3 Facts to Consider About the Future of Public Relations

As the New Year approaches, marketers are on the lookout for new trends in communications, technology updates and the landscape for social media platforms in the near future. 2018 holds a lot of possibilities for marketing, one of which is the future of public relations. In a recent study conducted by the USC Annenberg Center for Public Relations, 800 public relations executives were surveyed on the term “public relations” in regards to their insights on the present and future of the practice. While many marketers are still trying to get their arms around the practice, the future of public relations is looking to be more palatable than ever. Here are 3 statistics to consider when considering the future for public relations!

  1. 87% of PR pros agree that the term “public relations” will not accurately define their roles in five years.

            Although this statistic may insinuate that public relations will be diminishing as a whole, it’s actually just the opposite. Just as we’ve seen social media and marketing go hand-in-hand, the same will be for public relations and marketing. With the trend of digital storytelling on the rise, this allows PR pros to become more integrated into the marketing plans in an effort to accurately convey the message brands are looking to tell.

  1. 58% of PR students believe that the industry is positioned as an aspirational career.

            While this statement may pose as a “so what” to many seasoned marketers, this statistic actually foreshadows a positive future for marketing. The seamless integration of PR, marketing and social media is creating a demand in more well-rounded skill sets therefore requiring the talent coming into these roles to be top notch. What this means to marketers looking to invest in the future generation is the possibility of a greater yield in creativity and overall productivity.

  1. In five years, the average consumer will not be able to distinguish the difference between earned and paid pieces of media.

            Traditionally, earned pieces of media require third-party validation whereas paid pieces of media did not. The statistic stating that consumers may not be able to distinguish between the two does not imply that the trust once found in earned media will be forgotten. Rather so, this means that consumers will grow to trust content coming from brands more and more as marketing and public relations continue to integrate efforts.

We understand that many marketers are still trying to get their arms around what public relations can do for their brands, but rest assured that the future is promising! If you are interested in finding out more about the fundamentals of PR, we’ve but together the ultimate handbook – Public Relations 101: Guiding Principles for Successful Storytelling. Or, if you’d like to discuss what your 2018 marketing plan could look like with the inclusion of PR, we’d love to chat – feel free to email sbockholt@dma-solutions.com.