In a recent article, we outlined how Artificial Intelligence (AI)  will be playing a bigger and bigger role in the PR industry in 2018 and the years to come. But that’s by far not the only PR trend to keep an eye on next year. Below we’re outlining three more things to take note of if you want your campaigns to achieve the desired results come January.

Media Fragmentation

With the rise of intelligent feeds that curate content for internet users, the type of information people are exposed to has become more tribalized than ever before. This has caused people to show more partiality toward influencers and spokespersons from their own personal, business or ideological communities and led to a surge of distrust of traditional “media experts”, particularly those with different backgrounds and points of view.

To successfully deal with this, it will become ever more important for brands to build credibility and trust not only through traditional media channels but also by targeted outreach on social media channels their audience is known to use. This could mean companies will have to invest in highly diversified campaigns that are customized to several different sub-niches within their market to reach a wider audience and share their message effectively.

A 360° Strategy

While using social media and influencer marketing has proven themselves as valuable tools for many brands in recent years, some companies have come to believe that other, traditional approaches to PR can now be ignored. Social media other new PR trends are starting to be viewed as quick fixes and cure-alls by some, which can only be detrimental to a brand in the long run.

To create a solid brand image, building trust and growing a loyal community of followers and customers both online and offline is a must. To achieve this, a well-rounded approach including both new and established channels is essential for success. As the social media marketplace becomes more crowded it will no longer be enough to be active there only, but rather a presence on a variety of platforms will do the trick.

Importance of Share-Worthy Content

It is no secret that people will share content they find inspiring, interesting or thought-provoking. This trend has been gaining momentum significantly thanks to the advent of smartphones and cheaper, faster data plans, and it will only keep going. This means that internet users are looking for things to share. Brands which can give their audience something worthy of this will be at a clear advantage. Depending on the company and the industry, this content could be images, articles, infographics, videos or, best of all, a combination of anything that is relevant and interesting to the target audience.

Creating this kind of material has several advantages. Of course, it gives people something to share and helps spread the word about a business, its products, services, and philosophy. Another point which is often overlooked, is that it also helps the PR and marketing team understand what the target audience really wants. By analyzing what kind of content is shared the most, it becomes evident what is the most popular, which in turn makes it possible to create or revise a content marketing strategy.

Bringing it All Together

With all the interesting new developments and trends in the world of PR, it’s becoming increasingly important for companies and brands to have a strong, savvy partner who will help them to create campaigns tailored to their needs and their individual target audience. As social media, marketing and media platforms continue to evolve and diversify, so does the way a company need to be promoted.

Winning in this quickly changing world can only be achieved by staying up to date on industry trends and working with a group of skilled professionals who are willing to embrace a novel approach additionally to tried and tested methods.

If you need this kind of partner for the new campaigns you want to launch in 2018 or to revamp the ones you already have going on, get in touch with us by e-mail or have a look around our website www.midas-pr.com to learn how we can help you stand out and reach your goals in the new year.