For PR Pros, “Trust” Will Be the Word of the Year in 2024

As public relations professionals prepare for a busy 2024, "trust” will be the word of the year.

This is certainly not a new concept in PR (in fact, the highly anticipated 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer was published just last month). However, the rapid proliferation of generative AI has required communicators to juggle building and maintaining trust among stakeholders while safely using the tech to bring efficiency and accuracy to their work.

In 2023, the Notified team connected with agency and in-house leaders at roundtables to discuss the impact of tech on the broader industry – from the rise of artificial intelligence to data and analytics, and the ways these new tools will impact client/agency relationships.

The common thread among these conversations? Building trust during this era of unpredictability, and being thoughtful about the role of new tech in all communications strategies.

Here are three important considerations for building trust in 2024.

Digging Deeper Into Generative AI

Last year, communicators began to explore and experiment with how generative AI tools can streamline workflows and jumpstart content development.

However, Notified and PRWeek’s most recent survey uncovered that more pros are still “not knowledgeable” about AI and its applications to PR functions (18%), compared to those who are “very knowledgeable,” at only 12%.

For the industry to truly trust this tech, communicators must focus on the policies and infrastructure that support its safe and secure usage at scale this year.

Balancing Data and Analytics with the "Human Factor"

The experts that participated in our roundtables agreed that communications technology has limitations – and is only as strategic as the humans who are using it.

In one of our sessions, Mary Elizabeth Germaine, partner and MD of global analytics at Ketchum, noted that “AI will help us get to insights faster based on the data available. It will give us more precise data, deeper data, but you will still need to combine that human element for that interpretation.”

To trust larger amounts of data, industry-wide upskilling is needed. PR pros must learn how to write AI prompts, add emotion to data-driven storytelling and use technology to stay ahead of trends and breaking news.

Developing a Single Source of Truth

This year, communicators must focus on building stakeholder trust in the organizations they represent.

This requires going “back to basics” and auditing owned channels to ensure they’re a leading resource for customers, employees, partners and the media – from the corporate website, investor relations site, newsroom and social channels to the newswire.

Have you set intentions for your PR efforts in 2024? Do you agree that “trust” will be the word of the year?

Connect with me on LinkedIn and let me know what you think.

Nimesh Davé

Nimesh Davé is President of Notified and has a successful history of leading technology and cloud-based businesses, most recently as President, Global Cloud, a multi-billion dollar worldwide, virtual business division within Ingram Micro Corporation, a global leader in technology and supply chain services. Prior to that, he spent two decades as a leader within Tech Data Corporation, working in Barcelona, Paris, Munich, Toronto, Tampa and Sao Paolo. During this time, he drove improved operations, established a new line of business, led major ERP implementations and redesigned the European sales, procurement, and marketing organizations while effectively integrating 25 acquisitions into the business.