Are you ready for 2025? As the new year approaches, new challenges are coming. How will you see the forest for the trees?
Whether you’re in a nonprofit or intergovernmental organization, these emerging trends will help you stay ahead of the curve and amplify your communications in 2025:
1. Podcasts are booming. Are you taking advantage of them?
According to the podcast Stories & Strategies, one in four people over 18 in the US, Canada, UK and Australia listen to at least one podcast per day. Worldwide, podcast listenership is expected to reach 500 million in 2025. That’s why almost all UN organizations are producing their own podcasts, helping create a greater affinity with key audiences.
However, while many organizations start their podcasts, few succeed. Why? Factors like audience growth, effective content strategy, and resources are crucial for long-term success.
For this reason, I have brought together a select group of experienced podcast hosts and industry experts who understand the unique challenges and opportunities of podcasting for a live IABC webinar on Wednesday, January 22nd, at 3 p.m. in London, 4 p.m. in Berlin, and 5 p.m. in Tel Aviv. You’re invited to join me on the 22nd! Click here to find out more.
2. We’ll be implementing ethical AI guidelines and training programs across our organizations
2024 was the year of discovery and experimentation with generative AI. In 2025, as AI adoption increases, training and ethical concerns will take centre stage.
Research shows that when organizations have defined safe usage guidelines, employees are nearly six times more likely to use AI tools in the workplace. Yet in a recent survey of desk workers, 43% say they’ve received no guidance on how to use AI tools at work (see the research from the FT below). It’s essential to develop ethical guidelines so everyone uses AI correctly and efficiently.
To set clear corporate guidelines, start with a solid policy that outlines acceptable use, protects your organization, and ensures that AI aligns with your values. Then, and only then, can you start to tackle your communication challenges, like online engagement or content creation, without losing the human touch.
By openly discussing AI in the workplace, you can invest in upskilling your teams, scale AI use responsibly, and thrive in this new era.
To help you, I’ve compiled a few resources for you to follow:
- “Guiding Principles for the Ethical Use of AI by Communication Professionals” from the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC)
- “Mitigating future risks: Why your organization should have an AI policy” by Candid
- “How to Create a Generative AI Use Policy” by TechSoup
- I even found a free AI Policy Template you can download and use as a framework, designed for nonprofits and not-for-profit organizations.
“People come first. Technology merely enables,” says Monique Zytnik in her bestseller Internal Communication in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. Let’s keep it that way!
3. Authentic, personal storytelling will increase in value
Faced with increased fake, impersonal AI content, telling authentic stories from a first-person perspective will be essential. This means that we will need to be more creative and find the heroes who can give life to the work of our staff, donors, partners, and recipients. This is exactly what I’ve done at UNSD, running numerous workshops to help over 85 statisticians tell their stories in a concise and engaging manner.
If you want to take your storytelling to the next level, you can even use virtual and augmented reality like the Global Partnership for Education has done for its campaign “Education in the Eye of the Storm.“
4. We’ll see the rise of local and regional voices
Decentralized communication strategies that empower local and regional voices will gain prominence. Tailoring campaigns to reflect cultural nuances and grassroots insights will drive inclusivity and authenticity. This will be ever-more important in a Trumpian world where local micro-influencers are essential to break through the noise.
5. Community will be a central part of advocacy campaigns
The fragmentation of social media and their algorithms will encourage more investment in email newsletters and community sites. We’ll start using email newsletters as a powerful tool to increase engagement with our communities. New email marketing platforms will help us to do this by incorporating advanced AI and data analytics to help us tailor our messages to reflect individual interests, behaviours, and engagement history.
What does this mean for you?
This year, successful communications teams will need to:
- Establish AI communications guidelines for their organization
- Invest in email newsletter content and analytics tools
- Empower beneficiaries and staff as content creators
- Develop immersive storytelling skills
- Find local influencers in key communities
- Launch a podcast or develop a podcast guesting strategy
