PR trends much like technology is never static and are always changing at a rapid speed. This mirrors the fact that nothing can exist without advancing in a world which is evolving at such a high rate. Consumer demands, moods as well as shopping trends, software, manufacturing and supply management, social tendencies and morality undergo a transformation very frequently and demand that the techniques of reputation building and marketing the same are also updated from time to time.

One thing that will surely be expected is that public relations will continue to shape how companies launch, their growth, how they raise funding, and how they market their products or services. It is not a question of whether public relations and PR agencies are relevant or not in 2019, it is a question of what will determine the companies that win in securing media coverage and the right publicity for their brands.

PR will continue its alignment with content marketing
One of the most important changes that’s happened in public relations over the years is the mentality shift away from self-promotion at your audience’s expense. Yes, your job is still to promote your brand–but it’s also about knocking down trust barriers and giving your audience the chance to connect with you. To reach your audiences, you have to do more than shout the loudest; you have to deliver value, too.

And that’s why the industry will continue to see increasing alignment with content marketing. Content marketing has always been about using content to educate, engage, and deliver value to your audience. As that becomes a greater priority for PR, the two will need to work together more closely. After all, PR positions your brand positively in the eyes of the audiences that matter most to you, and content marketing is what turns that reputation into revenue. The two need to be on the same page to work their best, and having a modern PR plan in place is crucial.

AI in your space
Artificial intelligence is set to make the entire human workforce of the world redundant. Well, no, it’s not actually, but this is what many industries, including the PR sector, fear the futuristic technology will do to their carefully carved out careers. The truth is that AI can take on many of the more mundane tasks in a PR’s daily task list.

But AI, machine learning and big data can all help determine a raft of useful factors that can help a PR pro get the most out of their work. This includes determining the optimal time to start a PR campaign; targeting the right audiences, news organisations and influencers; drilling down through data to get far deeper levels of granularity on effective campaigns, and so on.

As well as handling lots of technical factors, AI will also be able to help identify possible dangers or crises before they happen. For example, AI could be deployed to analyse social media activity and determine any possible brand conflicts or reputation dangers that may be developing. So embrace the AI and get it working for you rather than replacing you. After all, PR people will always be needed to provide the human touch, make contact with media outlets and even call in favours if and when the need arises.

Building Trust
PR agents will have to focus more on winning and maintaining the trust of its customers. Fake news, an abundance of useless information and ads of wonder drugs are circulating all around, the consumer is confused about what to trust. In such testing times, it is always a good idea to filter information for your consumer and share only accurate and relevant information supported by scientific facts or statistics or surveys or expert opinions. It will ease the consumer’s burden and will also help him/her in making the right decision. To achieve this the PR professionals will be required to help media in developing truthful as well as meaningful stories to establish their ethical credentials.

The collaboration of PR and Influencers
It is highly expected that there will be a rise in the number of partnerships between PR professionals and social media influencers as it helps indirectly reaching out to the target audience. It is also a viable and cost-effective solution in an era of tough competition.

Like every aspect of communication, public relations is always evolving, and the ways you reach, engage, and build trust with the audiences that matter most to you need to keep up. Thinking through these trends now will help prepare you for success in 2019.

Source:
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/334327
https://press.farm/emerging-trends-modern-public-relations/
https://www.prolificlondon.co.uk/features/2019/02/five-pr-trends-you-need-know-about-year