THOUGHTS

The technology PR sector is an exciting place to be as COVID-19 accelerates the pace of digital transformation.

Virtual reality (VR) has long held the spotlight when it comes to immersive technologies, and its show-stealing tendencies have only grown in recent months.

As our founder and CEO Victoria Usher explained in a recent article for the European Business Review, it’s vital for business leaders to raise their profile and work on their personal brand.

The news agenda is in sharp focus during the COVID-19 pandemic. Culture secretary Oliver Dowden even described the media as a “fourth emergency service,” providing access to quality information at a time of uncertainty.

Four years ago, John Willis — founder of sports charity Power2Inspire — had an idea. While watching the women compete in their Boat Race on the Thames, just before the men’s race, he dreamt of creating an inclusive event: a rowing race where many different people were united in competition.

Search engine optimisation – or SEO – is a vital part of a business’ digital marketing strategy at any time, but it is particularly crucial during the unique circumstances surrounding COVID-19.

The beginning of June usually sees the great and the good of the media and marketing world preparing for Cannes Lions and relishing the thought of soaking up the sunshine on La Croisette.

With consumers more likely to make purchasing decisions based on how a business responded during the Coronavirus pandemic, now is the time for industry leaders to show up and use all available resources to demonstrate how they can make a difference.

The lines between online and offline continue to blur as technology becomes increasingly integrated into real-world activities, augmenting all aspects of business and everyday life.

Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, newsworthiness is largely in the mind of the journalist. Put bluntly, a story is only newsworthy if a journalist is willing to cover it.

Coronavirus has changed many aspects of online advertising, but passion for programmatic remains strong.

Back in 2014, business leaders at the Global Leadership Summit in London were confident remote working would be the norm by 2020. A third of them believed that – by now – half of their full-time workforce would be staying at home, or at least based outside of a traditional office.

“Reach for the stars so if you fall, you land on a cloud.” This is the guidance offered by Kanye West in the 2007 song ‘Homecoming’. That may have been sound advice back then, but in 2020 the cloud itself — and specifically cloud computing — is a worthy goal for most businesses.

Good communications are vital to help C-suite leaders steer their businesses through COVID-19 turbulence but finding the best path will depend on careful, multi-faceted navigation.

The Covid-19 pandemic is a tragic affair, but there are positive developments emerging from the situation.

With unprecedented public health and economic measures causing a shockwave for businesses, communication is more important than ever.

Covid-19 is changing the way nearly all companies operate, whether that’s simply because their employees are working from home or because of a temporary downturn in business.

If anyone was ever in any doubt about the value of communication, the Coronavirus lockdown has surely changed their minds.

Measuring PR success is notoriously difficult. Qualitative objectives are normally focused on building trust, reputation and brand awareness.

Pitching is a key skill for any PR professional, so it’s crucial to get it right. You could have the best story to offer, but it’s no good if you can’t capture a journalist’s interest in the first place.

For all the talk of social media displacing traditional channels in news consumption, television remains the primary platform, with 75% of UK adults regularly tuning in.

Audiences no longer consume TV in the traditional way, with two in five UK adults now considering on-demand video services to be their main way of watching TV and film.

It can be hard to find time in your schedule to meet with a journalist over a coffee (or a cocktail), but face-to-face meetings are essential if you want to develop a solid relationship and strong foundation with the media.

All work and no play might make Jack a dull boy, but it’s also taking its toll on the UK’s workforce and the PR industry specifically.

Insurance may not be the first industry you think of when it comes to a technological revolution. Communications is likely to top that list, followed by the retail, manufacturing, and logistics trades.