Entrepreneur Magazine just published my editorial that takes a deeper look at how the pandemic is shaping PR.
You can click on this link to read more on the story, but if you’re short on time, here’s a quick synopsis to help with your future publicity campaigns.
This thought leadership was inspired after I read a post in a private Facebook group with reporters and publicists where we exchange ideas. Someone asked if PR was dead.
PR has definitely evolved since I entered this industry after my career with NBC and CBS. But this last year has accelerated even more changes in PR.
It’s even harder today to navigate the media landscape. A lot of journalists lost their jobs because of COVID. In addition, the competition for eyeballs is getting tougher as more online news sites pop up. And we can’t dismiss the consumer market, which is getting more fragmented.
All of these headwinds make a targeted media and communications strategy even more critical.
Here’s a closer look at why I wrote that why experienced strategic thinkers will become even more valued, and more scarce in the coming years.
Media Landscape is Changing
Newsroom job security is even more volatile today than from when I was an Executive Producer with NBC. This inevitably will steal any media contacts that give a publicist an advantage.
One thing is certain in the media: change happens quickly and people move onto new jobs.
Advertising is losing influence
Engaging content is the key to motivating action. Running endless loops of commercials for your brand might increase exposure, but don’t confuse exposure for engagement. Consumers are watching the local or cable news for content.
This is even more pronounced during COVID. Our PR agency conducted a survey last year that looked at how consumers were engaging with news content during the pandemic. Consumers are walking out of the room when commercials come on TV. This is why it’s even more critical for your PR agency to create interesting content that can lead to embedded links into the news story. You can read my Forbes editorial on this topic by clicking here.
Digital marketing is merging with PR
Digital marketing is PR. They are one of the same, so don’t confuse the titles. TV segments are almost always placed on the web and print newspapers all have websites, giving your brand a digital presence.
There are digital ways to drive news coverage to your website, including adding supplemental content on your website. If reporters have a reason to add a hyperlink to their story, they will — but only if it adds to their story. This approach takes forethought and planning, which is something an experienced PR team will recognize.
ABOUT MACIAS PR
Marketing peers named MACIAS PR the 2017-2020 Strategic PR Firm of the Year. In 2015, 2016 and 2017, Finance Monthly named MACIAS PR the Financial PR Firm of the Year. The founder – Mark Macias – is a former Executive Producer with NBC and Senior Producer with CBS in New York. City & State Magazine named him a PR Political Power Player in 2021.