Communicating In The Age Of Misinformation
Navigating Truth in a Post-Truth World
We hear all the time that we are living in a 'post-truth' world. So, if that is case, how are we supposed to know whose truth we are digesting when we read articles, listen to podcasts or watch the news on TV?
Living in a post-truth world can feel overwhelming. It's hard to know who to trust and where to get the most trustworthy news.
We're going to unpack that and look specifically at how brands can protect themselves against the rise of misinformation through crisis management and crisis prevention. By taking a proactive approach and having a solid crisis communication plan in place, brands can maintain customer trust and a positive brand reputation even in the face of a potential brand crisis.
The Rise of Misinformation
Human beings are hardwired to gossip, this is not new. Just think back to medieval times when gossip and the spread of disinformation resulted in women being labelled 'witches' and murdered because of it.
Fake news has always been around but the internet, especially social media, has changed things.
Technology has advanced to such an extent that what was once just idle gossip can now lead to the rapid spread of misinformation. Social media allows false information to spread like wildfire, making crisis management and damage control more challenging than ever.
The danger is when this results in disinformation and propaganda, much like the war propaganda we have seen being supercharged by artificial intelligence (AI) in the past 12 months. This brings with it a whole new layer of complexity and potential for business crises.
AI has evolved the public relations industry for the better in so many ways. There is no doubt that we are embracing it. But there is a dark side as it's now easier than ever for anyone to attack your brand whether they are telling the truth or not, potentially sparking a social media crisis.
Studies have shown that unfortunately fake news spreads six times as fast as the truth. This is particularly worrying online when misinformation can feel out of your control and quickly damage brand perception through negative publicity.
What is Misinformation?
Misinformation comes in many forms:
Clickbait content: Online content which is often exaggerated to encourage clicks.
Conspiracy theories: An explanation of a situation that can often go viral but lacks real evidence.
AI: Information generated by artificial intelligence and presented as authentic.
Fake news: Misleading information made to look like fact
Six Tips for Battling Misinformation
Trust is the backbone of any brand-consumer relationship, but it can take a long time to build. There are several small steps you can take as part of your overall crisis management strategy to build trust with your audience, manage your reputation and protect your business from misinformation spreading.
Proactive Brand Building: Build a trusted brand image with an always-on, proactive communications strategy to shout from the rooftops about your brand values. Through this work, you will build a foundation of trust with journalists, influencers and the public.
Trend-Led Storytelling: Use social media listening and brand monitoring to understand gaps in your audience's knowledge about your industry and brand. You can then use storytelling, through tactics such as thought leadership or brand campaigns, to educate and reinforce positive narratives.
Be Authentic: The public will be much kinder to you in times of crisis due to fake news, if your voice has historically always been authentic. Transparency is key to maintaining brand sentiment and weathering any brand crises.
Use Influencers Wisely: Influencers are an essential part of the marketing mix, but you must make sure they are credible. We work with the leading influencer search tool, Klear, to check that all our influencers align with our clients' values.
Crisis Comms Planning: Dealing with a misinformation issue is a crisis response, so be prepared. Crisis communication planning well in advance, including establishing a dedicated crisis team and crisis communication channels, allows you to act quickly when you need to, which is essential for crisis mitigation to minimise any damage. Look at crisis communication examples and crisis management examples for guidance.