In an Era of Digital Media, What Is the Future of Public Relations?

Social media continues to play a vital role in public relations, and the presence of these networks in PR agencies is expected to grow. As a result, these agencies must adapt or find themselves falling behind. What do industry insiders believe is the future of public relations? What part do they see social media playing in the future? 

Social Media and Traditional Public Relations

Social media already impacts public relations. Individuals use these networks to present a different side of their lives while showing their personalities. The fast response time and wide audience engagement far exceed anything seen with conventional PR techniques. Agencies must monitor content in real time and present new material regularly to stay relevant. This content needs to build upon what is trending on social networks, which is why one of the many services from Merritt Group focuses on content marketing today.

Data Driven

Social networks and data analytics go hand in hand. These platforms come with analytical tools, such as Facebook Analytics, but many agencies also choose to use third-party tools to monitor progress. PR agencies need to use data analytics when analyzing campaigns, as these analytics can help improve current campaigns while informing future ones. However, PR professionals must know how to use these analytics effectively. 

Content Creation

Content marketing and public relations need to work together. Content creation focuses on producing material that meets the customer in different areas of the marketing funnel or sales cycle. The PR firm must educate the public while boosting brand awareness, much like marketing companies do today. Customers want to hear a story, and the agency must determine which story it is that the target audience will be most interested in. For some audiences, the story must revolve around what distinguishes a company from its competitors. Another audience, however, may want to learn more about the brand’s struggles. The agency must determine which story will resonate with the target audience and provide exactly that. 

Influencers

Social media influencers often have hundreds of thousands of followers. The global pandemic actually benefited these individuals, as many saw a significant rise in influencer engagement when people were stuck in their own homes. When the pandemic began, influencers witness a 67 percent increase in likes along with a 51 percent increase in comments. This boost corresponded with the rise in social media usage overall during this period. While engagement rates jumped, pricing for the influencers’ posts didn’t. Pricing only increased by 3.1 percent. As a result, brands find they reach significantly larger crowds without paying a fortune to do so. 

Short-Term Content

Snapchat shows how people today love temporary content. Brands benefit from this limited engagement with consumers, as well. For example, WWF used temporary content to show how animals can become endangered. Much as the content goes extinct after a short period, and the animals can too. Consumers love how they see exclusive content from their preferred brands, and they find location-based content to be relevant. 

Public relations agencies must embrace social media if they wish to remain competitive. Many PR firms feel they are lacking in this area, which needs to change. For those agencies that already use social media regularly as part of their overall strategy, now is not the time to become lax. The agencies must continue moving forward, as these networks introduce new offerings regularly. Any agency that keeps up will have a leg up on competitors, and their clients will too. Everyone wins when this is the case.