For example, a local radio DJ, podcaster, or online blogger or vlogger could be an influencer. These individuals may not have the name recognition or audience size of a celebrity. But they have enough credibility and followers to sway the opinions of those who are listening. Influencer marketing has been a central force in PR trends of the past several years, and 2025 will be no different.
Data and Analytics Take Center Stage for PR Strategies
In the not-so-distant past, businesses didn’t know how to effectively measure the impact of their PR strategies. Their online reputation was a bit of a mystery shrouded in guesswork and hunches. Brands would issue announcements, publish some press releases, and hope for the best.
Continued Industry Consolidation
Influencers continue to crop up in every corner of the web, from micro-influencers on TikTok to influencers with millions of followers on Instagram. What’s more, they’re creating entry points into niches that might not yet be on your radar. When companies are truly invested in creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace, they can easily share the things they’re doing to uphold their DEI initiatives. Vague and generic statements are traded for action-packed evidence that shows instead of tells. What mattered to consumers three years ago might look incredibly different today.
- The need for good PR is increasing while head-counts in PR departments are decreasing.
- As more consumers and employees raise their expectations of brands to embrace DEI at work, PR teams can expect it to be a recurring theme in their PR campaigns.
- The line between PR and marketing will continue to blur in the coming years, even more than it already has.
- Many companies see a DEI workplace as being a competitive advantage, especially during the ongoing Great Resignation.
Continuing in that vein, PR firms should be thinking more and more along the lines of purpose-driven communication. Companies today are judged not only by their products and services but also by their values and responses to societal and environmental issues. In marketing, personalization serves to build customer loyalty and increase sales because it meets the customer wherever they are in their journey.
Step Guide: How to Create & Implement a PR Campaign
Just like in marketing, the public relations industry experiences trends and changes. We’re seeing more noticeable trends emerge each year as the gap between PR and marketing narrows. Second, the pandemic led to a shift in content marketing, messaging, and branding.
Companies that promote diversity and inclusion as part of their public relations tactics are not only appealing to customers, but also prospective employees. Paying attention to PR trends can help brands know the who, how, and when in addressing problems and opportunities. Plus, you gain a better sense of how to promote or respond in a way your audience will appreciate.
- Paying attention to PR trends can help brands know the who, how, and when in addressing problems and opportunities.
- In marketing, personalization serves to build customer loyalty and increase sales because it meets the customer wherever they are in their journey.
- To fully leverage influencer marketing, PR teams need a good understanding of the influencer’s audience, niche, and content.
- And since it works so well, PR campaigns will continue to lean on influencer promotions for brand growth.
PR teams need, at a minimum, basic KPIs like brand awareness and favorability, social media engagement, and quality web traffic. And by employing the right PR strategies at the right time, you can maximize good PR while making bad PR matter a lot less. First is the growing use of AI technologies to create personalized digital experiences. While technology allows us to learn more about a target audience than ever before, many agree it lacks the special connection that only humans can create.
Purpose Driven Strategies
To navigate an increasingly complex landscape of global conflicts and crises, PR professionals must craft purpose-driven strategies rooted in empathy and integrity. In the same vein as DEI and personalization, authenticity continues to shape the expectations of consumers and PR agencies alike. Micro-influencers have led companies to pull back on celebrity endorsements and mass media channels in favor of tapping into smaller niches. And since it works so well, PR campaigns will continue to lean on influencer promotions for brand growth. Many companies see a DEI workplace as being a competitive advantage, especially during the ongoing Great Resignation.
As more marketers and PR pros are using technology to develop custom experiences, it’s essential to maintain the human element that makes personalization authentic. As more consumers and employees raise their expectations of brands to embrace DEI at work, PR teams can expect it to be a recurring theme in their PR campaigns. Seemingly overnight, consumers increased their expectations of the companies they do business with. They expect brands to walk the talk, be transparent about ethics and values, and go beyond “marketing speak.” Authenticity is the intersection of these things. It’s no longer enough to spew generic phrases like “We’re in this together,” but rather back up your statements with actions. Tailoring PR pitches to individual journalists or influencers helps you create messages that speak directly to their interests.
To fully leverage influencer marketing, PR teams need a good understanding of the influencer’s audience, niche, and content. These aspects go several layers deep and are full of nuances that can vary from one influencer to the next. Without learning about these nuances, you could end up doing more harm than good to your online reputation. In 2025, tracking the impact of your public relations efforts with a data-driven PR strategy will be key.
It steers away from one-size-fits-none pitches and instead presents an eye-catching idea that’s hard to miss. This helps to create instant trust and credibility when prtrend pitching new sources, and deepens the trust you already have with media outlets and professionals. Our social influencer marketing solution help brands identify, collaborate and pay influencers. If they are currently struggling to build an audience, consider making it part of your PR strategy for 2025 to promote them and get their name out there in a positive light. You could engage influencers or podcasts for interviews or get a quote in a respected publication to help establish their name and encourage their socials to grow.
Check out this blog if you want to learn more about the differences between PR and marketing.
As we say goodbye to 2024 and welcome 2025, these top PR trends can help to guide your strategy. Reach out today to discover more about Meltwater’s media monitoring solution and PR tools to learn how we can set you up for success in the new year and beyond. One way to avoid potentially damaging influencer experiences is to add dedicated influencer resources to your PR team. Someone who is well-versed in influencer campaigns and relationships can do your heavy lifting for the best results.