It’s an optimistic time to be in the field of communications. The digital landscape is expanding, analytics are becoming more fine-tuned, and the market is more accepting than ever. More often people are becoming emotionally invested in brands because of digital outreach. The opportunities for reaching the audience are greater in 2015 than they eve have been. This post will discuss two major ways that these factors may affect the future of public relations.
The use of social media analytics continues to gain steam in the field of communication. The approach to interpreting data has shifted from traditional standards to include a more qualitative standpoint. In the field of public relations, our audience is everything. Each strategy or tactic that is planned in a campaign has a human audience, and each campaign begins with research. We must understand our publics before launching a campaign or risk losing invested time and money. Raw, calculated data cluttered with numbers can sometimes tell us nothing of the human audience we seek. There is a demand for humanized data, a softer, more qualitative type. This type of data is the most important to a PR practitioner. As Brian Massey suggests in his article 3 Refreshing Ways To Look At Marketing Analytics, “It’s not just for data scientists anymore.” To me, this suggests that even those in non-scientific fields should realize that with the way things are progressing, having the analytical skills to interpret data will become a required skill for most jobs. And if you're unsure what type of data is appropriate for your situation, KISSmetrics offers a great guide on When to Use Qualitative and Quantitative Data.
In the future of the public relations field, a minor in statistics could give you an edge over someone who studied marketing. Having the skills to turn abstract and untamed data into suggestive campaign strategies is no easy task. It takes a finely tuned eye to be able to quickly recognize patterns and trends, create a plan and then execute it effectively. Social media is a necessary component to public relations and marketing campaigns. As Tracy Vides put in her article on RivalIQ’s blog, "Social media is as integral to today’s marketing mix as print was in the 1960’s.” It is only going to expand from this point. You’ll need plenty of experience using analytics and interpreting meaningful data in order to stand out on a job application.
In the future of the public relations field, a minor in statistics could give you an edge over someone who studied marketing. Having the skills to turn abstract and untamed data into suggestive campaign strategies is no easy task. It takes a finely tuned eye to be able to quickly recognize patterns and trends, create a plan and then execute it effectively. Social media is a necessary component to public relations and marketing campaigns. As Tracy Vides put in her article on RivalIQ’s blog, "Social media is as integral to today’s marketing mix as print was in the 1960’s.” It is only going to expand from this point. You’ll need plenty of experience using analytics and interpreting meaningful data in order to stand out on a job application.
It’s no surprise that people are responding to an increased amount of marketing tactics. Content that is succeeding is increasingly visually-based. Aesthetics of messages are becoming more important to consumers without them even realizing it. The social websites with the fastest growth over the past year, according to Rex Santus’s article on Mashable, are Tumblr and Pinterest, who recently beat out Instagram. All of these major contenders whose active usership is dramatically increasing all have one common thread; visually-based content. Tumblr is a microblog site that is essentially a combination of Instagram, Twitter and Reddit’s best features. Pinterest is a tool based off of visual organization. People respond to visual content, but what does that mean? The content still has to be thoughtful. It has to draw on emotions, pique interest, and only then will it evoke an action. There is much psychology in visual communication and it relates to semiotics and brand image as Laura Oswald’s article identifies.
The future generations of publics are only going to become more accustomed and even expectant of spectacular visual content in marketing and public relations. The most interesting platform that fits into this visual puzzle of social media is Snapchat. This photo and real-time based application allows friends to share moments in such a way that the receiver feels connected to them. This app managed to create an atmosphere of instant relationship bonding. Alexa Economacos even calls it the “Snapchat revolution” in her blog post on her experience with the app. Snapchat has recently added new marketing-friendly features on the app such as the ‘discover’ section and the ‘live feeds’ of various world events such as the NBA Finals. With features like this, people all over the world can experience something in real-time from a personal and human perspective. When it comes to visual breakthroughs, Snapchat is leading the pack.
The future generations of publics are only going to become more accustomed and even expectant of spectacular visual content in marketing and public relations. The most interesting platform that fits into this visual puzzle of social media is Snapchat. This photo and real-time based application allows friends to share moments in such a way that the receiver feels connected to them. This app managed to create an atmosphere of instant relationship bonding. Alexa Economacos even calls it the “Snapchat revolution” in her blog post on her experience with the app. Snapchat has recently added new marketing-friendly features on the app such as the ‘discover’ section and the ‘live feeds’ of various world events such as the NBA Finals. With features like this, people all over the world can experience something in real-time from a personal and human perspective. When it comes to visual breakthroughs, Snapchat is leading the pack.
Overall, there are many ways technology breakthroughs and changes in audience dynamics will affect public relations. By being open to innovation and moving with the flow of market demand, we are able to better understand our audience and send strategic methods in effective ways.
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