What the PR industry can expect for the next 12 months and beyond
Sharon Zeev Poole outlines the major predictions for the PR industry, including data driven PR, addressing recruitment challenges, and investing in creativity.
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.
Addressing the skills shortage: It’s no secret that agencies across the board have been experiencing recruitment challenges since the start of the pandemic. The landscape changed in many ways and demand for communications professionals has increased significantly, yet at the same time closing off our international borders meant that no new talent could arrive from overseas, leading to a drought of fresh talent. Last week, the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) announced that it wants the Australian government to open up pathways to permanent residency for migrants working the in the PR industry. Moving forward, with borders opening up recruitment challenges should start to ease a little with the arrival of international talent. Two years of working from home has also led to a skills shortage amongst junior PR professionals, and the industry needs to do more across the board to mentor and nurture upcoming talent. Networking events, and in-person work experience and mentoring programs will incentivise emerging PR professionals to come into the office and be mentored first-hand by senior team members.
Investing in ‘big ideas’: During COVID, many brands had their PR activities severely restricted. In-person events were moved online, and big, bold, creative activations were put on hold for the time being until a future date when they could be executed to their fullest extent. Now that we’re in a post-pandemic world and things have, for the most part, gone back to normal, brands will want to try all the big ideas they’ve put on hold for the last two years. It’s a time for creativity in PR to flourish, and for agencies to dive into innovative tactics and bold strategies with all guns blazing and do some amazing work to be proud of.
Although the last couple of years have been tough, as an industry we’ve navigated the ups and downs well. Looking towards the future, we have an exciting twelve months ahead of us filled with growth, opportunity, and new potential. The pandemic proved that communication is more essential than ever, and it’s our task moving forward to continue to create value for our clients and stakeholders by embracing digital transformation and driving real business impact.
Sharon Zeev Poole – agency director of Agent99
What does this even mean? Are you suggesting valuing media coverage on SEO results??? I don’t think return on investment has ever been established based on a “gut feeling”
“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”.
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Thanks for your comment Lucy. I’m sorry if this confused you in any way, but we are saying the exact same thing.
You would be surprised however how many agencies globally are still reporting success just based on vanity metrics, and ‘gut feel’ on whether the campaign created true business impact or not. I am saying that that’s simply not going to cut it at all anymore.
Hope that clarifies it.
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