5 essential PR predictions for 2018

Many will look back on 2017 as a watershed year for PR.

The industry has changed dramatically over the past 12 months, with this transformation playing a key role in determining the year’s biggest winners and losers.

Influencer marketing has continued its meteoric rise. Over 400 million people now check Instagram every single day, and new ‘live’ and ‘story’ features are giving communicators even more ways to reach consumers through social channels.

The impact of fake news is being felt by everyone in the media. The phenomenon has had such a profound impact on consumer trust, the Collins Dictionary has named the phrase as its “word of the year”.

What’s more, a string of scandals have shown us that brand integrity and crisis management are more important than ever in today’s hyper connected world. Increasingly, people expect brands to promote good social causes.

These themes will continue to evolve as we move into 2018 and communicators look for ways to incorporate them into their comms strategies.

But it’s the brands that capitalise on new and emerging trends which stand to gain the most in the coming months. So, we’ve invited Ketchum’s Stephen Waddington to give his top five predictions for 2018 in this year’s final Cision webinar.

As the agency’s chief engagement officer, as well as a leading PR thought leader, Waddington is uniquely positioned to comment on where the industry is heading over the next 12 months.

Joined by Cision’s Philip Smith, he will outline the key issues that are shaping the sector – from changes in consumer behaviour to the impact of AI and automation.

“The skills technology and workflow used in media and public relations are converging,” he says. “Organisations are realising that they need to work in real-time if they want to be part of the conversation.”

“Executives that are serious about leading a modern organisation will invest in their social media footprint in 2018,” he adds. “There’s a growing recognition of the opportunity to use the social web as a means of engaging directly with a variety of stakeholders.”

This webinar is essential viewing for anyone looking to succeed in PR in 2018.

It’s your chance to get the inside track on the issues set to transform the industry – giving you the upper hand you need to capitalise on the year’s biggest trends.

So click the link below now to reserve your place and join us at 3pm on Tuesday 12 December to hear Waddington outline his vision for PR in 2018.

Register for ‘Five predictions for public relations in 2018’ today.