PR ON THE GO January 9, 2024

Tech-Infused PR Strategies: Elevate Your Startup's Outreach in 2024 and Beyond

We asked our PR and growth experts for actionable startup advice on what technologies to incorporate for successful PR campaigns in 2024. From social listening tools for finding influencers to AI-powered pitch creation assistants, check out these tech trends in PR.

• AI-powered analytics tools
• Jumpstart content marketing production with conversational AI
• Engage your audience across multiple technologies and analyze
• Integrate Blockchain for transparent PR
• Employ AI-powered pitch-creation assistants
• Track Trends with Social Listening Tools
• Enhance Campaigns with Advanced Data Analytics
• AI for hyper-personalized messaging
• Use AI-powered video editing software
• Use technology to respond instantly

1) AI-powered analytics tools

Emily Reynolds-Bergh, Owner at R Public Relations

"Embrace AI-driven analytics tools to refine your PR strategy. One of my team’s favorite AI tools is Grammarly, which combs original writing for spelling, grammar, and tonal errors. Best of all, it doesn’t just magically improve the work–it teaches the writer how to avoid similar mistakes in the future. Similar programs exist for social media marketing, email marketing, and beyond."

2) Jumpstart content marketing production with conversational AI

Paige Arnof-Fenn, Owner at Mavens & Moguls

"I think AI and ChatGPT are already having major impact/making waves for startup outreach. Simply asking it to create content about the subject you want is an easy way to save time and jumpstart the process of developing marketing and communication materials. Maybe the output won't be as good as yours or exactly what you ultimately want, but it's a great place to start from by taking advantage of the technology since everyone else is now too. No excuse for writer’s block now! Especially when your task is low stakes, high fluency (i.e. writing copy), conversational AI is likely a good fit for the task.

Newsjacking is another way to get your story to align with breaking news and boost your chances of a press mention. Connect your story to a viral event and piggyback on its coverage to get attention. Can you/your company solve this current issue? Are you an expert in the field being discussed? Do you have any data that’s relevant to the current events? Find a connection to align your story with what’s viral to stand out."

3) Engage your audience across multiple technologies and analyze

Julia Voloshchenko, PR Manager at Usetech

"Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Machine Learning or Data Science are some of the leading technologies in 2024, and in many fields. In addition, the power of predictive analytics and generative AI cannot be underestimated. To differentiate yourself from many competitors in your field, use original and new approaches in PR campaigns, new technologies such as AR or VR. Try different formats, engage your audience using different techniques.

Don't forget to analyze the campaign after it is over: What approach worked and what didn't? Analyze the data during the campaign and adjust it if necessary. Specialists from large and non-IT companies can help you analyze, collect and structure data. If you are interested in Data Science, AI, Big Data or ML services, I recommend contacting the Usetech team. Also analyze your competitors and analyze your niche: What technologies are most often used now? What do your competitors use in their PR campaigns? How does the target audience react to it? Unfortunately, new technologies can't always be understood by society. Sometimes classic methods work better, but it depends on the target audience, as I wrote above."

4) Integrate Blockchain for transparent PR

Michael Chen, Head of Growth at Notta

"I believe that integrating blockchain-based transparency tools could revolutionize PR for startups in 2024. These tools ensure data authenticity and transparency, which are crucial for building trust with stakeholders.

By employing blockchain, startups can validate information, showcase genuine narratives, and enhance credibility in their PR campaigns. Incorporating this technology showcases a commitment to transparency, setting a unique and trustworthy image that could significantly elevate outreach and PR success for startups."

5) Employ AI-powered pitch-creation assistants

Patrick Beltran, Marketing Director at Ardoz Digital

"I believe that nowadays, AI-powered pitch-creation assistants are necessary for companies to maintain a competitive edge and enhance their PR efforts.

Beyond ChatGPT, a variety of NLP tools are available, including options like Copy.ai, Jasper, and others. These tools are great for offering inspiration and are particularly useful for crafting SEO-friendly blog posts and social media updates, saving valuable time. However, they fall short in reliably preparing media pitches or press releases—and it's important to note that these are not the same thing. In my experience, these tools are very helpful in automating and making PR campaigns more efficient and actually effective!

In terms of pricing, most of these platforms operate on a subscription model, which can be somewhat costly for smaller businesses. But if you're only in need of a single pitch or press release, some platforms offer more accessible freemium models that allow for the creation of 5–10 posts per day, including access to templates. For example, Copy.ai provides a free plan. Then there's PRGuy, which charges for individual templates or ready-made pitches and includes the advantage of having a human editor review the content."

6) Track trends with social listening tools

James McNally, Managing Director at SDVH [Self Drive Vehicle Hire]

"For startups, it's important to use social listening and analytics tools. These tools should track what people are saying daily across online channels like blogs, social media, news sites, forums, and video platforms.

In my experience, Brandwatch is very useful for this. It helps businesses get a grip on what consumers think, current trends, who the influencers are, and how people see their brand—basically, learning from what people are saying about them naturally.

Brandwatch uses this web-crawler tech to comb through websites every day, checking out their content. It sorts things using keywords and does sentiment analysis on them, figuring out if people are talking positively or negatively. However, this tool is more for the big companies rather than the smaller or medium-sized ones, because the cost is quite steep if you're on a tight budget.

The main things going for Brandwatch are its real-time tracking and its ability to spot influencers, thanks to AI and a slick interface. It's a good pick for those who don't need to track every single mention and don't need to access it on the go."

7) Enhance campaigns with advanced data analytics

Matias Rodsevich, Founder at PRHive

"One specific technology tool that I believe startups should incorporate in their PR campaigns for better outreach in 2024 is advanced data-analytics platforms. Despite being the age-old trick, embracing data-driven approaches is essential for refining PR strategies and delivering more targeted messages to the audience.

In an era where precision and personalization matter, using tools that offer a detailed look into audience behavior, preferences, and trends can significantly enhance the effectiveness of PR campaigns. Through data analytics, startups can tailor their messaging to align more meaningfully with their target audience, resulting in a lasting impact on the brand."

8) AI for hyper-personalized messaging

Kevin Miller, SEO expert at kevinmiller.com

"In 2024, one technology that stands out for leveraging AI to enhance authenticity is advanced AI-driven personalization. Authenticity is at the heart of effective PR. Today's audiences crave genuine connections with brands, but we can leverage AI to simulate or predict what works for different audience segments. Leveraging AI to personalize messaging allows brands to communicate in a way that resonates with individual preferences and values, building up a more authentic and personalized brand image.

AI can help by analyzing vast amounts of data to understand and categorize audience behavior and preferences. By utilizing advanced AI algorithms, PR professionals can gain deep insights into their audience's sentiments, interests, and communication styles. This understanding forms the foundation for crafting messages that genuinely connect with individuals.

AI enables hyper-personalized messaging at scale. It goes beyond generic mass communication by tailoring messages to each audience segment's specific interests and preferences. Whether through personalized emails, targeted content recommendations, or individualized social media interactions, AI-driven personalization ensures that every communication feels tailored to the recipient. AI-powered content generation tools can streamline the creation of authentic and engaging content. While the essence of storytelling remains a human touch, AI can generate data-driven insights to guide content strategies, suggesting topics and formats that align with audience interests and trends."

9) Use AI-powered video editing software

Draven McConville, CEO & Founder at Klipboard

"In the year 2024, the way AI and strategic communication work together is not just a trend; it's a big change.

Video material is visually appealing, but it can be hard to get started because you need expensive equipment and professional editing skills. AI-powered video editing is a new trend that makes it easier for anyone to make interesting videos. With artificial intelligence, you can make interesting movies for social media and the press without spending a lot of money or knowing a lot about advanced editing."

10) Use technology to respond instantly

Jason Wise, Editor at EarthWeb

"In 2024, PR efforts will be very different from now, so using cutting-edge technology is very important. With the help of advanced social listening tools, real-time monitoring and disaster management have become essential. It's no longer a choice to stay on top of talks and trends; it's a must. With these tools, brands can keep a close eye on how their names are mentioned, keep up with news in their business, and spot potential problems before they happen.

Being responsive is key, and using social media tools is a great way to make replies that are quick and useful. Making a strong rapid response plan is important for dealing with negative feedback quickly, anticipating and handling crises, and limiting the damage that could be done to your image. Today, information moves at speeds that have never been seen before. Being able to act quickly can mean the difference between a problem getting worse or being solved.

These tools are great for handling crises, but they are also a treasure trove of information gleaned from social listening. By looking at this data, PR pros can get a better sense of what the audience wants, find people who support the brand and learn useful things that they can use to plan their next PR campaigns. Adding real-time monitoring and crisis management to PR campaigns not only protects a brand's image but also shows that it is flexible, quick to respond, and in tune with how the digital world is always changing. In 2024, combining technology and public relations is not just a trend; it's a must for anyone who wants to take their efforts to a whole new level."

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