4 ways PR will evolve in the next 5 years 

It’s fair to say the PR industry has evolved in ways we didn’t expect. The COVID 19 pandemic brought on a tsunami of change that impacted the way we worked, the strategies we took and the methods we used to engage with our audiences. 

We cannot predict what the future will look like but already there are changes afoot that indicate the industry is still set to adapt to the new world we find ourselves in. Here are 4 ways we think the PR industry will evolve in the next 5 years: 

1. Technological Domination 

In the next 5 years, technology will continue to dominate the industry as PR professionals find methods to effectively utilize platforms (e.g. through social media channels). With a wide variety of media now available, companies may struggle to navigate the different ways to connect with their audience.  

PR professionals will be more valuable than ever to advise companies on what channels they should be making use of. Agencies will be on hand to design campaigns that push the right messages to the right audiences so that we continue to meet the communication needs of our clients. 

2. Evolution of PR’s role in wider marketing campaigns

Press releases and media interviews used to be a PR professional’s bread and butter but public relations now takes many forms and must be integrated with wider marketing activities. Think about PR as a tool to build brand awareness and demonstrate thought leadership, spanning anything from media placements to newsletter inclusions, social media campaigns and podcasts. 

Agencies (like ramarketing) are morphing to offer blended services to their clients. Professionals will continue to integrate PR and marketing as they realize an integrated approach works best.

3. The importance of PR in brand building 

Many people can disregard how important media relations is for building a client’s brand. Articles in the right spaces are pivotal to enforcing a client’s knowledge in the industry and positioning them as thought leaders in what they do. 

Ultimately, the right content in the right place (sound familiar?) can build the brand and create awareness which could then drive leads further down the line. 

4. Channel overload!

I’ve mentioned previously that PR professionals will have to direct clients to the correct channels. However, the life sciences industry itself will need to continue to navigate and use varied channels to identify new and exciting placements. 

Journalists often use social media platforms now to outreach to PR professionals with requests. This can open up many doors not that were not previously known before! Professionals will need to continue to keep up with the trends that journalists use to reach out to PRs in order to be the first in line. 

The PR industry has been no stranger to adapting and developing in order to find new, more effective ways to build brand awareness. As experts, we help our clients to identify news-worthy stories and thought leadership topics that will resonate with their intended audience. It is then our job to ensure they reach the people we want to find them. Whatever the future may throw at us, we will continue to innovate and implement new tactics that will enhance our services and get our clients noticed in the new media world. 

By Danny McIver, Senior PR Executive, ramarketing