How to apply the content trends to our PR work if we have just eight seconds to grab the audience’s attention?
Studies show that the human attention span is narrowing down, some even report that it is just eight seconds! Despite the discussions around the exact number, it is undeniable that we, PR professionals, don’t have the luxury of time to attract somebody to read our content. With millions of fresh content produced every day, and only 8 seconds to win the game, it is indeed a significant challenge for content creators to make their work stand out and attract audiences.
There are some trends on the lookout for PR and communications professionals in 2023 to craft your content strategically to better utilize these precious eight seconds.
Less is more – Simplified your message
The births of different social media platforms with short content forms like Twitter, Vines, Snapchat, and recently Tik Tok, show that people prefer short and punchy stories. Therefore, we should deliver the brand message should be concise to deliver the brand’s value. Images and videos can be used to compress a lengthy wall of text.
This applies to your media pitches, too. Grab attention right from your subject line, and keep the body crispy with the short bullet points or in a few sentences, along with visuals if possible to quickly convey your client’s message.
Quality over quantity
Since the preferred content is becoming more condensed, it is even more essential to make it sweeter. Our attention spans may be getting shorter, but content that is highly relevant or entertaining can still keep the audience longer. Podcasts are proving their popularity despite them being long-form content that requires longer engagement. It is estimated that the number of podcast listeners will surpass 160 million in 2023.
Tailor-made pitches will work more effectively in 2023 when it comes to media pitching. Mass pitching strategy should be shifted to customized pitches with stories that are crafted to target the readers’ demographic and preferences of each media publication. Content creators need to stay on top of the discussions for each industry to really understand the situation. By doing so, you will be able to find the hook that has relevance to your brand’s message and starts building your content from that point.
Create connections with empathy and understanding
If you can show that you are one of your readers – know who they are and what their pain points are, then offer them a tangible solution – there’s a higher chance for them to read your blog post or watch your video. Stand from your audience’s point of view to craft your brand message. Think of what impacts them and provide them with what they will care about most.
It is also important to think beyond that and shift your focus to the bigger picture to build an image of a social-responsible brand. You need to take the looming recession and rising costs into account when you start building your content plan in 2023. Be mindful of what is going on in global news, either positive or negative. Don’t let your campaign be the victim of bad timing, which is totally avoidable!
Interactive & personalized content
PR pros can use different platforms in one campaign to create and share content that the target audience can interact with to increase exposure and call for engagement. One message can create numerous content in different forms to distribute via many channels, i.e. blog posts, newsletters, reels, etc,. This helps in showcasing that your brand is present wherever the consumers are. Furthermore, to create content that is even more personalized, you will need to look at the latest available research for data and stats to come to the appropriate conclusion to enhance the connection and inclusivity between the content and the audience.
A well-crafted personalized PR pitch will not only resonate better with the audience but will also be preferred by media publishers. Depending on your purpose, you can reach out to them via different channels. Twitter might be the best platform to seek instant opportunities or replies whereas LinkedIn is more suitable for professional relationships and thought leadership.
In the end, there is no one-size-fits-all formula for content creation. Do not limit your creativity by reaching out to more opportunities. Keep learning, researching, and studying every day to enrich your capabilities.
Contact us to learn more about content trend applications to your brand message and win the challenge!
“Life was a willow and it bent right to your wind” – Taylor Swift
Tracy Doan
DIGITAL PR SPECIALIST