What the PR industry can expect for the next 12 months and beyond

The last 12 months were an interesting ride, to say the least. Lockdowns, working from home, recruitment challenges and businesses slowly going “back to normal” in a post-pandemic world has seen our industry try to navigate a series of hurdles; each one more challenging than the last.

Yet, there is light at the end of the tunnel, and as we look to the new financial year ahead here are my predictions on some of the key factors that will shape our industry moving forward:

Data driven PR: Gone are the days when publicists would measure column inches to convey to a client how much a piece of media coverage is worth! These days, businesses want to see their PR activities generating real business impact, and with a recession looming agencies will have to get better at justifying where every dollar of the client’s money is spent. The way forward is data driven PR, making strategic decisions based on factual evidence rather than gut-feelings, and working closely with SEO specialists and analytics tools to demonstrate how you’re helping to build the client’s brand and expand their digital footprint. PR plays a unique and important role in building a brand’s profile, and by backing your hard work up with data you’re setting yourself up to become an invaluable asset to your client’s communication team.