As the world begins to open up for in-person business like trade shows and meetings, we look back at the lasting effects that COVID-19 has had on the future of strategic communications.
By Olivia DiFilippo
Things are beginning to look hopeful for the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. With over 60% of American adults having received at least one dose of the vaccine, we can finally start to plan in-person events and meetings for businesses. While exciting, we cannot forget that this last year brought us a multitude of changes, socially and professionally. We learned how to create and further develop relationships through a screen rather than face-to-face. We encountered hurdle after hurdle, having to pivot business tactics to be more effective through cyberspace.
Despite being able to now meet in person, there are some aspects of business — especially in the tech PR industry — that will remain altered for the foreseeable future.
An Emphasis on Content
Since most companies were affected by the pandemic, there was a global shift towards the reinforcement of digital brand presence. Social media became one of the more important channels for the dissemination of information. Employees in their remote setups had more time to browse different platforms and become more familiar with various brands, especially the ones who prioritized brand recognition. The emphasis on social media and a content-heavy presence will likely not disappear along with the COVID-19 restrictions. We have adapted to seeing all types of companies dominate the global conversations happening on the internet. It’s not just fashion companies who can market their products through social media. People who are adept at managing brand recognition for technology companies are becoming highly-valued employees.
A Larger Global Reach
One of the biggest impacts that the pandemic has had on businesses is the long-term effect on global communication. Video chatting has become the norm for people across the world, and we have become adept at using this technology to our advantage. One of the lasting effects of this Zoom era will be seen at conventions, meetings, and trade shows. Before the pandemic, if you missed one of these events, you would just have to wait until the next one to show off a product or market your business’s services. Now, we will begin to see more hybrids of in-person experiences and online streaming for those who cannot attend physically. This allows for large-scale events as well as smaller meetings to be available to anyone, anywhere. They become less exclusive and let corporations reach a wider audience of clients to connect with, and vice-versa. This change will come with the fact that many people will choose to stay home from any in-person events or meetings, for whatever reason. Experiences will have to have some kind of online component moving forward, as the way we work in tech and PR have seen tremendous changes.
Virtually every aspect of our lives has changed, maybe for good. That doesn’t mean we have to see every adjustment negatively. PR for tech will continue to flourish as long as the businesses that run it continue to adapt to society’s dynamic, ever-changing environment. We have to be prepared to change business tactics at every turn. Try not to get left in the dust.
