How Digital Are PR Agencies?

Digitalization is now indispensable in many areas of life and business. In the PR industry, social media and SEO are daily topics, yet before the pandemic, working from home was rare, and clippings or PR reports were typically in paper form.

No Going Back

63% of PR professionals want to work from home at least part of the time, and 71% enjoy working from home. Our latest study, "PR in the Changing Times," echoes these trends and will be published in early October - so stay tuned!

Given these numbers, it seems very unlikely that PR agencies or in-house PR departments will insist on mandatory office presence again. Other digital measures adopted during the pandemic will also likely remain relevant even as normalcy returns.

 

Spontaneous Software for the Long Haul?

2020 and 2021 required a lot of improvisation in content, internal operations, and management, as no one foresaw the various lockdowns and the sudden shift to remote work. While last year saw mostly ad hoc solutions, 2021 will witness a significant professionalization. Despite the easing of restrictions, digital events, like award ceremonies, are likely to persist. Moreover, the possibilities of the online world are increasingly being utilized in traditional PR work, such as remote interviews.

 

Digital Management

Constant algorithm changes, new blogs, sites, and influencers require PR professionals to maintain a well-managed network to effectively spread their messages. Time saved through digital communication must be invested in relationship building. Automated birthday emails are no longer sufficient; communication must be more personal and individualized. Thus, modern, software-based distribution management is essential. This view is shared by Thomas Dillmann, editor-in-chief of the PR Journal, as he mentioned in an interview for our new market study.

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Podcasts

Dr. Drosten's podcast on the coronavirus makes it clear: there are podcasts on almost every topic, and they are widely listened to.

24% of Germans already listen to podcasts regularly, and this number is growing every year.

Therefore, podcasts are becoming increasingly interesting in the PR field. This trend was further confirmed by the hype around the new social media platform Clubhouse in the spring, although its popularity faded quickly. Podcasts are becoming another important digital medium for PR agencies to utilize. Uwe Mommert, managing partner and founder of Landau Media, also sees audio formats like podcasts as a significant trend in the PR industry.

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Conclusion

The coronavirus crisis has harmed many businesses worldwide, including the PR industry. However, the lockdown also had some positive side effects, primarily the push towards digitalization, especially in PR agencies. In 2021, PR managers should reflect on their working methods during the lockdown and hopefully continue to use many of the digital practices and tools to avoid regressing in the industry.