Public Relations and digital communication in the United Arab Emirates and the Middle East at large have evolved in a great way in the past two decades. The region is attracting a lot of businesses and expatriate populations who are calling this region home. While two decades ago public relations were only restricted to government relations, now the scope of the function has expanded tremendously to build a positive image among employees, customers, investors, and other stakeholders.
Evolution of media and public relations strategy
Media has evolved with social media. While national newspapers still have a strong influence on people, we also see the rise of news outlets that have grown on social media. These media outlets that were once a Facebook page, now have their dedicated website, staff reporters, and a big following. The growth of individual influencers has also opened a lot of avenues for businesses to shine a spotlight on their brands or businesses. These media outlets have thrived by serving news in an entertaining format like short snippets of video and text followed by long-form content. The traditional media outlets have also now adopted these forms of content to tell the news. Many of these news agencies in the UAE now even have a social media reporter/ correspondent.
So, what does this mean for businesses? Does it make it easier for brands to communicate to their audience? Or is a fragmented audience difficult to reach?
The UAE has one of the highest digital penetrations in the world with 99% internet users. Simply put, your public relations strategy should have a strong component of digital communication. Identify your target audience and all the media they consume. Tailor your content to catch the attention of your audience in the right medium. Reach out to all the identified influencers – traditional media and new age media. Finally, use technology to ensure maximum reach.
Be flexible
After 2020, companies have realized the benefits of being flexible to survive the unpredictable business environment. Public relations and digital communications can take a leaf out of this learning. No one solution fits all situations anymore. Plans need to change on the move. Press releases will have to include multimedia for different use. News will have to tweak to catch eyeballs.
How can Publsh help?
Publsh has built strong relationships with most of the traditional and new-age media outlets. Our team’s combined experience lets us help you understand and navigate the changing media landscape to show guaranteed results. Check out our services and get in touch.