2024 marked the ten-year anniversary of Communications Week, an event I founded to provide communicators with a space to network, connect, and learn from each other. Back in 2014, our event theme was “media disruption”—a theme that has only grown in prominence over the last ten years.
This year, in what has been both a challenging and opportunistic 2024, we celebrated the future of communications at large. Amidst disruption across industries, communicators have been the bedrock of positive change across businesses. It was refreshing to gather as an industry collective and discuss those areas ripe for innovation, and specifically, how the PR ecosystem can continue to evolve to drive value beyond measure.
As the media landscape experiences greater fragmentation, we’ve learned there is no one-size-fits-all approach to communications. For example, communicators have an opportunity to leverage social media, influencers (both consumer-focused and B2B), and platforms like LinkedIn as channels for thought leadership.
This is why it’s imperative to think with an agile-first mindset and be stealth and strategic in approach. Let’s explore a few key takeaways that emerged during this year’s event:
Earned media has evolved
From podcasts to substacks, the type of content we’re consuming and engaging with is on the rise. Traditional earned wins are harder to come by due to shrinking newsrooms and increased competition. For communications professionals to stay agile, we must look to other channels to drive third-party credibility.
Also, recent events have shown that the paradigm for breaking and sharing news has changed. A company today might choose to break news on an executive’s LinkedIn channel before targeted, earned media outreach. It’s a new approach to the traditional news distribution model, and one designed to maximize outputs and take new channels into account.
The implementation of AI
Companies have moved from tactical experimentation to strategic implementation of AI. The adoption of Gen AI moved at light speed in 2024, but it is not going to replace the role of the strategic communicator.
Gen AI models don’t have the ability to look forward and tell a strategic and creative story, so there will always be value in the ability to be a strategist and storyteller.
At Kite Hill PR, we’ve leveraged AI to absorb administrative work and pour that back into the high-value work our clients appreciate. Understanding how AI can work for your needs is one part of larger communications planning.
For 2025 planning and beyond, preparation is key
With a strong foundation, you have more opportunities to create building blocks toward a company’s communications goals.
A new year will undoubtedly bring new challenges and opportunities for communicators. As the industry landscape continues to evolve, so too must we. At Communications Week, the passion across our industry was palpable. I look forward to a bright 2025, and to the collective value we can bring in communications, as together, we usher in a new era.
