Given the increase in digital content, lack of journalist patience, and need for proven data, brands will need to step up their public relations game in order to come out ahead in 2016. We expect that the following 5 trends will be most important when planning for PR outreach and support throughout the year.
- Traditional press releases won’t be enough – writing a traditional press release and placing it on the wire or blasting it to media contacts won’t resonate well in 2016, given the breadth of content being passed between emails. To stand out going forward, social media will take a prominent role in connecting brand stories with journalists. PR professionals will also have to be very intentional when pitching in order to stand out from the crowd – being on-trend, newsworthy, personable, and understanding of the editor’s time will make a huge difference.
- Influencers are gaining value and their influence is being measured differently – Traditional media continues to spotlight influencers as experts in their respective fields. These content creators are continuing to earn the trust of the public because of their transparency and commitment to their respective industries, which means we can’t ignore them and the role that they play in driving awareness. Also, having the most followers or highest monthly traffic won’t be the primary measurement for influence anymore, given that many influencers have a small, but VERY loyal fan base. Brands are recognizing the value of communicating most effectively with a small “tribe” rather than a large “convention” of people because it takes less time to convert an influencer’s enthusiasts into buyers.
- PR metrics won’t rely only on impressions anymore – The ability to effectively rely on impressions to increase PR budgets is slim, which is why many PR professionals are relying on measurement tools that provide referral data from online sources. Tools like HubSpot, Simply Measured, and Cision continue to gain traction from PR professionals looking to clearly identify value in a story, influencer partnership, or press release. Big data, here we come!
- Online risk management will become more highly valued – As social media platforms and digital content continue to grow for brands, we expect that risk management will play more of a role than ever in creating consistent procedure for addressing negative comments and concerns.
- Thought leadership will become a prominent PR tool – Brands are recognizing the importance of being thought leaders in their category more than ever. As journalists and editors continue to shy away from branded content, thought leadership continues to push forward in the form of testimonies, field expertise, opinion, and much more. While it’s not always possible for your products to be mentioned by brand, editors are looking for experts in growing practices, specialty produce, water conservation, and much more.
In order to increase the demand for fresh produce, it’s going to be more and more important to stay current with pitching techniques, crisis communications, and partnership opportunities. The more the industry is able to stay relevant and open to new techniques, the more opportunity we have to earn media attention.
Have a thought or question about PR trends in 2016? Tweet us @thecoreblog!
