The state of public relations is fastly evolving, particularly given the rise of digital channels such as social media, and the acceleration toward their adoption during the pandemic. A survey conducted by Muck Rack indicates that 73% of PR professionals said they don’t think the term “public relations” as it’s defined today will describe the work they’re doing in five years time. 

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This sentiment coupled with the digital nature of today’s landscape means that communications professionals must become fluent in understanding the digital ecosystems where influencers, bloggers and journalists all exist. Harnessing the power of these spaces and fostering good relationships with each is crucial to the function of public relations in any business. 

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The good news for PR professionals is that despite newsroom budgets decreasing, most PR budgets are either increasing (45%) or staying the same (50%), and only 5% are decreasing, according to the survey. As a leading public relations agency in Indonesia, we help our clients not only understand the value in targeted PR, but also knowing what are the trends that are relevant to the Indonesian market and media landscape.

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With this in mind, let’s take a look at some of the trends that are catching on the most in 2022. 

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1. The growth of digital PR 

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Digital PR has become an evolved form of traditional PR, whereby instead of targeting only print publications, digital PR honnes in on online publications and building brand awareness through online means. This includes publishing articles and press releases, as well as working with bloggers and influencers, affiliate marketing, social media and building brand trust through online reviews. 

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These digitally focused strategies then lead into having a positive impact on a brands website Search Engine Optimisation. Together the SEO and digital PR strategy can work together to help drive a brand's website visibility, which is why some professionals refer to digital PR as a part of “off-site SEO”. 

2. Target-specific content creation

Increased screen time amidst the pandemic led to a growth in consumption of online content which has changed the way PR content is created. With people working from home consuming more content than ever, it meant that content creators had to speed up their creation and delivery. 

During this time professionals advised their clients to seize this opportunity by becoming content creators themselves, or at the least partner with content creators to help broaden the reach of their brands message. This point has never been more true in the case of mediums such as podcasts and video. 

Both of these mediums provide brands with the ideal opportunity to project their message through long and short-form content. In a crowded marketplace it is becoming increasingly important for brands to produce diverse content that speaks to various needs of their target audience. 

3. Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI)  is a must

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As millennials begin to move up the ranks and lead businesses further into the 21st century, it’s become increasingly essential for brands to integrate DEI into their communications and back up such messaging with aligned operations. Millennials currently make up 60% of B2C buyers, which is an audience of people that want to work directly with brands that promote and behave alongside DEI standards. 

Important data to note alongside this trend is that the 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer indicates that between 49-52% of people believe that businesses are not doing enough on important issues such as climate change and economic equality. This data coupled with 80% of people saying they will invest based on their beliefs and values means that brands need to be very careful that they are backing up their messaging with tangible and realistic outcomes. 

What could lead to a PR nightmare is a business honing in on DEI messaging that is not truly reflective of who they are and being exposed by its customers or the media. Trust in the government, the media and the business sector broadly has been decreasing dramatically in the last decade, which means that brands need to be meaningful in the way they align their operations and messaging. 

If you’re looking for a tailored public relations strategy that incorporates offline and online elements, drop us a message and we can arrange a free discovery session with you!

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