The PR and branding business is always changing. And just like every aspect of this business, it will continue to change as time goes by and technology advances.

According to a worldwide survey from Global Communications Report, it’s predicted that the PR business is currently estimated to be worth $14 billion.

Due to emerging digital technology, staffers at experienced PR firms just beginning their career in 2017 would create programs, undertake research, and shape their stories very different than they would just a few years ago. This is in large part due to an industry that seems to continuously change over time.

We will now take a look at the accelerating changes taking place in PR and discover some of the top trends moving forward into 2017.

SEO and Public Relations Go Hand-In-Hand

Just a few short years ago, the PR industry and search engine optimization had nothing to do with one another. But in today’s digital business environment, both of these fields have to work together in order for public relations professionals to achieve their aims.

By becoming familiar with web analytics and SEO, PR firms can utilize this data to create powerful content that they can use to help improve their clients’ branding efforts.
Plus, web analytics also makes it possible to create relevant, quality content that you know readers will eat up.

When PR firms utilize SEO, they need to focus on “implied links.”

What are implied links? Simply put, they are brand mentions that they get from shared or earned media. They help create good visibility, even though there is no actual backlink involved so they are very difficult to track.

Although, search engine optimization experts believe that a patent quietly filed by Google in 2014 helped create a formula that makes it easy for them to track implied links.

If there is any truth to the rumor, this is a great opportunity for public relations experts, since they know how to generate this type of press.

Generating Influence through Public Relations

We live in a time when fake news is prevalent all over the place. So gathering true influence from a group of followers is a huge accomplishment for anyone looking to take their brand of the next level.

In 2017, it’s going to be all about gaining true influence.

Communicators need to focus on generating more coverage for their organizations and brands. And they are also going to have to continue to build relationships in order to have a positive impact on behavior.

But the most important thing is to do all of this transparently so that it doesn’t have a negative effect overall.

Content Movements

The current landscape of public relations is all about sharing valuable content with your audience. It has nothing to do with selling anymore, because that’s a thing of the past, and people only want to buy from those that they trust, know, and like.

As you can tell, social media has been the dominant force in content dissemination over the last few years. But there’s a strong possibility that this is going to change in the future.

Unfortunately content has reached a saturation point online, so whether you believe it or not, print media is primed to make a huge comeback real soon.

Content personalization is an even hotter trend. To really capitalize on content creation, you need to use branded promotions based on behavioral insights and customer data.

When creating content this way, you will take target marketing to the next level.

Conclusion

The PR industry is always on the move. Please use the information shared today so you can keep up with the times and grow your business accordingly.

Author Bio
Wendy Dessler
Title: Super-Connector at OutreachMama
Wendy is a super-connector with OutreachMama and Towering SEO who helps businesses find their audience online through outreach, partnerships, and networking. She frequently writes about the latest advancements in digital marketing and focuses her efforts on developing customized blogger outreach plans depending on the industry and competition. You can contact her on Twitter.

Many Thanks to our Guest Blogger, Wendy Dessler of OutreachMama for this great article!

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