These variations have led to a fusion of the traditionally separate disciplines of internal and external communications, which looks set to continue in the coming years, as well as an emphasis on social responsibility within and outside the organization through ESG criteria.
The importance of companies taking positions and meeting both their audiences and employees head-on when relevant issues arise is very much on the minds of communicators and will be throughout 2023, without forgetting the relevance of metrics and the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
During this year, internal communication has focused on the commitment to employees. Regardless of whether the modality is remote or hybrid, communications have been present encouraging managers to keep the pulse in the organization, participate in the harmonious transition to the “new normal” and help the company to keep employees involved and inspire them to connect with their mission and purpose.
With an increasingly participatory and critical society, in the midst of a polarized environment and a fragile economy, communicators must expect the demands and needs of the communities to grow, so we must encourage organizations to take a more active position. , beyond the discourse, and execute more directed, serious, collaborative and profound actions.
In 2023, the transition from public relations (PR) professionals to “marketing communications” or “integrated communications” roles can be expected to continue. It’s never been more important for PR and marketing to align and work together, especially as organizations shift their focus from earned media to owned media and digital marketing.
The presence of the ASG gained momentum as a result of the fact that it jumped the fence of the financial sector to imbue itself in the corporate world in general, thanks to the fact that it has demonstrated its impact on the value of the brand and the transformation that it is making in governance, giving greater space for women and minorities in general, and adopting DE&I (Diversity, Equity and Equality) policies.
While AI services are increasingly being used for monitoring, web analytics, social listening, and content development primarily, PR has always had a difficult relationship with measuring its impact. As the economy slows, companies will not settle for PR agencies or departments reporting “we are building brand trust”. Instead, we will need to find concrete ways to demonstrate ROI. That doesn’t mean we have to use the same metrics as marketing (in fact, we shouldn’t), but 2023 is the year PR and data must learn to mesh.
We communication professionals know this, and top job assignments prove it: the money in PR and the deep respect of senior management will be earned by those who show results beyond abundant media coverage. As PRs evolve, so do their features and metrics. This is expected in 2023.