Trust is a serious commodity in today’s publishing landscape. And it’s not found on social media, despite the industry’s best efforts to convince us that that’s where we should consume our news. “Getting the news” in our multi-channel world has gotten easier than ever – literally we carry access to just about any source with us at all times. At the same time, this ease has muddied the water about what sources we can trust and rely on.
Yet there’s one medium that’s consistently ranking at the top when it comes to consumer trust – print newspapers and magazines. And that trust factor creates a relationship that is cherished by advertisers, according to new research by media nonprofit News Media Alliance.
“Recent research shows that, for advertisers, there’s no better audience to target than the news media audience,” notes this press release. Their research confirms what we’ve known for a while now … that news media consumers say they trust print ads in newspapers and magazines more than any source … and nearly twice as much as they trust social media advertising.
What does this mean for publishers? News media offers some unique qualities for advertisers, the report notes, “including offering a brand-safe environment where advertisers can be confident their promotions will not appear alongside inappropriate content; advertising effectiveness and trust by those making purchasing decisions; a wealthier, more-educated audience than the average U.S. adult; superior engagement by retail shoppers with ads in newspaper media; and reach to more than 136 million U.S. adult consumers, including 49 percent of adults age 18–49.”
That’s a powerful case for advertising in print news media. As so many of us veer away from social media and the rampant mistrust there, it’s the right time for publishers to re-engage advertisers with this message.
“The news media industry has long provided accurate and truthful news and information, while vigilantly pursuing the people’s right to know the truth,” explains Rebecca Frank of Alliance Research & Insights, a partner in this report. “The most valuable asset to an advertiser is a respected and reliable partner that their audience trusts. With news media, you get that respected partner.”