Virtual Tools Shaping Modern PR Trends

​Virtual tools are indispensable in today’s age of digital PR. Since much of life’s activities today are done in the digital space, PR professionals need to equip themselves with the right tools that will help them to navigate this space as they promote their brands.  But of course since technology is moving at a fast pace, existing tools evolve over time and new tools emerge on the scene frequently. It is therefore up to the savvy PR professional to remain abreast of these changes in order to remain relevant and effective.

A Solid Database
PR professionals need to have communications access to a very strong network of professionals. At the top of this list are journalists who can be relied on for assistance with sharing big news, press releases etc. Another important category for this database is influencers, those popular online personalities whose support and promotion of a brand can help to pull in global attention. An updated database, supported of course by strong and positive relationships with these individuals, puts the savvy PR executive and by extension, the brand that he/she represents at a distinct advantage.
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Artificial Intelligence and Interactive Software
Interactions lie at the center of any public relations plan- mainly interactions between representatives of a brand and the people in its target market. Artificial Intelligence is a tool that ecommerce experts use for a variety of purposes. In the PR world, artificial intelligence and interactive software offer PR teams several opportunities to create or simulate these interactions Through chatbots for instance, PR teams can offer customers a more individualized experience as they interact with the brand.  Chatbots are efficient as they have the capacity provide real time responses to thousands of queries in real time.
Artificial intelligence can help PR professionals to identify and predict the habits and preferences of specific audiences and plan more targeted campaigns.
 
Social Media
Social media is a PR tool with quite a bit of history, but it has evolved over the years to remain relevant even as technology has advanced.  Social media remains a powerful tool for the sharing of infographics, short form content as well as videos. But with the advent of artificial intelligence and tools like chatbots, social media has developed new and exciting ways to reach an audience.
Video Creating Software and Apps
Video content is largely underutilized in the SEO world but it can be a pretty powerful PR tool. While infographics, written content and images will continue to be base of content arsenals, video content adds a special appeal.  Apps and platforms that facilitate video creation are therefore very important to the modern PR expert. Among the favourites you’ll find apps like GoVideo, which allows users to merge data on their screens with their own voiceovers to create video presentations and Tubechop which facilitates the removal of specific snippets from YouTube videos for more targeted use.
 
Live Streaming Sites and Virtual Meeting Platforms
Sites that facilitate live streaming or virtual meetings will be useful for modern PR teams.  These two information delivery methods help to extend the reach of the PR message. Live streaming of promotional events, for example, helps to pull the attention of an audience that is wider than just those who are on the physical location. Webinars and other virtual meetings allow people from varying locations to join discussions and participate in virtual promotional activities.
While these digital tools make things easier for PR experts, they won’t eliminate the need for strategic planning and the development of relationships. The outstanding PR professional will be the one who is able to use these tools to deliver strategically crafted content and build strong brand-consumer relationships.

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