The reputation of a brand is significantly influenced by public relations and marketing professionals. You can protect and improve the reputation you’ve worked so hard to make. And by using the right PR tactics at the right time, you can maximize good PR while significantly reducing the impact of bad PR.
According to 73% of professionals, Over the next five years, the PR sector will experience a significant transformation. Because of this, PR professionals are under pressure to keep up with market developments.
In light of this, the following are some PR trends to watch in 2022:
A) Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
In 2022, PR teams may anticipate DEI to become a major component of their communications strategy. This long overdue adjustment was exacerbated by the global epidemic and the great resignation.
Customers and staff alike anticipate seeing more DEI-driven action from their companies. Additionally, Millennials and Gen Z, who currently account for more than 60% of B2B consumers, want to eliminate practices that oppress minorities and want to collaborate with businesses that uphold and operate in accordance with DEI standards.
As a result, firms must include DEI into their communications and support such messaging with actual action in order to stay relevant and expand their businesses.
B) Content Creators
The additional screen time caused by the pandemic not only impacted how much content was consumed but also how PR content is developed.
More screen time has only increased content consumption at an unprecedented rate compared to before the pandemic, thanks to work from home (WFH) arrangements. This has pushed content creators to create more content in a shorter time period.
This has dramatically altered the way we create and produce content.
C) AR & Metaverse
According to Bloomberg, the metaverse represents an $800 billion business opportunity, and in 2022, experts in public relations and marketing will experiment with the metaverse to engage with their consumers in new ways. The gateway to the metaverse, an immersive digital environment where individuals may interact, play, and pass time, is augmented reality (AR).
Leading companies started to adopt this new environment in 2021, including Apple, Adidas, and others. Virtual events, product placement, and gamification are just a few of the unusual opportunities the metaverse presents.
D) Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing has been a driving force behind PR trends for the past few years, and this trend will continue in 2022. From micro-influencers on TikTok to Instagram users with millions of followers, influencers are constantly emerging on the internet. They’re also opening doors into markets that may not yet be on your radar.
Companies are turning away from celebrity endorsements and mainstream media outlets in favor of targeting more specific niches as a result of micro-influencers. PR campaigns will continue to rely on influencer marketing for brand expansion because it is so effective.
E) Video & Podcast
Businesses will benefit from new content formats like podcasts and short videos in 2022 as they work to boost their PR strategy.
Brands need to get creative with new trends in the crowded world of marketing to cut through all of the noise. The trends that will drive the PR industry to a new height in 2022 include the growth of new content formats; podcasts and short videos.
F) TikTok
Social media has had huge growth as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. PR professionals gave them top priority in their communications plans to raise brand awareness and engagement.
With an estimated 1.5 billion monthly active users by the end of 2022, TikTok has had phenomenal growth in 2021. Because of this, in 2022 both PR experts and marketers will shift the focus of their efforts from Facebook and Instagram to TikTok.