Dusting off its crystal ball, PR Daily recently made six public relations and social media predictions for 2013. They are (with our thoughts included):
1. LinkedIn is the new Facebook, and companies will increasingly recognize its marketing potential. Also, as adoption and activity on LinkedIn surge, journalists will spend more time using the platform for research, identifying sources and breaking stories. (We say: The networking opportunity is great, as well.) 2. Governments will go social. The 2012 election generated record-breaking activity on Twitter. In 2013, social media will see an increase in political conversations, driving its adoption as a news source for citizens and traditional media. (We say: Even if you don’t fit in this picture, it’s always good to be where people are talking.)
3. The reputable journalist is revived. The rise of blogging and social media has increased the volume of online news and the speed at which it’s available, often at the expense of responsible reporting. The “citizen journalist’s” 15 minutes of fame are running out and information-overloaded consumers will demand a higher standard of reporting. (We say: Hurray!)
4. PR goes mobile. PR practitioners have learned to draft compelling email pitch subject lines and deliver a message in 140 characters. The next step will be crafting mobile-friendly content as millions of consumers and journalists use their phones as their primary news source. (We say: Simplicity + substance + brevity will drive effective communications.)
5. Pictures tell the story. The rise of infographics, photo sharing and visual storytelling will push PR pros and their clients to deploy messages visually in order to compete in a crowded content market. (We say: As visual content grows in the digital space, the traditional storyboard will become even more important.)
6. PR wins the social media battle. The debate over which corporate discipline (i.e. PR, marketing, advertising) “owns” social media is over. As more businesses recognize the opportunities and threats social media present to their reputation, they will turn to PR pros who can manage the dialog between an organization and the public, achieving results that directly impact the bottom line. (We say: Good. Many companies have gone unguarded too long.)
So what do YOU think? Agree? Disagree? Talk among yourselves.
