We’re a couple months into 2020, and the latest PR trends have already emerged. While the foundation of public relations will always be focused on increasing brand awareness and managing a brand’s reputation through media, it’s important to stay on top of new ways to do this. 

If you want to improve your PR strategy for 2020, here are a few PR trends to consider. 

Brands will take a stand

In 2020, it no longer bodes well for brands to stay quiet. Consumers today care less about the product your company is producing and more about the brand’s values, especially if they align with theirs. In order to build a solid relationship with customers, it’s important to reinforce what matters to your company. This means taking a stand on social issues. 

Take Nike, for example. In 2018, they launched an ad campaign with Colin Kaepernick as the subject. This was in the midst of his controversial move to take a knee during the national anthem at football games. The campaign was all about believing in something and having a purpose. By making Colin Kaepernick the face of the campaign, Nike was taking a side in the divisive conversation. The results? Nike made $163 million in earned media, a $6 billion brand value increase, and a 31% boost in sales. Some may have been outraged by Nike’s decision to side with the football player. But many people–whether they previously felt neutral about Nike or were already customers–became lifelong fans of the brand. 

The campaign reinforced Nike’s mission and proved that brand values matter more to people now than ever before. 

If your company plans on being more transparent about values in 2020, then it’s important that you’re not just doing it for show. A brand’s actions need to reflect their actual values. Brands can only remain neutral for so long, and 2020 will prove how valuable taking a stand will be in the long run. 

Data will drive campaigns 

With the amount of data that’s available these days, it would be unwise not to take advantage of it, especially for PR professionals. While it may not seem like data-driven tactics have a place in a PR strategy, digital metrics are increasingly informing how brands are communicating to their audience. 

For PR, understanding the data involved with your target audience and the outlet can determine how you craft your message and story. To get started with this trend in 2020, start by implementing the right tools. There are numerous PR tools that can help you track data and measure results from earned media. 

And don’t forget about Google Analytics, which is a free tool and fairly easy to learn. For more information, check out this handy post entitled ‘How to measure PR using Google Analytics.’

PR and marketing will fully integrate 

The line between PR and marketing has gradually blurred over the years, and this year the two will finally integrate as one powerful entity. A strong communication strategy has always included a balance of PR and marketing, but now the two must work in tandem in order to tell a brand’s story, build a more engaged audience, and create relevant content. 

What does this mean for your PR efforts? PR and marketing teams need to work together on both the overall communication strategy as well as the day to day aspects like campaign execution and results. This means making sure earned media campaigns align with paid and organic strategies. 

Digital content remains invaluable 

While earned media is still an essential piece of a PR strategy, owned media will continue to play a major role in the way a brand communicates to its audience. With the tools and accessibility available in 2020, every brand can now essentially build its own media platform through digital content. 

To continue building upon your company’s digital content, it’s important to create high-quality blog posts, implement an email marketing strategy, and continue creating consistent, engaging social media content. Owned media offers brands an opportunity to reach their target audience and share their brand story in a variety of ways, which is crucial as traditional media continues to shift in 2020. 

About Sam Lauron: Sam is a freelance lifestyle writer and a copywriter at Swyft, which has been listed as one of the best PR firms in Austin and a top digital marketing agency in Denver since its founding in 2011. Swyft has satellite offices where it offers PR in San Francisco and Houston.