Believe it or not, it’s time to step into 2018 and all that it has in store for PR, including the newest and best in technology, tools, and topics. In Silicon Valley it can often feel like the future is being beta tested before our very eyes, with robots roaming the streets and quirky, if not a little buggy, apps galore. Let’s take a look at what’s in store for 2018 based on some of the biggest trends in the Bay area.
It’s Warmer
The cold call is dead, and so are cold, impersonal, copy-paste emails. It has been predicted that millennials will kill the cold call by 2025, but I think it’s also safe to say that for many reporters (and PR professionals) the idea of picking up the phone or sending mass email pitches is already a thing of the past. Those antiquated methods won’t be missed: Reporters want personalized interaction based more on relationship building than the bottom line. In Silicon Valley, where it’s small enough that everyone in the industry knows each other, this relationship building is vital. Warm up your communications in 2018 and you’ll start to make those friendly and meaningful connections.
It’s Cutting Corners
In the Bay area, we’re always looking for ways to cut corners and save time. Just look at Uber Express Pool (yup, it’s a bus route) and the myriad of instant-delivery apps and services. In PR, cutting corners could mean prioritizing short and sweet social over long website copy, or creating short blog posts over press releases. Long press releases and emails aren’t getting the attention they used to anymore, so it’s time to seek greener pastures in 2018. Concise communication won’t just save you time, it’ll freshen up your messaging, too.
It’s Insta-Worthy
In 2017, Silicon Valley started prototyping ‘selfie factories,’ or made-for-Instagram art installations centered on snapping the perfect pic. 2018 is going to perfect the ‘selfie factory’ and if you’re not insta-worthy you’ll be left behind. The audience of 2018 is visual-obsessed and to reach them, your PR will have to be too. The support systems are ready and waiting to meet you there, with more social media and websites optimizing for visual content than ever before and new tools and applications to make graphic design easy and accessible. Jump into the visual trend with your PR in 2018 and you’re likely to see insta-results.
Are you as excited for 2018 as we are? Who knows what might be in store this upcoming year –flying cars? Delivery drones? Hyperloop travel? Whatever crazy future we may step into next year, you can make it the best yet for your brand by checking out our PR for the Digital Age eGuide. The forward-thinking and rapid development of Silicon Valley is the perfect model for the ever-changing PR industry, both of which will certainly continue to thrive in 2018.
