PR Trends to Watch Out for in 2022

As we enter a new year, we compiled a list of what we think will be the top PR trends in 2022.

• Influencer Marketing 

With the pandemic that began in 2020, billions of consumers were forced online and onto social media platforms to stay connected. Public relations specialists have had to follow the trend over the past year. This change in the market is not going anywhere in 2022. For example, TikTok has grown exponentially since 2021 and has enhanced one of the most successful PR trends of 2021: influencer marketing. Social media influencers pick up your brand and promote your products to their followers, whether they have a few or a million. As long as the influencer is trusted, like a celebrity or local radio show host, they could be suitable for marketing purposes. PR experts will need to further research the influencer’s audience to ensure their target market matches the brand’s target market to establish a mutually beneficial relationship.

• Personalized PR Pitch

Developing a personalized angle for an individual influencer or journalist allows brands to appeal to the individual’s direct interests. With their interests in mind, this approach encourages the subject to pick up the campaign or product because it builds additional trust and credibility between the subject and the brand. Journalists will become more likely to publish, and influencers will want to promote the brand because you offer them what they want.

• Authenticity Approach

The downside brought with the shift to a more digital market during a global pandemic is the increase in fake news. This drastic increase makes it difficult for consumers to trust any source or brand they see online. Therefore, consumers have developed increased expectations in the authenticity and transparency of brands they usually pursue. It is no longer enough for brands to make statements on their values and initiatives in the eyes of their consumers; they now must actively be making them happen. 

Additionally, being in a more virtual world, new artificial intelligence technologies make PR strategies feel less humanized to the public. Although these technologies may make it easier for brands to reach their target market, consumers lose the “human element” that makes specific strategies feel personalized and authentic. So, in 2022 PR strategies need to emphasize a “genuine” connection to the audience that feels authentic.

• Be Culturally Relevant

It has always been important for public relations to be top-of-mind, but it is crucial now more than ever to be relevant. The term “cancel culture” has become popularized over the past year. So, it is vital to portray a brand with recent local or global news and cultural values in mind. Consumers tend to put their trust and business into brands that mirror their values. Otherwise, if the brand is seen as negligent or does not match a consumer’s values, it could be “canceled” in the eyes of the consumer.