2020 Media Trends: What PR Pros Can Expect in the New Year
-Taylor Tiner, PR Account Executive
New year, new intentions. Sounds cliché, but we all tend to reflect on the previous year, hoping to identify ways we can better ourselves, including our professional performance. For any industry expert, it’s critical to stay at the forefront of industry trends, but today, we’re going to discuss how to leverage 2020 media trends within the buzzing world of public relations.
In order to stay on top of current media trends as well the latest news, our PR team consistently hits refresh on their news and social feeds – so much it’s now become a habit. Whether it’s a shift in a client’s respective industry or a breaking news story, our team is always seeking out innovative story angles and creative ways to leverage current media trends and opportunities for our clients.
So, what are the top PR trends for 2020? Let’s take a look at a few current and future trends in media our team has already seen this year.
Say Goodbye To The Traditional Pitch
In order to optimize earned media opportunities, PR pros must offer more than the traditional email pitch. With the market becoming oversaturated with industry experts, it can be challenging to grab the media’s attention. However, incorporating visual assets such as short videos, experiences, or vibrant photos into your pitches brings ideas to life and will boost your chances of securing a story in comparison to a few paragraphs of text.
Social Media & Storytelling Collide
One current media trend we expect to see increasing and evolving is directly attributable to the impact of social media and storytelling. The news industry continues to grow on multiple fronts. Journalists are continually engaging with people through social media platforms while keeping a close eye on trending topics. Often, reporters and news outlets are securing eyewitness footage and even finding interviews inside fast-paced social media feeds; coordinating stories with their media outlet or even securing exclusive interviews through private messaging. PR pros must be ready to pounce on opportunities and get innovative about how they engage with editors, journalists, and reporters. While it might seem out of the norm, don’t be afraid to reach out over social media, especially if their page is very active. After all, they’re doing the same thing.
PR Pros Become Best Friends With Data
Experts say that 2020 will be the year of digital transformation, meaning data will play an even larger, more significant role in the workforce. Most aspects of life and media are moving to digital as it has become an integral part of everyday life and even a necessity for guiding PR efforts. Data and insights help PR pros prove the overall value of PR and campaigns. More PR pros will use in-depth, precision data to help shape the planning and execution of PR campaigns, as well as how they’re measured and evaluated.
Additionally, PR pros must also be smarter to garner exposure and spur authentic engagement with their target demographic audiences. This year, we expect consumers to become more skeptical and jaded about advertising and marketing messages than ever before, so PR efforts must be smart, well researched, and hyper-relevant to the target audience’s needs to cut through the digital noise.
No More Hiding Emotion
As PR pros, we’re here to tell a story. One that’s compelling and relatable to our client’s targeted audience. People connect with people, not brands, so you’ll quickly learn that being genuine will serve you positively. In 2020, PR pros must leverage the human element to remain relevant to their target audiences. Crafting meaningful content, immersive stories, and experiential events that provoke an emotional response can help brands earn a place in the hearts (and wallets) of their customers.
One final caveat: the topics we’ve covered here are just the tip of the PR trend iceberg. The ultimate takeaway is to keep a close eye on leading and emerging media trends. PR pros who are in the know garner more quality coverage, and they do it efficiently and effectively, leaving all parties, clients, journalists, and bosses satisfied. After all, that’s the goal.