The world of PR is changing and more dynamic than ever before. As we head in the New Year, our team has pulled together its PR industry trends for 2024 – from the latest social media updates to the move towards more digital content and the return of face-to-face events.

Industry trends in PR

  • Data-driven stories will dominate the agenda. In response, press releases will become grittier and backed by evidence as journalists search for data, data, and even more data.
  • The world of PR will continue to evolve as we shift from traditional print to more digital reporting, with an increased focus on social media platforms, podcasts and webinars.
  • We will continue to see the rise of purpose-driven campaigns. Companies will increasingly align their PR messaging with environmental and social causes, to appeal to consumers who are showing an increasing preference for brands that reflect their values.
  • Building trust through authenticity and transparency will be paramount to any PR activity, as consumers want to feel that companies are genuinely committed to a cause.
  • A focus on sustainability and Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) initiatives across the PR landscape. These are not just buzzwords, but a real collective to bring forward new ideas to showcase the positive efforts being made across the industry.
  • An increase in face-to-face events in response to an appetite for the return of networking events and conferences.

Industry trends in Social media

  • Businesses will look at working with influencers as a priority, using their specialist knowledge in creating relevant content.
  • We will also see an increase in user-generated content as companies strive to build brand interaction and grow an engaged community.
  • TikTok will continue to grow but in different ways. Influencing and adverts are now commonplace on the app, with creators who make humorous content seeing a marked drop in engagement. Gen Z and some Millennials get their news from TikTok, so we will see an increase in journalists and news outlets using this platform to deliver content.
  • More time will be devoted to creating quality video content across platforms such as Instagram as there is a shift away from X and Facebook.
  • Hashtags will be used less on channels as we move onto keywords. Most platforms are using keywords to tag content and send to audiences who have interacted with content under similar keywords.

And digital…

  • AI will aid PR but not prohibit it. Systems such as Chat GPT will be helpful in assisting with creative ideas and supporting on reporting and admin related tasks, but it will never replace us as PR professionals.

Office working

  • Finally, 2024 will see an increase in the amount of time we spend in the office. It is widely predicted that we won’t see a return to full time office working until 2026, however, next year, many offices are upping the number of office days that staff are expected to be in and enjoy valuable face to face time with colleagues and clients.

The media landscape is expected to undergo numerous changes in 2024, and as PR specialists we will be adapting and flexing to key trends to achieve the best results for our clients.

Why not share your thoughts on our predictions, we would love to hear from you!