{"id":18912,"date":"2022-06-30T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-06-30T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prowly.com\/magazine\/?p=18912"},"modified":"2024-07-11T14:11:47","modified_gmt":"2024-07-11T14:11:47","slug":"state-of-pr-tech-report-summary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/prowly.com\/magazine\/state-of-pr-tech-report-summary\/","title":{"rendered":"Here\u2019s some of what you\u2019ll find in our new \u201cThe State of PR Technology 2022\u201d report"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Can you name an industry that isn\u2019t being transformed by technological advances that offer new and better ways to do things? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Probably not, and neither can we. There is a constant stream of new applications that help us get things done faster, make the final product better and, often, save us money in the process. We\u2019re spoiled for choice when it comes to digital tools and who doesn\u2019t love being spoiled? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same idea definitely applies to the PR industry, where adapting to available technology has become a must. This doesn\u2019t mean that old-school approaches to publicity and media are no longer relevant \u2014 far from it \u2014 just that adding a tech element to the mix helps to get everything done faster, with less headache and often with better results. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the team behind a tech product oriented towards the PR world, it\u2019s important for us to keep our finger on the digital pulse of the industry. That\u2019s why we reached out to nearly two hundred PR professionals to gather information on what kinds of tech they use, what they use it for and how often they use it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The detailed report that we\u2019ve put together from the feedback we received along with our own research offers a long list of insights into the modern role of technology in public relations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re going to use this and a following post<\/a> to give you the TL;DR version of the full report, which you can download here<\/a>. Yes, that\u2019s right \u2014 there is so much<\/strong> to discover in the full version of our \u201cThe State of PR Technology 2022\u201d report that we need two blog posts for the short version.<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Google search queries reveal a growing awareness of PR tools\u2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The numbers don\u2019t lie \u2013 search volumes for phrases like \u201cdigital pr tools\u201d, \u201cpr database\u201d, \u201cpr crm\u201d and others have doubled or even tripled in the last three years. Searches for \u201cpublic relations software\u201d are up ten times<\/strong> in the same period. Curiously, though, search volumes for \u201cpr tools\u201d are actually down<\/em> a bit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The takeaway here is that the PR industry is more aware of the existence and availability of dedicated tech solutions and familiar enough with them to be fairly specific when looking for information and that\u2019s a sure sign of progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are curious to know more about where this growing awareness is coming from. But whether from colleagues, industry publications, an awareness that rivals are using digital tools or any number of other sources, the trend towards greater recognition is clear. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026but adoption of these same tools is still slow<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This increased attention on the topic of tech solutions that streamline PR operations doesn\u2019t always translate directly into implementation in the office. \u201cNothing\u201d is still a fairly common answer to questions that start with \u201cWhat do you use to\u2026?\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A good example of this reluctance to embrace tech tools, even those designed specifically for PR work, is seen in where PR pros store their media contact lists. In response to a question asking them where they keep their lists, the number one answer by far was \u201cSpreadsheets\u201d, like those found in Microsoft Office or Google Drive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Prowly's<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ten years ago this was ok, but there are much better ways<\/a> to do things now! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A familiar name leads in CRMs, but competitors are gaining<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to a CRM for PR, Cision enjoys the benefits of an established brand and long market presence. They were named as the go-to choice by 30% of our survey respondents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This might be a bit surprising when you consider that Cision has a fairly high price point, no PR CRM or online newsroom and doesn\u2019t offer a free trial. What Cision doesn\u2019t offer is available from an increasing number of eager primary competitors like Muck Rack, Meltwater and Prowly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the subject of CRMs for PR organizations, we were surprised to discover that almost one in five agencies don\u2019t use public relations tools at all. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll find a comprehensive comparison of the services offered by the leading PR CRMs in the table included in the full report. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Media databases & media monitoring are the most valuable tools<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In response to \u201cWhich tech solutions do you find the most valuable?\u201d<\/em>, \u201cMedia database\u201d and \u201cMedia monitoring tool\u201d are way <\/em>out in front of everything else. This should come as no surprise for a couple of reasons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Prowly's<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

First, finding and connecting with the right journalists is central to PR success so it makes sense that a media database would be where those in the industry found the most value (and searched first for help). Media databases are the obvious place to start when trying to up your game and you can benefit from them on day one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As for \u201cmedia monitoring tools\u201d, their profile has risen dramatically in the last couple of years. Organizations of every type and size have recognized the importance of knowing who\u2019s talking about you and what they\u2019re saying. It\u2019s a good bet that media monitoring tools will continue to rise in popularity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking at the bottom of the list of responses to \u201cWhich tech solutions do you find the most valuable?\u201d, <\/em>we find things like \u201cpress release creator\u201d and \u201conline newsroom\u201d software. Here, we should keep two things in mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First of all, this does not at all mean that these features are not useful, just that most respondents found \u201cmedia database\u201d and \u201cmedia monitoring\u201d more <\/em>useful. Second, their low positions in the results are also a result of lower awareness that solutions for creating better press releases or managing an online newsroom exist. Online newsrooms in particular are quite a recent innovation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not a lot of satisfaction with PR tools<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to the results of our survey, just over 80% of PR professionals use some kind of PR software. However, only about 35% report being satisfied with the tools they use. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When less than half of the market<\/em> says they\u2019re happy with their choice, something has gone wrong. Why are they not satisfied? Most of the answers fall into three broad categories:<\/p>\n\n\n\n