PR in 2024: Automation vs authenticity, LinkedIn celebs & the press office renaissance
What lies ahead for the public relations industry in 2024? PR Shed's founder, Celia Harding, shares her predictions.
AI is infiltrating every corner, from crafting catchy jingles to predicting consumer whims. In this hyper-connected landscape, PR pros face a double-edged sword: content creation on steroids but an audience craving genuine narratives. So, what lies ahead for public relations in 2024?
Here are my predictions.
First up, AI…as we all know, AI was the buzzword for 2023 and will continue to be massive in 2024, but the impact at which new technology is rolled out and adopted this year has significant implications for the PR industry.
Real or robot?
Anyone can spot an AI-generated LinkedIn post or email a mile off for now; journalists and content creators will feel the same about naff pitches sent and drafted by a robot.
Ultimately, consumers of content, whoever the audience is, will be looking for the human touch to ensure it’s engaging, entertaining and relevant. By all means, use it to do some of the initial heavy lifting, but authenticity, as always, is critical.
If you don’t heed this warning, expect engagement rates to drop and the potential for backlash, which could leave you questioning whether the initial shortcut was worth it.
Dealing with disinformation
As 2024 unfolds, it’s not just another election year; it’s the biggest one in history. Disinformation will be an issue in politics and various other sectors as people have the means to create and share false information courtesy of AI.
As purveyors of truth, PRs and crisis teams must consider any possible threats and be armed to counter them accordingly.
Even those using AI for legitimate means should question the accuracy of answers platforms like ChatGPT are serving; verifying data sources before sharing regurgitated content is wise to prevent unwanted clangers. Perplexity is one platform already tackling this with references supplied.
Declarations and disclaimers
Declarations of ‘authored by AI’ will become more commonplace. To avoid any doubt, these are my thoughts and opinions.
A code of conduct for ethical use will also be established and formalised.
Futureproofing agency culture
AI is a game changer for menial tasks, idea generation, photo and video creation, and beyond, and it will only continue to be more and more valuable. Agencies embracing AI will reap the benefits, and those who don’t will be left behind.
While fear of AI taking jobs of PR pros in the future could be a barrier, communications professionals aren’t a one trick pony; their skills will only diversify further from the usual raft of responsibilities, which often include writer, strategist, event manager, video producer, social media manager, partnerships negotiator and more.
The additions of prompt writer and custom GPT builder will hopefully herald the end of an era of overservicing of clients, burning out employees and talent leaving the industry.
Hurrah.
Earned AI exposure
Savvy clients will be briefing agencies to make a splash to ensure their brand features in curated content served up by large language models as we make tiny footsteps away from the saturated Google-sponsored page one, where information is manually digested and filtered by the reader.
Alliances with SEO agencies or upskilling in-house resources will be key, with digital PR providing the backbone for its efficiency.
A pumping press office
With budgets tightening in the face of economic uncertainty, brands both big and small, will rely on press office activity to raise the profiles of brands, the people behind them (LinkedIn celeb culture is already upon us) and their allegiance of fans through proactive and reactive means. Leveraging culturally relevant hooks and news stories, through traditional media relations, stunts, and well-timed content will drive results.
So, for 2024, forget AI-generated press releases or bot-powered pitches; the future lies in the age-old art of storytelling, cultural relevance, and building genuine connections.
This year, it’s all about leveraging AI as a sidekick, not a superhero and weaving compelling narratives that cut through the digital noise to win the hearts of algorithms and audiences alike, all the while ensuring the people and the brands you represent are on the right side of history.
To help brands with campaign planning, PR Shed has created an interactive calendar packed with significant days, monthly observances and major events across Australia and beyond. With over two thousand events listed, it features weird and wonderful awareness days, local and international public holidays, celestial events, key financial reporting dates, major sports fixtures and red-carpet events. It’s free and accessible to anyone.
Celia Harding is founder of PR Shed.
So true and a great article. A lot of what we are briefing in this year has directive around how can we use AI or other tech to answer the brief.
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