In 2024, several PR and marketing strategies worked to effectively grow thought leadership and engagement for our clients. These insights can guide organizations in the animal health, nonprofit, healthcare, and education sectors – as well as others – to inform 2025 public relations, digital marketing, and social media marketing plans.
Content Marketing
Thematic, Stakeholder-centric Content Ruled in 2024
Over the past year, our PR agency’s clients grew and achieved their thought leadership and business objectives, in part, through strategic, themed, and integrated content marketing.
In all our firm’s focus areas – animal health PR, education PR, nonprofit PR, and healthcare marketing communications – we’ve designed and executed integrated marketing communications plans centered on quality content. This entails creating a contact calendar and sharing monthly articles on your website’s blog – tips, trends, and advice that resonate with your stakeholders.
Before putting it on your website, however, we recommend pitching the article to leading trade publications in your industry or as an op-ed to mass media (i.e., business or general news outlets).
Once the article is picked up by press, you can share a synopsis with your target audiences, outlining the useful information or tips in the piece. We recommend sharing this via email teaser campaigns to drive traffic to your website where people can read the [complete] article or view short videos on the topic that introduces or compliments the media placement. Then, you can create unique posts for each of your social channels to share the article. Compelling narratives also encourage social sharing, extending the reach of your message to potential new supporters or customers. To accelerate digital marketing results and proactively manage your online reputation, build links to the media’s website where the article runs so the article ranks atop organic search engine listings.
In the illustration, above, one piece of PR content can be the centerpiece of an integrated marketing communications campaign designed to influence key stakeholders while protecting and promoting your organization’s mission, products, and/or services.
For nonprofits, the bylined or op-ed article may include human-interest stories and meaningful programmatic outcomes. An article placed by an animal health group might be authored by a third-party key opinion leader (veterinarian KOL) who shares patient stories and talks about the problem/solution associated with an innovative product or treatment. An education organization may write about a new study that’s newsworthy and demonstrates its thought leadership. A healthcare business or nonprofit may write about equitable access to specific medications that can help a specific patient population.
The core question remains: “Through authentic storytelling, what value can we bring to our stakeholders and how can our content provide fresh insights that matter to them?” Answering this effectively through real-world examples encourages deeper engagement. Whether the goal is to promote awareness or inspire action, storytelling can significantly amplify an organization’s exposure and reach.
Social Media & Video Marketing Trends
Social Media as a Thought Leadership Tool
Organizations that treated their social media presence as a dialogue in 2024, rather than a monologue, saw stronger engagement. Joining conversations in comment sections, responding to follower questions, and interacting with similar organizations fostered authenticity. For nonprofits and mission-driven entities, these interactions can build trust and establish a sense of community, vital for maintaining long-term supporter relationships. Additionally, commenting on trending topics relevant to your mission can bring in new followers and spark valuable discussions.
Short-Form Video Played a Dominant Role
While long-form video content continued to serve a purpose, short-form videos dominated in 2024 due to their cost-effectiveness and quick consumption format. Platforms like Instagram and Facebook’s Reels feature became key avenues for organizations. With TikTok facing potential regulatory challenges, Instagram emerged as a powerful tool to share impactful stories, especially in the corporate and nonprofit sectors.
For animal health and pet product companies, a playful, low-production video featuring adoptable animals can capture hearts. Healthcare providers might use short videos to explain health tips or break down complex medical topics. Nonprofits can share clips of their initiatives in action, and schools can showcase campus life or quick insights into student success stories. Consistently publishing videos that align with audience interests can build trust and brand familiarity over time.
Creativity trumped production quality. Younger audiences prioritized humor and originality over polished production values. However, creating engaging, impactful videos requires thoughtful planning. A single viral video has the power to drastically increase visibility, underscoring the importance of creative content aligned with the organization’s mission. Behind-the-scenes glimpses, how-to clips, or day-in-the-life videos can also humanize an organization and enhance viewer connection.
Influencer Marketing Focusing on Aligned Values
Selecting influencers who align with an organization’s mission was essential in 2024. For healthcare, education, and animal health nonprofits and for-profits, authenticity made a tremendous impact on engagement and thought leadership development. We witnessed this firsthand through the Thought Leadership Measurement MatrixTM, formerly called the Thought Leadership Index.
Highly credible, influencers, particularly experts in their fields, with shared values amplified campaign outcomes, introducing organizations to broader audiences. Partnering with micro-influencers—those with smaller but highly engaged followings—often delivered a strong return on investment for organizations with niche audiences or those executing local initiatives.
Live Streams for Fundraising, Awareness
Live streaming offered a unique way to engage supporters in real-time. Nonprofits hosted fundraising events on Twitch and YouTube, while animal health organizations showcased awareness drives. Educational institutions used live streams to provide virtual tours and Q&A sessions with students and faculty. With the right influencer partnerships, these events created excitement and built a sense of connection with viewers. Encouraging live interaction during these streams, such as answering audience questions or hosting giveaways, further enhanced engagement.
Leveraging Instagram Stories
The Stories feature on Instagram continued to grow in popularity and efficacy, offering an innovative way to showcase influencer partnerships, human-interest stories, and expert commentary. One healthcare partner invite a health and wellness KOL to document her personal wellness journey on Stories. An education nonprofit client highlighted a day-in-the-life story of a volunteer. These applications for Stories built credibility and provided audiences with an authentic view into these organizations’ missions and good work. We also saw Story features, such as polls and swipe-up links, made it easier to encourage direct engagement and facilitate nonprofit donations.
Thought Leadership
Recognizable Faces Create Relatable B2B Brands
In late 2024, we wrote about whether people or companies build thought leadership. The article discusses how people help grow an organization’s leadership position. A strong spokesperson and internal subject matter experts make a significant impact as they can be leveraged to speak at conferences, host podcasts, author articles, conduct interviews, and more. This is critical as people relate to other people and rely on their expertise daily when conducting business.
One nonprofit partner’s founder shared updates and insights through social media Stories and Reels. A public school client’s superintendent conducted dozens of media interviews, mostly national, to heighten the district’s reputation and stature. A veterinary practice leader was a guest on a prominent pet-related podcast; and a medical doctor authored white papers and bylined articles for healthcare trade journals and publications – all activities that grow thought leadership.
Personalizing the brand’s voice made messaging more authentic and the corresponding organizations more approachable. Consistent, transparent communication from these experts helped deepen audience trust.
Engaging in Conversations
Longer-form discussions on platforms like Facebook, Discord, and Reddit also helped organizations establish themselves as thought leaders. Healthcare organizations participated in health-focused communities, while educators led discussions about curriculum innovations. Nonprofits engaged in mission-related forums, and animal health companies shared advice in animal welfare spaces. Offering fresh perspectives and actionable insights positioned organizations as trusted voices within their respective fields. Organizations can further expand their reach by hosting live AMAs (Ask Me Anything) or panel discussions in these spaces.
Conclusion
In 2024, marketing strategies that emphasized authenticity, relatability, and meaningful engagement stood out. For these industries and many others, the key to success was effective storytelling, smart content marketing, creative video content, value-driven influencer collaborations, and thought leadership. By doubling down on these strategies and remaining agile to emerging trends, organizations can position themselves for even greater success in 2025, fostering stronger connections and achieving lasting impact.