The future of Public Relations will make the lives of personnel a lot easier with the help of technology.
The tech industry is accelerating at a pace that’s difficult to understand. Everything from AI and virtual reality to digital business models are changing the way we think about our businesses. Technology is at the heart of most organizations. To maintain a competitive edge companies need to effectively use technology that makes sense for their specific needs.
Companies that adopt technology and are digitally updated stay ahead of the curve, and the others that can’t (or won’t) keep up become obsolete. In a way, you can think of it as Darwin’s Theory of Evolution: evolve or poof! You’re gone. It might seem like an overpowering thought, but not to fear! We have insights into not only how technology is impacting the PR industry, but how to adapt with the changes.
Over the years, computers have gained the ability to “think”. The fear that one day computers will be able to replace people’s jobs is a reality. This kind of new technology can actually help PR pros. It does this by allowing them to work more efficiently. Media monitoring software, analytics, workflow applications and the like help PR professionals to process data faster, thereby improving their relationships with their clients and consumers. With AI, PR will be able to access all of the benefits that data analysis can bring, including a better understanding of the digital world. They’ll be able to develop fine-tuned messages for customers, and individually tailor their campaigns to their target audience, reducing wasted content.
Technology has also helped PR be more effective by cutting out unnecessary steps. For example, in the past, press releases were developed and distributed individually. Now, they’re distributed through programs. Companies use their websites and social media pages to answer customer questions. Before when PR professionals wanted to pitch to the press, they’d need to build their lists of journalists. Now, that information is much more readily available. So, all we need to do is craft the perfect, targeted pitch, and then click send to journalists that they think will cover their company’s news. It cuts out time and saves resources that can now be allocated elsewhere. With these tools, among many others, PR pros can rest assured that they can dedicate their time to building their company’s reputation or combating a crisis communication issue, rather than wasting their efforts on redundant tasks.
The future of PR is to make the lives of PR personnel easier so they can focus on what matters–their company and career development.
Technology’s impact on PR is going to continue to evolve, so understanding the relationship between the two is critical. Recognizing that technology is here to help, PR pros will push them and their companies forward in the right direction.
