For PR professionals, 2015 could be the year of social listening. Or the year when so-called "ephemeral messaging" goes mainstream. There are myriad trends swirling around the communications field right now. "Women Predict 2015," a survey conducted in late 2014 by PR agency Lippe Taylor and influencer marketing company SheSpeaks, points out more than a few of these trends that communicators will need to consider this year.
One highlight—which plays into some of the issues PR pros of all stripes will grapple with in 2015—includes 56 percent of women saying they will make a purchase on their mobile phone in 2015, up 7 percent from 2014. "Mobile is slightly ticking up, but it’s not necessarily a significant swing that can justify the 'Year of Mobile' we’re now seeing in some of the headlines," said Aliza Freud, CEO of SheSpeaks.
When it comes to the issues that women expect to be most concerned about in 2015, 29 percent of the respondents said they are worried about healthcare, followed by racial tension (20 percent) and job security (15 percent).
"From a PR perspective [the survey] shows that people being concerned about getting healthier is the no. 1 thing and that’s been pretty consistent year-over year," Freud said, adding that improving one's health is almost always top of mind at the beginning of a new year.
How some of these and other trends shake out will be in conversation at PR News' Top Women in PR Awards luncheon, which takes place on January 28 at the Grand Hyatt in New York City.
Check out the rest of the findings from the survey in the infographic below:
Join us on January 28 at the Grand Hyatt in New York City for PR News' Top Women in PR Awards.
Follow Matthew Schwartz on Twitter: @mpsjourno1