The field of public relations (PR) has had to adapt to evolving technology, much like other communication fields. Gone are the days when press releases were written and oftentimes hand delivered to news outlets, when stories were pitched to provide a favorable image of individuals and organizations, or when relationship building meant developing lists of media contacts. Technology has changed the work of PR professional in terms of the strategies that must now be employed to effectively perform the duties of their jobs. Social media, self-publication formats, video production, and data analytics now drive how PR professionals manage the tasks of developing and disseminating news releases, telling compelling stories that connect audiences with brands, and building meaning relationships that can enhance the images of their clients. These changes call for developing new skills and training to help PR professionals meet the demands of modern public relations. As technology evolves, PR professionals must adapt to technological change by evolving their strategies to ensure that PR remains relevant in promoting brands and their public images.
The skills and training needed by today’s PR professional include:
- Social media management to monitor trends, create content, and increase SEO.
- Data analytics to inform future PR campaigns and improve current ones.
- Film and edit videos (videos will account for 82% of traffic on the Internet by(2022) .
- Create content for temporary consumption (learning to use apps such as Snapchat)
- Prepare social media press releases.
- Learn how to use social media influencers in PR campaigns.
- Graphic Design – create logs, websites, social media accounts, etc.
References
Be Inspired. (2020). The benefits of graphic design on your pr strategy. https://beinspiredpr.com/blog/graphic-design-pr-strategy
Chadwick, S. (2021, March 06). How social media is changing the future of public relations. Neal Schaffer. https://nealschaffer.com/social-media-shaping-future-public-relations/
ReBlonde. (2021, August 22). How technology has changed public relations strategies. https://www.reblonde.com/2021/08/how-technology-has-changed-public-relations-strategies/
Streaming Media. (2020, December 03). Video will grow to 82% of internet by 2022: Interdigital/futuresource report. https://www.streamingmedia.com/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=144177
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