PR is in a constant state of flux. Whether it's the shift from offline to online media use, the increase in the relevance of social media or now the Covid pandemic: New measures are needed to keep up with the times and convince multipliers of your own brand. We present the 5 most important PR trends for 2022:
When pitching storylines, positioning on current political and social discourses is becoming increasingly important. According to a study by Sprout Social, 70% of consumers expect brands to take a political stance. It is no longer just the performance of the product that matters, but also the attitude towards environmental, human rights or sustainability issues. This allows recipients to see for themselves whether the positioning is in line with their own views. The risk of putting one's foot in one's mouth increases, so an internal analysis should definitely take place in advance in order to define a strategy for positioning. In the best case, this offers a great opportunity to develop new target groups.
The Covid pandemic made it clear that the PR industry continues to run without PR events taking place. Instead of on-site presentations, there are Zoom meetings, virtual showrooms and online events - which will continue to grow this year. A presence event is still worthwhile, but there has to be added value. Simply organizing an event for the sake of organizing an event is long outdated. In the run-up to the event, the question should be asked: Do we have something interesting to tell and does the event have PR potential?
According to t3n magazine, Germans receive around 26 professional emails per day - journalists receive a much higher rate. Instead of being one of many emails in a flooded inbox, it's worth using LinkedIn to get in touch. Journalists increasingly post their own texts there. These give them the opportunity to express themselves using the comment function and to place their brand on suitable topics.
Long gone are the days when a plan of activities is drawn up at the end of the year with topics to be placed, which are then stringently worked through in the coming year. In our world, the headlines are regularly overflowing and new events are pelting down on us. It is therefore important to work in a needs-oriented manner in PR as well and to shift or rewrite planned topics. Always remember: It's about what the target group wants to hear, read and see - not just what you as a company want to say. This means that in 2022, your topics will have to be more user-oriented.
In the Spotify Earnings Report for the second quarter of 2021, it was reported that the audio streaming service now had 2.9 million podcasts - including 70,000 German-language formats. And the trend is rising. PR can also take advantage of this potential, because podcasts offer a great opportunity to place stories authentically. For example, the CEO can be positioned via a guest role and talk about the brand's visions, goals and products. Unlike social media or in print, podcasts have a longer attention span, so topics can be explored in depth rather than just addressed superficially.
