Viva PR: Our predictions for PR trends in 2024

As we come to the end of another busy year, we’re looking ahead to what’s on the horizon in the world of PR in 2024.??

While none of us have a crystal ball, we do have more than 20 years of agency experience in our industry, so are well-placed to predict where we think the areas of focus will be next year.??

Let us know your thoughts in the comments, do you agree??

Empathy is incredibly powerful?

We see empathy emerging as the central principle of successful PR strategies in 2024.?

Showing you fully understand your audience is PR 101, but this is next level – you need to show you actually care and are passionate about the same things.?

The focus on empathy has become more important for a few reasons:?

• Rising prices – cost of living crisis anyone??
• The feeling of ongoing stress at societal issues?
• People being fed up of the promotional content delivered to them?

As clients and customers continue to navigate a world overloaded with sales pitches and brand communications, it’s never been more important for engagement to be more empathetic, and in turn, authentic.?

Authenticity can be achieved by sharing real stories, engaging in meaningful conversations, and showcasing the human side of your business.??

Your communication must strive to strike an emotional chord and resonate deeply with your audience in order to foster genuine connections.???

To learn more about how to tell your story with impact, download our free eBook here.

Fail to prepare, prepare to fail?

>> Download our free eBook about Crisis Communications here <<?

Let’s talk about contingency planning – one of our specialisms is PR for the Public Sector and this is a prominent part of our work with clients in this sector.?

Having said that, large-scale problems or crises such as extreme weather, cyber threats and political unrest can impact any organisation, in any sector.??

Crisis communications has often been presumed to be a reactive process, but we think 2024 will continue a movement towards proactive contingency planning within public relations – be ready for anything!?

A crisis arising, and how an organisation deals with it, can ultimately affect safety of staff, company reputation, and financial stability.?

Here’s how to be proactive now:?

• Consider different crisis scenarios that could happen to your company?
• Determine the steps required to minimise damage caused?
• Assign who’s responsible for handling different elements of the response?
• Determine how you will communicate during a crisis, both inside and outside of your organisation?

To learn more about how to develop a Crisis Communications strategy, download our free eBook here.?

AI will support, not replace us?

There’s been a lot of talk about whether AI will ultimately replace PR professionals, but we think it’s precisely that… talk.??

2024 will see more use of AI in our industry, because it’s an incredibly powerful tool – when used properly and appropriately – designed to support us in our roles as PRs, not completely replace us.???

Here’s four main reasons why AI won’t replace us:?

• AI can’t think creatively or develop unique ideas for PR campaigns – we can??
• AI struggles with putting things into context and understanding emotions – we don’t?
• As you’ll have seen when Booths supermarkets opted to remove self-checkout machines from all but two of its stores, customers appreciate the human touch in interactions with businesses – AI definitely can’t provide this?
• AI can assist in collating data analysis, but lacks the expertise and intuition to interpret what it all means – we don’t??

We see the role of AI in PR content creation as being one that enhances efficiency and productivity across the industry.?

These tools can really help streamline tasks, giving PR professionals the time and space to refine their ideas and narratives – let’s face it, AI can’t replicate the human ingenuity needed for that, yet.????

It’s important to stay up to date on the legal implications for using AI, and being mindful of the content you share with platforms that are open source, ie AI software that makes whatever content you input accessible to anyone.??

LinkedIn to rule on social media?

Thanks to its engagement capacity and evolving abilities, LinkedIn will dominate 2024’s social media landscape for PRs in the B2B world, further establishing its position as the ultimate platform for professional networking.?

LinkedIn constantly introduces new features and functions to support business needs for connection and engagement. What was once a place for humble brags and finding new recruits has shifted towards more intimate, relatable storytelling.??

With the right PR content, it’s the perfect place to position your company – and yourself – in 2024.?

To learn more about how to use Linkedin as a marketing tool for your business, download our free eBook here.

Think small (when it comes to influencers and partners)??

>> Download our free eBook about Working with Influencers in PR here <<?

It can be tempting to shoot straight for the stars and identify mega influencers (those with more than 1 million followers) to work with and promote your company.?

But we’d argue that as 2024 comes around and you start planning a year of PR activity, it’s potentially a drain on resources, unless you have millions to spend, of course.??

Focus instead on creating content that truly resonates with your audience – building trust and working with more niche influencers such as mid-tier, micro and nano influencers.??

This will in turn help you to make more meaningful connections and build an active community.??

It’s not just us suggesting this – according to a Forbes report into influencer engagement rates, the more followers an influencer has, the less engagement levels tend to be:??

• 1,000-5,000 followers: 3.93%-4.85% engagement?
• 5,000-10,000 followers: 2.1%-2.61% engagement?
• 10,000-50,000 followers: 1.69%-2.11% engagement?
• 50,000-250,000 followers: 1.93%-1.72% engagement?
• 250,000-1 million followers: 1.38%-1.67% engagement?
• More than 1 million followers: 1.48% engagement?

Make sure you do the maths in 2024 – activity should equal impact.?

To learn more about how to work with influencers in PR, download our free eBook here.??

If you want to make an impact with your PR and Comms in 2024, get in touch with the experts at Viva:?

Call: 01706 438697 | Email: [email protected]?

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