As the media changes, so too must the practice of public relations. In light of these evolving dynamics, PR practitioners should follow the emerging trends in 2011.
The web has evolved from a network of sites to a network of people. And because it is not possible to put ads on people, the focus should be on creating content that people will want to consume and share. The same holds true for PR, and next year, more PR strategies will put social sharing at the forefront.
News releases will have more attention-grabbing or controversial headlines to drive more retweets and Facebook “Likes”. More pitches will seek to spark controversy, both of which will have a better chance of being shared than straight news. There will be more aggressive outreach to influencers on the social networks to ask them to distribute the news, and more strategies to provide incentives to tweet or post to Facebook. PR professionals will be under more pressure to measure program success using social sharing metrics.
As media companies overhaul their revenue models, many have moved beyond straightforward banner-style advertising to offer new types of content-driven ad experiences, sponsored content and creative syndication partnerships. This means that the need for content has never been greater. There will be even more opportunities in the coming year for company executives to contribute their own thought leadership pieces and educational articles to prominent publications.
Corporate blogging in 2011 will become more popular. While just a few years ago, many companies shied away from blogging because it was so difficult to promote the content and actually get people to read it, it’s now easier than ever to promote blog content to a targeted audience through social media. The shake-up in the media industry has produced a large number of talented freelance writers to support these efforts.
With breaking news now posting almost instantaneously online, straight news coverage has become a commodity. Many publications, as well as journalists, are now grappling with how to differentiate their coverage in this environment. Publications will shift their editorial approach to find the right niche next year, and readers’ engagement accordingly.
Increasing value will be placed on exclusives as a way for journalists to offer a differentiated and unique news product. As more publications require exclusive content, reporters will be able to invest more time in doing a “deep dive†for stories, and there will be an increase in longer, more insightful pieces.
Video is also becoming a critical part of many news sites and an important asset for PR to provide to busy reporters, particularly as publications focus on creating visually rich content for devices such as the iPad.
Relevant stats have always been critical for validating trend stories, and with online survey tools making data gathering easier than ever, many PR pitches are now already accompanied by original research. In 2011, with news outlets hungry for visuals but short on resources, the presentation of this data will become more sophisticated, with PR teams working to develop infographics and other visuals to make their data pop.
