What’s in store for PR in 2019?
Whilst we are sitting here wondering how on earth we’re in December already, we are also looking to the future at what’s in store for PR over the next 12 months. It’s felt like a turbulent year for most industries, with some degree of uncertainty ahead but we think next year has some pretty exciting developments in store for the world of PR.
Let’s take a look at where we could be heading in 2019.
SEO rich content
We don’t need to tell you that content is king, but in a Google-first world, this has never rung truer. Over the past year, we have seen many publications stop including links to client web pages in their copy. This is frustrating, however, there’s evidence that it’s not actually a bad thing. We’re already told you why PR and SEO go hand in hand but basically, you don’t always need a link to boost your search rankings – a reference or brand mention goes down just as well.
With GDPR shaking up marketing activity, PR has become even more important so if it can also impact organic search rankings, we are likely to see a real increase in higher quality, keyword rich content placed on industry publications.
Quality vs Quantity
Whilst we’re on the topic of SEO, Google seems to be kinder to high domain authority publications that produce quality content so we are always looking to pitch content towards these titles. At Neo PR, we have always been about high-volume press coverage, but we have seen a shift in becoming much more targeted when it comes to pitching content. We aim for high volume, but sometimes you can make a bigger impact with that one title who is read by your target market. Check out this blog post if you need some tips on how to create a great media list. In 2019, it’s going to be all about PRs having a greater understanding of each publication and the kind of content they want and knowing which titles accept news and thought leadership on exclusives.
More multimedia
We’re at the forefront of seeing exactly what the press is writing about and we see what journalists are asking for on a daily basis. Over the past year we have seen an increase in publications launching podcasts and video interviews for their site. As audiences change the way they digest content, a 2,000 word feature doesn’t always appeal and with Podcasts becoming more accessible, it’s no surprise that they are becoming a trend. We are definitely going to see this increase in 2019 and beyond and it’s something we’re very excited about! There are now so many different ways for our clients to get in front of their target audience.
Our Director, Gemma, took part in Breathe HR’s podcast earlier this year which you can listen to here.
So there we have it, a few thoughts on what’s in store for PR over the next 12 months. We’d love to hear what you think of these trends! And if you want to take a look into your crystal ball and write your own predictions, check out this blog post for our top tips!
