The Connection Magazine AIM MUTUAL Spring 2020 | Page 15

"I CAN SEE AN
OPENING FOR
BRANDS TO STEP UP
AND INTO THE FIGHT
AS PUBLISHERS
THAT ARE GO-TO
SOURCES FOR
INDUSTRY UPDATES."
How We Got Here
Before we can examine what’s next, we
need to look at how we got here in the first
place. To be honest, a big reason people
question content is probably due to the
amount they are exposed to and how little
of it is actually targeted at them.
Content is everywhere, and it’s no longer
limited to media outlets. Social media
trends and platform changes make it easier
to create and share content on the channels
themselves. People now see content right in
their news feeds because it was published
there — not because it was created to
engage them specifically or because it was
distributed to them in the right way.
There aren’t a lot of brands that do a good
job of taking engaging content and getting
it in front of the right audience. That means
people see a load of content that isn’t
created for them — and isn’t engaging to
them. With this garbage being passed off as
an attempt at engagement, there’s a good
chance people will become more skeptical
and stop trusting content as fully.
The Skepticism Evolution
If audiences do become skeptical,
that will put more pressure than ever on
publications to keep their loyal readers and
maintain their trust. Outlets will need to do
more than publish engaging, informative
and entertaining articles because that may
no longer be enough to keep readers from
becoming skeptics. The ones that come out
on top will be those that are able to maintain
trust and put a process in place that ensures
they are consistently worthy of that trust.
Maybe that looks like something similar
to Facebook’s move toward fact-checking
by creating a more in-depth vetting process
for content from contributors. Maybe
it’s a code of ethics around authenticity
and accuracy that shows readers each
publication’s responsibility to uphold the
truth in this world of fake content and
clickbait.
Maybe it’s a new set of standards that
publications use for brands that advertise
or sponsor content to avoid serving up an
ad for a shady, dishonest brand to readers
and giving them reason to distrust those
publications. Research shows that when a
trusted publisher features a native ad for
a brand that’s viewed as untrustworthy, 43
percent of content consumers lose trust in
that outlet.
Whatever the solution is, publishers
already fighting to keep their readers need
to keep that data in mind. If they don’t do
something, consumers will find more value
elsewhere. And the last thing that any
honest media outlet or publication wants
is to accidentally publish something and
becomes a casualty of the “Great Fake
Content Battle of 2019.”
What’s Next?
Trust has always been critical to success
in business (and life in general), but that
doesn’t mean fake news is the end of the
world. Not everything is doom and gloom.
Yes, trust is easier to lose, and we’re right
in the middle of this shift in media. But that
usually means opportunity is out there.
For example, I can see an opening for
brands to step up and into the fight as
publishers that are go-to sources for
industry updates. Trust is scarce, so the
outlet best able to build it and keep it will be
the winner; it makes sense that it could be a
brand or a branded publication or blog.
If publications do prepare, I can see
them arming themselves with tools and
processes that reassure their readers and
make building trust a little less difficult. And
brands that are doing content marketing
will have to find ways to keep practicing
authentic thought leadership and sharing
the experiences and insights that make
them experts in the first place. Consumers
can rest and read easier knowing that these
publishers and brands have done their
part to distribute only the most engaging
content.
Whatever happens next, I honestly don’t
believe fake news will win. Content is too
valuable to be pushed out of the picture by
stories about alien babies. As long as those
who practice content stay committed to
providing value and engaging consumers,
we’ll all get better at spotting the bull,
and those thought leaders, brands and
publishers can make sure their content
shines.
*** Printed with permission by John Hall – Originally Publishing in
Forbes
John Hall
John Hall is the author of the best-selling business book, “Top of Mind”. He co-founded Influence & Co., the
largest creator and distributor of engaging content to media. He was recently recognized as a “must-see”
keynote marketing speaker in Forbes and one of the most entertaining sales speakers, but his passion is with
helping others become more engaging and building trust with the people that matter most to them.
John has weekly columns for Forbes and Inc. and has contributed to more than 50 publications, including
Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, The Washington Post, and Mashable. He recently won
the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award and Business Journals Top 20 Visionaries Award.
topofmindbook.com
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