Five PR trends for 2022

27/01/2022 15:47:41

The importance of a good employer brand, being authentic, taking a stand, and keeping the human touch were some of the trends identified at the PRCA 2022 PR trends panel event this month.

Partners Director Monica Green attended the virtual event hosted by the PR industry’s trade body, and shares her views on some of the trends most relevant to our clients.

1. Employer brand

The UK, and much of the world, is experiencing labour shortages in certain sectors following the impact of the pandemic, which has led many people to reassess their life, including where they work and their goals.

With a million job vacancies in the UK, those who are dissatisfied with their current career are making a switch, so you need to think about how you can boost pay, provide benefits and change your work environment to secure and retain the top talent.

PR can help you to develop your employer brand: identify what makes you different to your competitors and communicate why you’re a great company to work for. Great PR can even help to cut your recruitment costs.

For more on this topic, read our post on why you should never overlook your employer brand.

2. Don’t cry wolf

2022 is the year for businesses to be truly authentic, honest and principled. The panel discussion warned businesses that “claims without evidence will be dismissed without evidence”, suggesting that consumers are tired of disingenuous claims and will not relate to brands that don’t stick to their pledges and principles.

PR has a role to play in helping companies to share their vision and values, and to take a stand on the issues that matter to them and their stakeholders. This will help customers to align with you, create greater understanding and better connections – and ultimately more sales.

3. Make it make sense

Last year saw the launch of the metaverse, adding another layer to the ways we use tech in our lives. Many businesses are embracing technology – encouraging customers to download an app, sign up to mailings, scan QR codes, buy online etc. Automation and tech can be fantastic, but the panel reminded businesses to keep the human touch. There’s nothing more frustrating than when tech goes wrong and you can’t speak to someone. This can often lead to social media complaints and damage to your reputation.

Keep listening to your customers and make sure they enjoy a positive experience of your business by combining the right amount of technology with real people.

4. The year of the “do-say” gap

Tackling climate change and sustainability will continue to be trends in 2022. After all the talk and commitments following last year’s COP26 climate change conference, consumers are feeling cynical and are now expecting real action. The time for talking seems to be over and it’s time to “do it and then tell your story”, according to the PRCA panel.

Small and large businesses alike need to share their commitments to sustainability with their stakeholders, communicate the actions they are taking , and demonstrate the progress they are making towards real change.

5. Be more inclusive

Here at Partners we work in many industries such as construction and manufacturing that traditionally are not as diverse and inclusive as others. This is leading to a real skills shortage, recruitment challenges and image problems. The panel shared the business benefits of diverse workforces and diverse leadership teams, outlining how being open to learning from others and committing to change can keep your business relevant, buoyant and profitable.

We started work this month with a manufacturing business that launched an e-commerce platform in 2020, delivering replacement parts quickly and easily to maintenance teams who may otherwise face machine downtime while they wait for spares. The platform combines online ordering with the backup of an experienced technical team and has enjoyed a successful first year of trading, with the team preparing to start exporting in 2022. Embracing technology in a sector that is viewed by many as staid or traditional is helping the business remain relevant and attract a more diverse workforce.

Five PR trends for 2022

1. Employer brand

2. Don’t cry wolf

3. Make it make sense

4. The year of the “do-say” gap

5. Be more inclusive

Ask for more help

Interested in more news and views?

Five reasons not to hire a PR firm

Mind-opening PR

Make me into a "thought leader"

10 top tips for modern PR

Why reputation management should be at the top of your priority list

“But how do I know if my PR campaign was a success?” – a guide to digital PR metrics

What’s an effective paid, owned and earned (POE) media strategy?

What has PR ever done for us?

Telling your story in a digital world

B2B digital PR strategy: Four key steps to success

Creating business value through effective PR

Media myth-busting

How a robust PR strategy can support future growth

Can you really measure ‘brand awareness’?

Going global: why you need to go beyond borders with your PR

Events and awareness days: how can we integrate them with PR?

Going for growth? Don’t set off without PR

How to do PR well in the Post Covid world

The four As of crisis communication

Instagram - Get the Picture?

Time to evolve your communications approach?

Why a good story should be the spine of your marketing strategy

LinkedIn Dos and Don'ts

Why a well-built website is your most powerful PR tool

Why news releases are no longer just for the media

Busting some popular PR myths

Keep calm in a crisis: how to handle product recalls

Talking the talk: why staff communication is essential for mergers and acquisitions

Why you should never overlook your ‘employer brand'

Let's talk