What the recent social media shakeup means for the State of PR 2024
A major part of keeping ahead of the curve is research, research, research – or in this case – research reports!
Muck Rack recently released its State of PR 2024 report, so in the light of 2024 turmoil in the world of social media, we were quick to have a detailed pick through to find out what’s new in social media trends, AI, media relations, and much more. So, without further ado, here’s our top takeaways:
The Social Media cogs keep turning – but is the era of X finally coming to an end?
If you’re a regular reader of our blogs, you’ll already be clued up on our analysis of the rise of LinkedIn and the subsequent fall of X (formerly Twitter) . The Muck Rack report corroborates this! According to Muck Rack, LinkedIn is the most important social platform for 50% of PR pros, with X only accounting for 16%. Interestingly, as X begins to disassociate itself from the Twitter we all knew (and once loved), only a mere 16% of PR pros are still planning to focus more on X going forward. A different fate for LinkedIn however as this platform remains king of the social media scene with 61% of PR pros intending to increase their LinkedIn use!
Despite this decline in usage for X, a staggering 82% of PR pros aren’t looking for an alternative. But, my social media crystal ball predicts a shift with some following Threads’ move to the Fediverse, an interoperable social platform ecosystem that allows users to like, follow, and interact with one another, no matter the social channel. If you’re still not familiar with the Fediverse, fear not – check out our first Talking Propeller Heads session!
Is your ear tuned in? Social listening is on the up, but still has a long way to go
Yes, X has lost ground in many ways for PR pros, but it’s still a platform that needs to be tracked with social listening tools.
Social listening for B2B companies is the process of monitoring and analyzing social media conversations and narratives to gain insights into customer pain points, market trends, and brand narratives. Social listening tools are essential – yet only one third of PR pros are using them daily!
The future’s AI? – handle with care!
The report shared figures on the growth in popularity of AI back in 2023, only 31% of respondents said their company should focus on integrating AI tools into their workflow. This figure has now grown to 44% – and has even outranked the importance of media relations at 43%!
But content must be kept creative, innovative, empathetic, and human, as we can see in Muck Rack’s analysis of successful media pitching!
The value of the personal touch in media pitching
It’s no surprise that media relations are a staple in PR, and a lot of our job relies heavily on the ability to understand a journalist’s mind, their objectives, and how to get their attention – the essential ingredients to translate outreach into coverage for client PR campaigns. So, it’s no surprise that media relations is ranked as the most common PR function (79%), with content creation following with 49%, and thought leadership with 46%.
Pitching to journalists is a unique art. We’ve said it before, spray and pray tactics won’t work! It’s all about subject matter relevance, research into industry-specific journalists, and personalized outreach. Muck Rack agrees, sharing that 37% of PR pros say marrying the pitch topic to the coverage area of the journalist is the most important factor in securing coverage.
That’s not all! 1:1 emails are the new gold standard pitching method for almost all PR pros, gone are the days of cookie-cutter mass emails – it’s time to drill into the details, and reap your rewards in coverage!
So, PR Pros using Generative AI such as ChatGPT, you have to read, understand, and think to get your pitches right!
In the wake of budget concerns – it’s time to make the case for PR and Marketing
Aside from AI and Media relations, strategic planning and data analysis were also ranked among the top four skills companies need to harness in the next five years for PR success. It’s clear that PR analysis is stepping up to the main stage, so make sure to check out our previous blogs for your PR and Marketing analytics crash courses!
According to the Muck Rack research, most PR pros expect their budgets to stay the same or rise over the next year but still report worries in financial resources. It’s time to make your case for further C-suite investment!
The top four most useful metrics to measure PR success are number of stories placed, reach and impressions, key message pull through, and website impact. Don’t just keep your metrics under the covers, make sure to share these with your C-suite and make the case for further resources!
As our CEO shared in this article for Marketing Profs, PR and Marketing pros need to get creative, and harness quality content, earned media placements, multi-platform media content, and integrate SEO tactics to spread their client’s message, and let their success metrics sing!
So step aside AI, it’s time to let the rest of PR shine!
Yes, AI has been the words on the lips of every PR and Marketing pro in the past year, but with new social media opportunities, personalized media pitching required, and analytics taking the PR hot seat, you need to keep your wits about you – because ChatGPT doesn’t have any 😊
Caitlin Goldsmith is PR Executive at IBA International
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