We are removing our PR hats for a moment to gaze into our magic ball to reveal the biggest PR trends we will see for the remainder of this year.

The past couple of pandemic years have brought about so many changes that have touched virtually every industry – and public relations is no different. Some of these changes came and went and we think some of them are here to stay.

So, here’s what we think will be important in PR for the remainder of 2022 and beyond:

Using Data and Analytics to Measure Impact

Over the past several years we have noticed that more and more businesses want to measure the impact of their public relations strategies. Prior to really knowing how to use data to do this, it was just a guessing game to determine a campaign’s effectiveness. But now we can take advantage of analytics and new technology to track this. This year brand awareness, social media engagement and web traffic will all be used to guide PR strategies and outcomes. This data can be used to course correct and to help plan future strategies based on what worked and what didn’t.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

DEI will continue to be top-of-mind in for the remainder of 2022 and beyond. DEI is important not only in the workplace, but in public relations mission statements, as well. Companies that make inclusion part of their overall company goal are more appealing to customers. This means more than just saying that you have a DEI plan in place, it is important to take it a step further and really embed these practices in all aspects of your organization – including public relations. And this means you can use your public relations strategies to share what you are doing to stay true to your DEI mission statement.

Influencer Marketing

Yes, we are still talking about influencers! This has been an integral part of any public relations strategy for the past several years and that continues to be the case for 2022. With TikTok, Instagram and YouTube remaining popular, public relations campaigns will feature influencer marketing center stage to help secure brand growth. The pool of influencers has grown exponentially, and they don’t necessarily have to be someone “famous.” They can be just about anyone with a presence whose opinions and thoughts are trusted by their followers. Connecting with the right influencer takes a very strategic approach, and that is where Smart Connections PR can help identify and reach out to influencers that would be a good fit for your brand.

Personalization, Personalization, Personalization

We can’t emphasize this point enough. Personalization builds trust, which then leads to lasting relationships. We don’t believe in the “mass” approach to public relations here at Smart Connections PR. We build individual relationships with journalists/ influencers that are the right fit for our clients. Tailoring pitches to each journalist or influencer may take a little extra time, but in the end, builds trust and credibility…and leads to a “win-win” relationship for each of us.

Thought Leadership

Positioning a client as a thought leader in their industry has become more important than ever in a public relations strategy. We make it a priority here at Smart Connections PR. A survey in Entrepreneur Magazine revealed that 55 percent of consumers checked out a company’s position as an industry leader before making a purchasing decision. We believe that part of creating strong brand recognition starts with consumer trust. This creates a solid foundation for any public relations strategy.

Living in a hopefully soon to be post-pandemic world will bring about even more changes, but we believe that for the remainder of 2022, focusing on these key elements of a public relations strategy will result in success in all areas of business. If you are interested in any of these elements, reach out to us at Smart Communications PR and we can set up a consultation to share how we can use these tools to create a SMART strategy for you.