C strategies, but 2022 will see the impact of B2B influencers grow as well.
Diversity, equity and inclusion are more important than ever
Consumers, especially Gen Z and Millennials who make up more than 40 per cent of the population, increasingly expect brands and businesses to take a stand on social and political issues. PR professionals are expected to establish core values in their strategies and messaging and companies are expected to have diversity and inclusion policies.
Focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion is not only necessary, it also increases profitability and performance. Recent McKinsey research found that businesses that embraced diversity experienced a 19 per cent increase in revenue and a 35 per cent increase in performance.
A new type of press release
The press release has been following a standard template for ages. It has the intro, quote, body and fact sheet parts. But as the world becomes more and more digital and we become familiar with the metaverse, the traditional press release might not be the best way to get everyone’s attention. Press releases including a video have been proving their success lately, in addition to popular infographics and other content that can be shared and consumed quickly online.
The importance of sustainability
As well as diversity, equity and inclusion, sustainability should be a core part of your business if you want to meet consumer demand and be a part of the change and innovation. We believe that the future is in the low carbon, regenerative economy and that’s why we launched Wilful, a new kind of communications agency designed to support the ideas and innovations solving the world’s biggest problems.
If you’re planning to start your year with big plans, it’s not too late to get in touch with our team of media experts. Email info@cherishpr.com for support with your PR and social media campaigns, and follow us on LinkedIn for regular tips.