Over the last two years, so much has changed when it comes to public relations and the role of the PR professional. The challenges. The responsibilities. The daily tactics. The matters over which they have influence.
Notified, in partnership with PRWeek, recently completed a survey of in-house and agency leaders to understand the impact of these changes on the PR workforce, how they are manifesting daily, and whether PR pros have the tools and knowledge to thrive in this new reality.
We discussed the results of this survey and more in a special webinar on March 30 featuring PRWeek “40 Under 40” panelists from Wilson Sporting Goods and Mirati Therapeutics. Keep reading to learn the main takeaways from the discussion, and be sure to watch the full conversation on demand.
The Areas Where PR Oversight Is Increasing
When it comes to areas where PR pros are spending more of their time, the matters related to purpose and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) are the main areas of oversight which have increased the most. According to our survey, 95% of respondents agreed.
When it comes to how the areas of purpose and ESG are manifesting in a day-to-day setting, our panelists shared that their companies have become more proactive with ESG storytelling across owned and earned channels.
An increase in ESG storytelling also helps to protect company reputation, and can be effectively targeted to employee, investor and consumer audiences.
Another area of increased oversight mentioned by our panelists included Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) communications - both internally and externally.
How PR Uses Data and Analytics
When it comes to data and metrics, what are PR pros measuring more of?
Our panelists shared a few of the metrics they measure on a monthly basis:
Audience reach
Message pull through
Website traffic
Click throughs
Impressions
However, to have more effective communications measurement, you must first establish benchmarks with the audience you’re trying to target, so you can track if behavior has shifted.
When it comes to showing the impact of PR on the company bottom line, that was an area our panelists still thought PR was quite weak at when compared with its marketing counterparts.
However, it was clear from our panelists that C-suites around the world are truly becoming sold on the value of PR, as the profession has come to mean more than just media relations and placing stories.
The Evolution of PR In 2022
As discussed earlier, PR’s impact is now felt in new areas, such as ESG, talent acquisition and employee retention. Therefore, its benefit cannot simply be quantified in traditional ways that might apply to marketing.
PR is now an influencer in company business decisions, and is no longer playing just a reactive role.
However, PR is still being tasked with sharing news and creating brand storytelling. Given the changes in the last few years, how has this aspect evolved?
Our panelists highlighted a few major areas:
The increase in company newsrooms and content hubs for media to find news. This allows a company to create a content-driven destination that helps to control the narrative and decides when audiences have access to that information.
Optimizing press releases.Press releases continue to play a vital role in PR strategy, serving as a single source of truth that’s trackable and provides a boost to SEO.
More focus on employee engagement and employee communications. Each employee is a brand ambassador, and arming them with the latest company news and content for sharing on social media is a key way to broaden reach of brand storytelling.
Watch the Full Webinar On Demand
Thanks for reading our recap! We encourage you to watch the full conversation on demand and learn even more from our amazing panel.
And if you want to learn more about how Notified can help you tackle the redefined PR landscape, check out the Notified PR platform - PR software that’s integrated, intelligent and easy to use.