As a PR professional, you might wonder why paying attention to trends and predictions is important but the simple reason is that it gives you a global view of the industry. The concept “think globally, act locally”, comes into play, inviting professionals to look beyond their comfort zones and aim for global excellence.
Last year, some of the predictions we shared included Artificial Intelligence (AI) generated content becoming more mainstream as well humanisation and empathy in communication. 2024 proved these predictions to be true as AI generated content trended across various platforms and brands took on a more human approach in relating to audiences.
The year is shaping up to be an interesting one for the Public Relations (PR) industry. As technology continues to evolve and consumer expectations shift, here are some trends to look out for in 2025:
1. Employee Advocacy
Previously the industry saw a shift from celebrities to social media influencers as the faces of brands. A new trend is emerging and it is one that involves empowering employees to become brand ambassadors on social media.
When looking for influencers, organisations tend to look outwards to find the right voices to amplify their brand but more organisations are starting to see the value of working with their own employees as brand ambassadors.
Employee advocacy requires getting employees on board to promote the organisation on social media which in turn requires a positive workplace culture. Why this works with audiences is that the average employee is more likely to be disgruntled or dissatisfied with their workplace. If an employee comes on the internet to say positive things about the oraganisation they work with, it will garner attention because it is not the norm.
Audiences are more curious than ever about what goes on behind the scenes with the brands and organisations that are trying to reach them. Employees can provide a human connection with audiences that brands cannot find anywhere else.
2. Data-driven storytelling
With the rapid changes on social media platforms and algorithms, the emphasis on using data as a pointer towards the interests of audiences is only going to grow.
Data has become a big factor in the decision making process for many organisations and it’s going to be an equally important factor for the stories we tell. Data can point us to what our audience wants and what they absolutely do not want to see from us.
Professionals need to develop the ability to turn raw data into easy-to-read and easy-to-understand plain stories that help turn insights into action. Companies are also looking beyond basic numbers to understand their true impact.
3. Social Impact and Brand Values
Another interesting trend is that consumers are choosing brands based on their social and environmental work. Due to this, environmental, social, and governance (ESG), a business principle that prioritises environmental issues, social issues, and corporate governance has begun to gain prominence among organisations.
Issues like global warming, climate change and social injustice are areas of key focus when audiences and investors scrutinise companies. Socially conscious investors use ESG criteria to screen potential investments.
There were a lot of movements last year and many times, organisations and celebrities were called out for not using their platforms to support these causes or for supporting in name only. Today’s customer expects companies to show real action behind their promises.
While some organisations have foundations that support social causes and offer grants, some others focus on amplifying their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
Are you excited about integrating any of these trends in your Communications strategy? We hope you are and if you’re interested in doing some more digging in PR and Communications trends for the year, here’s some recommendations for a more comprehensive reading:
- PR Trends 2025 by Grow Public Relations
- The Biggest Communications Storylines for 2025 by PR Daily
- Embracing Change: The Future of PR in 2025 by Agility PR
- PR Trends Your Brand Should Be Dominating in 2025 by Meltwater
- Trends That Will Shape the Public Relations Space in 2025 by Marketing Edge
- 2025 PR Predictions: Transforming Work Life and Business by PR Newswire
- 2025 Predictions: The Future of Communications by Worldcom Public Relations Group
