The chaotic year of 2020 is finally over, but the problems it brought with it are still here. With the new year comes fresh marketing and public relations trends for industries to keep in mind when mapping strategies for 2021. Anyone in the communications world understands how important it is to be aware of trends. The past couple months have especially shown how crucial it is for PR and marketing professionals to be on top of current events and issues on the media landscape (we’re looking at you, pandemic, rocky political season, and social climate changes).
Utilize the right social media influencers
With the ongoing pandemic, social media usage increased significantly, and up and coming influencers saw a spike in their followers. Content marketers and PR pros should coordinate social media influencer deals during 2021. Social media is a very prevalent platform now, and will continue to be for years to come. Although public relations and marketing aren’t the exact same as social media, they are all in the same ballpark. When combined, these three elements can dramatically increase brand awareness and revenue.
Highlight core values and political stances, but tread carefully
2020 brought a year of chaos in the media landscape, thanks to a rise in conversations about diversity, the environment, and politics. Bottom line? Customers care about brands’ core values and political viewpoints and they will vote with their dollars. When possible (and approved by the client), share these brandstands with the media, and through marketing! Consider centering pitches or marketing campaigns around your client’s values, especially if they are doing something extraordinary or are considered newsworthy at the moment.
It’s time to jump on the SEO bandwagon
If content marketers aren’t already creating SEO content, it’s now or never! In 2021, stop trying to figure out how to attract readers and viewers to your content. Instead, skip the guesswork and utilize SEO to target and deliver your content to the right audience, faster. Using SEO allows businesses to get their ideal demographic’s eyes on their content in a more efficient way. Implementing SEO is not only a trending marketing tool, but it can also cut costs in the long run. Here’s a big hint: company blogs and website copy should serve multiple purposes. The obvious reason is to inform and create worthwhile content, but it’s also an expert way to attract the right readers and viewers.
Don’t wait any longer to put these prevalent marketing and PR trends into action. Restaurants that include these types of forward thinking trends and approaches into their strategy now will have the advantage over competitors during the year ahead.
Alexis Krisay is co-founder and president of marketing, and Melissa DiGianfilippo is co-founder and president of public relations at Serendipt Consulting.
