Top 8 Communications Trends You Need to Know and Navigate

By Trish Nicolas, Executive Vice President - Communications Strategy
December 9, 2022

Here’s the pithy preamble: In the spirit of the most current imperative for communications – to streamline content and deliver information in bite-sized morsels – we have bulleted out SPI Group’s take on top communications trends below.  

Trend #1 From output to outcomes – Communications will continue its shift from being an output channel to serving as an outcomes driver. Communications leaders and their teams must be the active stewards of this evolution through proactive, regular convening and engagement of internal clients and stakeholders, strategic planning (vs. tactical), holistic and channel-agnostic thinking, metrics definition focused on achieving outcome-driven objectives (vs. clicks), and vocabulary. 

Trend #2 From channel and content expansion to curation and consolidation – The coming year will see greater emphasis on moving away from increased channel and content expansion to thoughtful curation and consolidation. Audiences are saturated and tuning out as a result of ongoing information inundation and platform proliferation, so this is the year when we must relentlessly streamline in order to enhance information consumption, audience engagement, and action adoption.  

Trend #3 From silos to holistic, centered storytelling – Due to the prolific volume of information audiences are experiencing, there is a move underway from siloed communications to holistic, centered storytelling. Internal and external communications will need to partner closely with each other as well as with internal clients and business partners to drive consistency through core narrative and message definition, strategic story planning, and cross-channel amplification. Everyone benefits.   

Trend #4 From macrotargeting to microtargeting – There is an audience expectation that information will be more and more personalized, shifting from mass macrotargeting to microtargeting specific audiences with specific content via channels that best reach them. This requires cultivating a deep understanding of audiences and a shift in focus from demographics to psychographics, which is not only about who your audience is, but how they think and act, and why they engage or disengage in communications.  

Trend #5 From tell to ask and show – Getting back to the true meaning of communication as two-way, plans must move away from a “tell” paradigm to an “ask” and “show” paradigm. By asking, we are listening and learning about what communications audiences want and need – and when and where they want it. And we all know intrinsically that storyDOing is more inspiring that storytelling, so demonstrating desired behaviors through action will become part of how the communications function operates and delivers results in 2023.  

Trend #6 From static, written content to human, dynamic storytelling – Read any study from the past few years and you’ll see that audiences are shifting preference from static, written communications to more human and dynamic storytelling, including platforms like video, audio, gamified, and interactive content over static text-driven copy. In addition, with all of the digital channels, platforms, and content available, we’ll see more and more in-person, human interactions and storytelling as part and parcel of effective communications in the coming year. Companies are bringing people back into the office, whether for in-office work, collaboration opportunities, volunteerism, or wellness-enhancing social interactions. From town halls and leadership summits to lunch-n-learns and key observance celebrations, make in-person communications part of your plan.  

Trend #7 From content generation to creative reiteration – Communications professionals spend an inordinate amount of time creating content, often developing new themes and executions. One of the most pertinent trends – and perhaps, imperatives for both the communications function and their audiences – in the coming year is moving from content generation to creative reiteration of existing content. Tapping the often vast repertoires of corporate content and creatively repurposing for current needs is efficient, highly effective… and smart.  

Trend #8 From connection to function to connection to purpose – We know that over the past two-to-three years some of the biggest influences on talent attraction, retention, and engagement include a palpable sense of belonging, feeling valued, and having a salient connection to the corporate mission. For external audiences, how a company delivers on its mission has significant impact on brand reputation and value, followership, and – ultimately – sales and revenue, as well. Communications must play a key role in fostering these drivers in 2023 by migrating content from connection to employee function and corporate messages to a distinct connection to purpose.   

Audience engagement is a moving target: The platforms, channels, tools, best practices, skills, dynamics, demands, needs, and opportunities continue to rapidly change and proliferate. As an expert strategic communications agency with more than 400 years of combined experience across our team, SPI Group remains committed to guiding our partners toward resonance and results. We track the trends and set the pace for communications strategy and performance for our valued global Fortune 500 clients.  

In celebration of SPI Group’s 25 years of client service, SPI Group is launching “25 Conversations Charting the Course of Communications.” Follow us on social media – Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin – and on our website at SPIGroup.com to learn more about this keystone initiative to convene thought leaders, create meaningful conversation, fuel collaborative thinking, and carry forward communications excellence throughout the coming year.