Integration of new-age communication tools in the dynamic media landscape

Today, modern technology dominates communication and is significantly changing the media landscape. The digital age comes with a plethora of communication challenges for traditional mainstream media who are fighting for audience engagement. This media revolution is opening the community to different channels for viewing media content.

Now, through digital media, anyone can be a journalist. The user has become the axis of the communication process, content has become the identity of media, and multimedia has become the new language in this up-to-the-minute technology-driven communication world. For PR professionals, embracing these new tools offers new opportunities to engage their client’s audiences.

Traditional vs. Digital Approach

Five years ago there was a clear divide between traditional and digital approaches. Now, the approach must simply be the PR strategy with digital and traditional as important channels in order to achieve awareness. The benefit of digital PR is that it is much easier to track metrics such as engagement, clearer audience reach and open rates making it more measurable. That being said, traditional PR still holds an important role and the understanding of media relations and crisis communications are key for any communications professional.

Social Media is Changing the Communications Scene 

Social media isn’t just changing the scenario; it is becoming a dominant driver of how the media operates. Smart communications teams are seeing how they can fully integrate social media into their communications programs. This can be through organic and paid media interactions. The forward-thinking firms are now engaging with social media influencers and developing programs to incorporate them. Crucial to a great social media program are benchmarks and metrics to demonstrate measurable effectiveness. 

Role of Owned, Paid and Earned Exposure

While traditional earned media was the favourite tactic of PR in the past, now a holistic strategy comprised of earned, paid, owned channels are essential for any integrated communications campaign. Creating engaging, thought-provoking content through owned media, which is further amplified with paid and owned efforts is essential to maximise a client’s share of voice and gain a bigger reach. Another part of this integrated strategy should also include an employee brand advocacy program that makes the content work harder. In the digital age, peer-to-peer commendations are the most influential advertising tools obtainable. When done right, nurturing brand advocacy program can lead to numerous company-wide benefits, with an increase in sales and positive brand sentiment, as well as a greater share of voice in the community.

Perks of Video Content

Video content brings the subject matter to life. In the field of financial technology communications, it can make some of the most complex subjects simplified so that a wider audience can understand what the brand represents and the clients that are catered. As digital continues to grow video is an area that will become another key channel that is part of any digital strategy and those brands that don’t will get left behind.

Design, Data and Content Creation Skills in Modern PR

Working for a Fortune 500 organisation with a global presence it is essential to have a consistent overarching brand image and content message that is localised for each market. For example, FIS’ signature research programs aimed at banking, payments and capital markets audiences. FIS conducts three programs throughout the year researching key challenges of both the customers and consumers. Then the data is analysed to gain greater insight on particular themes depending on region or audience. Through the insight from the data, and at the heart of these programs, is content. Content offers multiple avenues to share the findings with the audiences whether it’s on social, GDN, blogs, media interviews or marketing EDMs. 

All said, this new transformation in the communication tools should not be taken in an apocalyptical way, but it should be considered, instead, as the prospect to redefine the profiles, the professional challenges and the training of communicators, and also to redesign the changing nature of media landscape and PR.

Melanie Hesketh
Global Communications Director at FIS
Melanie has over 15 years of experience and has been leading global marketing communications campaigns. She specialises in financial technology communications with a deep understanding of banking (retail, commercial, investment), broker-dealers, payments, asset management (including private equity, hedge funds, institutional), and capital markets.

2 Comments on "Integration of new-age communication tools in the dynamic media landscape"

  1. Very true

  2. Is content moving towards a n unidentified situation as classified content is still a question at level playing field

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