Top PR trends that can improve how brands engage and relate to the public

Authored by Akshaara Lalwani, Founder, Communicate India.

In today’s world, Public Relations plays a significant role in ensuring your brand moves towards success with a positive public image. The timely implementation of the right PR strategies can build a positive image while diminishing any negative PR that may have arisen.

As the world moves at a fast pace towards 2023, it’s clear that mindsets, technology, and views are not the only aspects witnessing a complete transformation. PR, as an avenue, has evolved from its archaic form to a more digitalised format. What was important for consumers and brands prior to the pandemic may not be relevant at the moment. As both parties adapt to current changes, their thought processes move parallelly; hence, PR has also experienced massive modifications over the years.

Public Relations should be an integral part of every brand strategy regardless of the company’s size. With a change in the landscape of PR, we all have witnessed new trends to follow. Here are the top PR trends that, according to me, can improve how brands engage with and relate to the public:

Digitalisation

With the entire world having access to multiple digital domains, digital PR has become a game-changer. Through this form, brands can now target a wider audience and build a positive brand image across multiple platforms. PR can be digitally carried out through online press releases, influencer marketing, and virtual interactions, among other methods. PR is no longer a one-way communication, with the help of the digital medium, they can easily interact with their viewers or audience.

Authenticity

It goes without saying how important the elements of authenticity and truthfulness are in this age. More and more people are trying to be known across the globe as authentic brands while big brands in the market are doing their best to humanise themselves by being true to their audience. Marketing gimmicks and promotional activities were a very large part of many brand strategies in the past but that does not please a brand’s audience any longer. The fact is that the more authentic a brand is, the more credibility it gains with its audience.

Content first approach

Digital PR is now coming to the forefront and being treated with utmost importance. The type of content chosen or displayed is a key factor in determining a brand’s value. This is a common understanding among the current players in the market and hence, a lot of their focus lies on creating high-quality content. For a brand to stand out from the rest of its competition and ensure a huge following, it must deliver unique content pieces through targeted distribution that will keep the audience engaged.

Storytelling

Another important aspect a brand must keep in mind while carrying out its PR activities is storytelling. The art has captured the attention of audiences across the globe at a significantly fast pace. Today, it is extremely essential for a brand to humanize itself and while doing so, it can leverage the power of storytelling. This art will also enable brands to create their own communities who then unintentionally become advocates of the brand and its products or services. Storytelling also makes content more engaging and thought-provoking, leading to the creation of a brand community that not only believes in the brand but also vouches for its credibility.

Data-driven strategies

Big data has completely transformed the way brands build their PR or marketing strategies. Now, brands invest in various tools for acquiring data that eventually help them build better strategies. This data when tracked and analysed can lead to very important understandings that can then be applied to make their strategies stronger. It enables brands to create meaningful messaging that is then targeted to certain audiences based on the analysed data which leads to extremely desirable results.

Lastly, I believe that in order to obtain desired results, a brand must broaden its focus and engage with different digital channels that make it easier for them to target a wider audience than before. Following these PR trends will ensure a more holistic approach to building a more positive brand image.