Technology Is Changing PR and Marketing Forever Three steps to evolve alongside technology in your PR and marketing efforts going into 2022.
By Jaxon Parrott Edited by Amanda Breen
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
We're living in the most technologically advanced time in history. With the increasing rise of a myriad of technological upgrades, changes and inventions, it is safe to say that nearly every industry is rapidly evolving. One such industry is marketing and public relations.
Running a tech PR and marketing firm myself, AuthorityTech, I have seen firsthand how technology is rapidly changing the very fabric of how companies are building and marketing their brands. The very foundation of this rapid change, in my perspective, is the fundamental transition of how we as humans gather, perceive and consume information.
Before the internet, there was a very limited amount of sources from which we could consume news and information: the local newspaper, perhaps the local news channel if you had a TV, physical books and literature, and, lastly, conversation with other people. Put simply, access to information was slow.
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But as we enter 2022, there are so many options it is frankly overwhelming. Google, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, digital magazines like Entrepreneur, the list goes on and on and on. Everything is accessible in an instant and consumable in seconds to minutes.
With the increasingly fast-paced changes that technology has brought, there is only one option for companies: to embrace the change. But how exactly do companies adapt their marketing and PR efforts?
From my experience, the specifics are not one-size-fits-all, but the overall approach is almost always the same. Take these three steps to move your brand into the digital age.
1. Build a brand, not just a company
It is no longer enough just to have a good product or service, or to talk about the "specs" or technicalities of your company. It is, however, absolutely essential to develop a brand that truly resonates with people — a brand they see themselves in.
Steve Jobs and Apple are a perfect example. Jobs did such an incredible job of "humanizing" the brand of Apple that thousands upon thousands of people wept at the time of his death and even made various tribute videos on his behalf. What other company and founder do you know of where people felt so connected to their brand that they literally wept at the time of the founder's passing? If this doesn't encapsulate the power that building a brand around your company has, I don't know what does.
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2. Leverage outlets where your audience actually is, not where you "think" they are
Most companies don't really know who or where their actual audience is. They simply try to push their product or service by marketing themselves everywhere, or worse yet, they don't market at all due to overwhelm. It is absolutely vital to understand exactly who your target audience is down to the last detail: knowing how they think, what they believe and how they behave. Once you understand this, you will have a much better idea of how to design your content and marketing strategy. Rather than marketing to everyone in every outlet, you will be able to market and speak directly to your exact customer in the specific digital mediums in which they reside.
3. Adapt with technology or disintegrate
It's clear that technology is rapidly evolving, and, therefore, your marketing and PR strategy must constantly evolve as well. Rather than blindly accepting a strategy, it is vitally important to consider how it can be improved with technology. There are so many tools to make content creation, distribution and tracking exponentially more efficient and cost-effective. If your marketing and PR team or agency is not implementing cutting-edge technology within their strategy, now is the time to begin looking into alternatives. From project management to communication, media relations and media buying, there are incredible tools that can be found via a simple Google search. To succeed and thrive in your marketing efforts, never accept the status quo and always push the boundaries of efficiency with technology.
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Marketing and public relations are ever-changing, and the only way to truly stand out from the crowd is to deeply understand how we as humans are consuming and perceiving information. To simply "do things as they always have been done" is no longer an option if your goal is to provide massive value and invoke change with your products or services. Consumers and businesses are nothing more than individuals who are constantly offering their attention, and the only way to climb to the top of your market is to ensure your brand attracts that attention. Prioritizing adaptability will allow you to thrive as we continue into the digital-transformation age.
