Communications Trends for 2015
It's the time of year that all of the experts predict what will happen in the new year.
Of course, no one really has a crystal ball, but there are certain things you can tell are going to happen, just based on experience and perspective.
The communications industry is no different and it's important for business owners to stay abreast of how an industry is changing, if only so you know the right questions to ask when you're hiring for that particular skill set.
Communications Trends for 2015
To that end, here are five communications trends for 2015.
- Conversion of media. Julie Hong, the community manager for Talkwalker, believes one trend we'll see more of is the conversion of media. You'll begin to see more communicators talk about the PESO model and how to integrate the four media types (paid, earned, shared, and owned). 2015 is the year we will see more and more integration and the lines become even more blurred. Which leads us to the second communications trend.
- Paid media affects traditional PR. This may be in the form of paid amplification (such as Outbrain or Sprinklr), sponsored content, native advertising, or sponsorships of influential blogs. In 2015, all communicators should be working with their media buying friends and colleagues to add paid media to their owned and earned media efforts.
- Old ideas become new again. Most communicators have stopped doing things such as deskside briefings, large events, direct mail, commenting on blogs, engaging on the social networks, and surprise packages via overnight delivery. Those tactics will become new again as communicators focus more time on finding the right solutions instead of what’s new right now.
- Communications teams (internal and agencies) will evolve. No longer will those who are integrating the PESO model or using data to prove their investment or measuring their efforts directly to sales be the oranges in a sea of apples. Communications teams will begin to figure out the future is all of those things, and their competitors who still focus solely on publicity and events will die a slow, long, painful death.
- PR technology becomes a must, not a nice-to-have. The communications industry will become more accountable to drive their efforts through data. Those who don’t figure out how to become a profit center instead of an expense will die that slow death I mention above. Companies such as PRTech and Google will help you get there, but you have to take the bull by the horns now. Right now.
As you talk to the communications professionals who help you in your business, find out where they stand on these five trends.
A version of these communications trends first appeared on Spin Sucks.
