Influence has always been a hot topic for the PR industry – who has it, how to get it, and how to measure it. Influence is what drives conversations, spurs action, and ultimately brings about change. 

In today’s era of less, where marketing budgets are tighter and internal expectations are higher, the importance of influence cannot be overstated. PR and communications teams are under more pressure than ever to influence target audiences and achieve their goals, often with fewer resources than the year before.

The eighth edition of the Tyto Tech 500 (TT5) research acknowledges this challenging landscape, highlighting the shifting trends and dynamics of the industry, as well as identifying those individuals driving change in the technology sector in 2024. 

Introducing the super influencer

This year, a group of super influencers have emerged. The Tyto Tech 500 identified 82 individuals who have maintained a consistently high level of influence online, offline, or in the media over a prolonged period of four years or more.

This elite group of powerful figures can impact market moves, shape government policy, and make or break business deals with their actions and opinions. Among the most prominent are Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind French astronaut, Thomas Pesquet; and German academic and YouTube personality, Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim.

These exceptional communicators have mastered the art of engaging with the media, online communities, and industry groups in a consistent and impactful manner. Crucially, they consistently add value to industry debate through differentiated opinions and innovative thinking.

The impact of business leaders

Another key insight from TT5 is the emergence of business leaders as the top industry influencers, surpassing journalists as the most prominent voices in Europe. The last 12 months triggered a 26% increase in influential business leaders, who are harnessing online platforms like LinkedIn to reach their audiences and now comprise 47% of the tech power list. Furthermore, the data shows a 443% rise in bloggers, with many known to publish influential newsletters with large numbers of subscribers.

This trend underscores the growing importance of personal branding for industry leaders. In other words, business leaders are not only steering companies but are also emerging as influential voices on industry trends, innovation, and policy.

For PR and marketing teams, this presents a valuable opportunity to amplify business leaders’ voices through carefully crafted communications programmes, building credibility and trust with audiences across the region.

Key takeaways

When considering the power of influence for the year ahead, reaching the right people with authenticity and purpose remains the most effective strategy. This year’s Tyto Tech 500 offers five key takeaways for our industry:

1. Don’t overlook LinkedIn in your channel mix: While true, enduring influence comes from engaging across all channels and media, LinkedIn remains a vital tool for delivering industry thought leadership. Sharing authentic, human stories has never been more important to cut through the noise. High-quality, thoughtful posts offering genuine insight will help leaders stand out as expert authorities in their field.

2. Proactively engage in industry debates: Influence requires relevance, which means active participation in industry conversations, media interactions and social media debates on behalf of an organisation. Ensure spokespeople understand that actively responding to social media comments or contributing to industry events will have a cumulative impact on their long-term influence.

3. Embrace collaboration: Partnering with influential individuals and institutions to support campaigns and communications is an effective way to reach new audiences. Building relationships with other influencers in your industry - ranging from bloggers to academics – can significantly enhance credibility.

4. Champion diverse voices: PR teams have a responsibility to ensure a diverse range of voices represent their organisation in the public domain. Be intentional about including a diverse range of spokespeople in media engagements, event panels, and owned content – it will be all the richer for it.

5. Base AI claims on evidence: For those in the technology industry with the exciting opportunity to shape narratives around AI and other transformative technologies, honest communication is essential. Audiences value authenticity so focus on sharing real-world applications and customer stories for greater impact.

Looking ahead to 2025, the PR industry has an exciting opportunity to further support spokespeople and businesses in mastering the art of engaging with the media, online communities and industry groups in a sustained and meaningful way. Building authority takes time, but leading with authenticity and consistency is the best place to start.