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It’s 2020 and everyone is making predictions. But as that well-known PR pro Yogi Berra said, Making predictions is hard, especially when it comes to the future. Everything about SEO is going to change, right? Maybe, maybe not. There are SEO changes to be aware of, but the basic advice remains. You can’t game Google and its algorithms, so don’t try. Instead, create a valuable experience for users.

Measurement is not just about numbers. It’s about problem solving. It’s no longer enough to retrieve and present data. For communicators, data needs to be folded into everyday strategy, becoming a sixth sense, combining it with a human element to promote focused discourse. To provide communicators with a look into the benefits of measurement and what’s coming next, we enlisted expert Jenna Clark, head of measurement and insights, Google Communications.

Ethics has long been a hallmark of public relations. In this fourth and final installment of PRNEWS’ 2020 predictions, the theme of ethics seemed to dominate. Whether it be in technology, storytelling or writing, several of our prognosticators emphasized ethics’ importance in the coming year.

The secret behind grabbing your target market’s interest lies in understanding how they search for and discover information on your brand. Keyword research provides data-supported answers to questions about popular search trends and the ways people prefer to consume content. These answers open doors to shape content through the mind of a consumer.

Embedded in Gervais’ barbs was far more than a subversive comedian taking jabs at a captive audience— a reminder that, in an election year, problematic business decisions  from the top tiers of a brand will continue to leave a mark on the celebrities, and spokespeople, who are doing work on behalf of that brand.

As the new year starts and content planning begins in earnest, marketers should be on the lookout for the next big moments in social. Lucky for the marketing community, the team behind social media management tool Hootsuite has released a list of what they deem to be the most likely social media trends in 2020, following a survey of over 3,000 marketers. Their top picks included personalized messaging, bold political statements and the continuing rise of TikTok as a platform giant, among others.

In this third set of 2020 predictions, communicators anticipate strong demand for mergers and acquisitions of PR firms, a rise in personalized stories and PR pros increasing their use of sophisticated data as audiences become more difficult to reach. Other predictions include a fierce response from healthcare to political criticism and an increase in relationships with non-traditional media outlets.

Women serve as the backbone of the public relations industry. More than 75 percent of PR jobs in the United States are held by women, and the PRNEWS’ Top Women in PR awards will honor an elite group of these professionals who have worked to inspire not just those in the boardroom, but throughout the creative circuit. These women will be celebrated with a luncheon ceremony on Jan. 28 at Gotham Hall in New York City.

In the second of a multi-part series of predictions, several PR pros anticipate a rise in the need for crisis communications in 2020. They also see rises in diversity and inclusion as well as transparency. There also will be a need for storytelling that allows consumers to escape from the noise of the 2020 elections.

Where is PR heading over the next year? When new crises see brands falling into the same old mistakes, and tone-deaf messaging makes you look back at your calendar to double check the year, it sometimes seems that communications isn’t innovating fast enough. But take a closer look at the new tools, applications and multi-channel campaigns being dreamed up by the most impressive brands and agencies in our field. Innovation is clearly happening—and gazing ahead into the new year indeed brings much to look forward to.