Richard Cook

Everyone else is at it so we thought we would have a go.

As we enter a new decade here are 5 predictions for the world of B2B Tech PR for the years ahead.

There will be more brands fighting for less, quality editorial
Stories will need to be stronger, spokespeople will need to be more agile and responsive and the media will need more facts and figures to substantiate their articles.

Earned media will become an essential component of the sales cycle.
B2B buyers will continue to be faced with complex decisions and masses of information. PR and sales working together will be a winning strategy for brands that need to raise credibility and trust through third-party endorsement.

PR will cease to be seen as just as an effective awareness or lead gen tool.
The volume of information published will continue to increase and will mean that share of voice will become less important. Instead, potency and impact on revenue will become more visible.

News snooze.
Campaigns that provoke and add genuine value to the B2B buyer will trump news about deals and partnerships. Self-serving news will get coverage but it won’t matter in most cases.

Trust in the media will bounce back.
But not all media will benefit. As consumers, we are becoming increasingly aware of fake news and what is worth reading. In the B2B world this will translate to stronger readerships for known, trusted titles, respected journalists and commentators and there will be less attention and energy given to pay for play editorial syndicated content.

Good news for those of us in the PR and editorial business. Remember a few years ago when content marketing, the interent, marketing automation and SEO were going to kill the editorial and PR industry?

Here’s to the 20’s.