Key 2014 Marketing Trends part 3

In the final part of our look at marketing trends for 2014, Faye, Liz, Guy and Natalie discuss what they think will shape PR over the coming months.

Faye Harris-Frost, senior public relations account manager: Targeted editorial
Our clients come to us again and again for our insight and experience in the big wide world of construction marketing. Being able to provide our clients with well researched, correctly targeted editorial and copy for on and offline has always been a ‘trend’ and 2014 will see this requirement being more ‘trendy’ than ever!

Liz Slack, public relations account executive. Getting social
It might seem an obvious choice but I don’t envisage any slowing down in the popularity of social media. The majority of our clients operate in the B2B arena and now more than ever social media allows such companies to reach their chosen markets effectively. While Facebook is the king of the hill without doubt, Twitter, Linkedin, Vimeo, Pinterest etc all offer tangible channels for B2B clients to get their message out.

Guy Atkinson, director of PR: Credibility
With more technology available than ever before everyone can stake a claim to being a journalist but, more than ever, people want to be able to cut through the noise and listen to credible, informed and informative pieces of journalism. I believe that this desire will only increase throughout 2014 and that by the end of the year we’ll be in a position where content is more concerned with examining topical issues than it is with garnering cheap hits.

Natalie Thomas, PR account executive: Quality photography
The current world of photography would be completely alien to Joseph Nicéphore Niépce – the 19th century Frenchman considered by many to be the world’s first photographer. From Victorian innovation and photographic film to DSLR and camera phones, photography has ‘developed’ dramatically since Joseph’s time – now we can capture every moment of our lives to share around the world. The quality of photography can, however, vary considerably and in 2014 I predict a growing demand for imagery of a better quality than ever before. A picture is worth 1,000 words, so they say, and a high quality picture is worth not only 1,000 words but also a multitude of PR coverage in trade, regional, national and online press and a plethora of brand credibility!