Five Ways PR Has Changed Over the Years

Over the years, technological advancements have not only changed the way we go about our daily lives, but also how we implement our PR practices. For example, many PR agencies now offer social network platform management since online presence plays a key role in a business’s success – a practice unheard of only a few years ago.

It’s vital to an agency’s success to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to changing trends in PR and to better recognize where our industry is going. With this in mind, here are a few of the changing practices that have forever influenced our industry:

The speed of news:

Information circulation is 10 times faster than what it was decades ago. Today, we depend on email and phone communication and don’t have time to rely on mail or FedEx.

The media landscape:

You would be hard pressed to find too many people these days who read the print edition of a newspaper every morning. However, most decision-makers still rely on print as their primary source of news, followed closely by Web and social media channels.

Similarly, many clients still prefer print over online, and will consider it a bigger “win” to land a print placement. No matter our preference, we have to be open-minded and include all forms in our PR practices.

The art of communication:

Even though emailing has become increasingly popular, looking to email as the first form of communication is like eating a candy bar when you really need a full meal. Effective communication is, first and foremost, about establishing a human connection. Email makes this really hard. Face-to-face interaction is best, followed by a telephone call, then email and other electronic media.

Personal vs. private time:

We’re better and smarter than we were 30 years ago, but being more effective has come at the expense of our private and family time. Taking a call on vacation used to be a punishable offense. Now, no matter where you are, it’s mostly expected you can be reached. If you’re going to get into PR, the best thing you can have is an understanding family and spouse. Today we’re working at the speed of life, times two.

Staying put:

Societal trends tell us employees’ longevity has shortened to between 2-3 years versus 10-15 years we once saw. Workers have an “every man for themselves” mentality which comes at the expense of trust with the current employer.

What are your thoughts on how technological advancements have affected the way we work today?

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