Digital PR thriving during pandemic – PRCA Digital Report

The growth of digital PR and communications continued unabated in 2020 according to a new report published by the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA).
 
The PRCA Digital Report – carried out by 3Gem in November last year – polled around 250 professionals across all sectors.

The research shows that more than half (53%) of PR professionals had their budgets increased in 2020. This comes against a backdrop of unprecedented budgets cuts caused by the pandemic and is supported by nine out of ten respondents (92%) revealing the pandemic has encouraged clients to expand their digital and social media activities.
 
The study provides evidence of the remarkable value digital PR has delivered during the pandemic. But much of the growth and prosperity of digital PR is predicted to outlive the pandemic – 76% of respondents said they expect to help clients with virtual events in 5 years’ time.
 
Other trends include:

  • Video-based content remains a priority for brands with agencies experiencing a 9% increase in demand for those services in 2020
  • Twitter (88%), LinkedIn (86%), Facebook (79%), YouTube (75%) and Instagram (70%) remain the most used platforms amongst in-house brands
  • Use of Instagram (7%) and YouTube (6%) grew in 2020 amongst in-house professionals 

PRCA Director General Francis Ingham MPRCA said:

“The most remarkable aspect of this year’s report is that it shows the pandemic barely laid a glove on the digital PR industry. In fact, quite the reverse -it turbocharged it. Organisations everywhere have been forced to adopt a digital approach and that has resulted in continued investment and growth in digital PR. The report is packed with insight and offers powerful testimony of the tremendous value digital PR and communications practitioners have delivered for clients, organisations and society.”

Read a blog on the findings by Danny Whatmough MPRCA here.

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