Are you still making lemonade from the lemons? Its’ time to turn it into a martini. While last year as communication professionals we identified the opportunities brought by Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Public Relations, this is the year to apply it. Research outlining the social listening, tags, competition update and industry outlook is the first step towards stimulating creative thinking and figuring out “the way” for your brand.
Iron man cannot be imagined without a ‘J.A.R.V.I.S’ and just like that all of us need our own intelligent system to complement our creative capabilities. The industry needs professionals to infuse a blend of creativity and AI into their every approach. Whether it is a campaign or a launch, advising the brand on how they can get the build reputation by adopting a unique approach can lead to an exceptional outcome. With the support of AI, we can expect more individuality in bridging the gap between consumers and brands.
Let’s talk about how we can do things differently as publicists while we are armed with the power of intelligent automation.
Track real time and rolls with the punches
The number of media monitoring and analytics tool in the industry is increasing and tools such as Cision and Meltwater have made PR almost measurable. Another benefit has been streamlined routine workflow and reduced time for task completion. Apart from improving the organisation’s ability to track media coverage and sentiment in real-time, the direct impact of AI on marketing has been in the form of SEO optimisation and enhanced personalisation. This has freed up a lot of time for senior professionals to put in their time towards planning and strategising post analysing the current sentiment through the tools at disposition. The executives have the opportunity to add the flavour of creativity while they keep their eyes and ears open for the suitable opportunities for the brands. While execution still plays a major role, the responsibility as an advisor has evolved with the news cycle changing every day.
Informed storytelling through driver and outcome approach
A strong story emerges from the uniqueness of the media pitch and takes shape with an irreplaceable perspective backed by proof points. As per Q2 2021 Propel Media Barometer, 8% of media pitches sent to journalists resulted in a published article. Most of the professionals struggle with identifying the story and aligning it with the current trends. Customising the story as per the driver of the story (medium of communication) gives us control over the outcome. While the skill of building reliable connections is imperative for industry professionals, a well-researched pitch can go a long way in building connections with the journalist. While there is no platform which gives us an idea of the trending themes, social media monitoring takes care of keeping you updated if you follow the right hashtags.
Building on analytics through “crawl-walk-run”
The adoption of analytics is picking up pace in the industry but its utilisation is still underrated. While every executive can gather insights by studying data, a proficient solution for every organisation will be to have a specific team. A weekly study of the trends will further help professionals in coping with the dynamic media industry. Building upon analytics step by step will be crucial for growth in the era of smart analytics.
The power of “Creative Hour”
To truly manifest the power of AI, it is necessary to understand the right set of data and its use. This can be achieved with a creative hour where the team members brainstorm on what was the one thing that they learned through the week and how they are going to apply it for their client. With remote working, this can be a true asset for everyone to grow together and expand their knowledge.
If you are facing an apocalypse (crisis situation), AI will not save you like a prince charming but it will definitely stand by your side like an avenger and help you while you save your brand. It might even be able to predict it beforehand if you have the access to an intelligent tool. Considering the fact that it will even “do the math” for you when it comes to taking an outcome based approach, it is a segment where brands should invest to better equip their advisors. We urge professionals to start developing a strategy today which will help them in understanding the use and advantage of AI’s current functionality and its likely future.
The views and opinions published here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publisher.
As a professional with strong analytical and research skills, she aspires to become a leading communication professional.
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