10 Yetis Insight Blog - PR Predictions for 2017 & Beyond

Last week, I celebrated eight awesome years working here at 10 Yetis PR Agency. As you can imagine, the industry now looks very different indeed to the one I started out in as an eager-to-learn 18-year-old.

There's no doubt that the years to come will bring even more changes to the way we work; such is the life of a PR person. We have to adapt to ensure our methods and campaigns fit with the ever-changing digital scene and constantly keep abreast of the latest 'big thing' in the PR world. Over the years, there have been ebbs and flows of these 'big things', from infographics and stunts to video campaigns and link-building tactics.

As the year comes to a close, I've started to think about what next year will look PR-wise and I've come up with a few predictions which I want to share with you all.

1.Influencers Will Become Even More Crucial

Influencer outreach is now a big part of most PR professionals' day-to-day lives and it's something we've integrated into our campaigns for a long while. However, I think that big things will happen with influencer outreach in 2017 and that it will become even more important for us PR folk to really do our homework when it comes to the world of bloggers, vloggers, celebrities and social media influencers. We'll all need to make sure our influencer network is as strong as it can be, to really capitalise on the PR opportunities these authoritative voices present.

2.Link Building Will Get Tougher

This is something we've already witnessed recently, but I predict that securing links (especially of the high domain authority and follow varieties) within our online media coverage will become increasingly difficult. Many media outlets have already clamped down on how freely they give out links, so it's likely that this will become our next big challenge. Even in a tough PR for SEO climate, we've still managed to secure links for our clients on really authoritative websites like the BBC, so fear not my friends... it can still be done :)

3.The 'Press Release' Will Fizzle Out

PR people rely on press releases less and less now and I personally think that's a good thing. I think the 'press release' as we know it will start to drop off and more coverage will be obtained through actual conversations with journalists and just getting them the exact information they need. Press releases will become SO 2016 and we'll all become much better equipped to sell in a story without one.

4.Editorial Teams Will Shrink Further

It's no secret that editorial teams at print and online publications, especially the nationals, are getting smaller and there's more of a reliance on freelancers now. For PR people, this can be a good thing, because journalists' time is more stretched and they need our help more than ever; but it also comes with its challenges, because they are now too time poor to lend an ear to our ideas and pitches. As PR professionals, we'll have to identify more freelancers and build relationships with them to get them onside for our story sell-in efforts.

5.Increased Focus on Measurement

PR is notoriously hard to measure in terms of its success and what one brand considers to be an absolute belter of a result, another might nonchalantly shrug away, as they wait for the next win to be sent to their inbox. I think that, moving in to 2017, there'll be more of a demand from clients to provide clear measurement. Perhaps there's a complex and ingenius PR measurement tool being built, right now, as I type this. Whatever the case, we'll need to explain ourselves more and try even harder to demonstrate that the results we achieve really can - and do - make a difference.

6.Another Paper Will Go Online-Only

Following in the footsteps of The Independent, I predict that at least one other national newspaper will make the move to online-only. Print sales across the board aren't exactly moving any mountains, and as people rely more on the web to consume their news, digital will continue to take over. I'm not naming and names as to which paper I think this could be, but it'll be interesting to see if this does happen.

7.Cross Platform Campaigns Will Build Momentum

Without sounding boastful, 10 Yetis has been leading the way in the cross platform campaign arena for some time. We just can't get enough of those PR projects with oh-so-many layers; a bit of PR here, a video there, a sprinkle of stunts and maybe even a microsite to boot. Oh yeah, and don't forget the SEO element. This type of campaign will become more prevalent than ever in 2017, with agencies looking to offer clients a more holistic approach that ticks all the boxes.

Now I'm not the next Mystic Meg by any means, but I do think that at least a few of these will ring true in the year to come. What do you think will change in our weird and wonderful industry in 2017 and beyond? Share your predictions in the comments section below.