Trust Tips: Copy content creators’ tone and style

Published on December 3, 2024December 4, 2024 by Mollie Muchna | Reading Time: 5 minutes

If newsrooms weren’t paying much attention to content creators before the election, a lot sure are now.

Post-election analysis has shown what a major role influencers and content creators played in the 2024 presidential election. While content creators’ presence in the information space is hardly new, the popularity of non-traditional news outlets is only growing. (A new study from Pew shows that 4 in 10 adults under the age of 30 get their news from influencers.) 

There are many questions being raised about the ethics behind content creators’ work and valid reasons why some traditional journalists might feel wary of this rise of individual news influencers. Just like news outlets, not every news content creator on the internet is working to be fair and ethical, or operating in good faith. (That’s in part why we’re working alongside Project C’s Liz Kelly Nelson to develop standards and best practices for news journalism content creators. You can read more about our work on that here.) 

But if one of journalism’s goals is to give our communities access to good, helpful information — wherever people are turning for it — it’s important that journalists start learning from content creators rather than dismissing them. 

In our next two editions of Trust Tips, we’re sharing some of the strategies behind why content creators have built such large and loyal audiences, along with ideas and examples of how those strategies could apply to your journalism. 

In this week’s newsletter, we’re focusing on three strategies for how journalists can replicate content creators’ tone and voice. In next week’s edition, we plan to share more about how newsrooms can adopt creators’ approach to creating relatable content.

We’re proud that this newsletter’s open rate sits above 50%. If you’re in the half of readers we have to thank for that, please consider forwarding this newsletter to a few friends or colleagues you think would also find it helpful!

1. Talk about who you are

Content creators almost feel like online friends. Over time you get to know them and their personality and get glimpses of their lives. (Take this informal and friendly TikTok from V Spehar of Under the Desk News: They turn people’s comments about something personal — their eyebrows — into a conversation about Montana’s senate race.)

As humans, when we feel like we know someone, or have a degree of connection or similarity, we’re much more willing to give people the benefit of the doubt. This is how people have often felt about TV journalists and meteorologists, right? People often trust individuals more than they trust a brand. 

So how can journalists or newsrooms foster that same feeling of connection? Here’s one strategy from The Keene Sentinel: They had reporters do Instagram takeovers of their brand account for a day. Reporters documented what their day-to-day job looked like, sharing everything from getting coffee and checking emails in the morning, to going to court to gather documents and going behind the scenes of newsroom planning meetings.

Other ways journalists can do this is by creating a robust reporter bio, talking about yourself more on social media, and building trust with your community face-to-face at in-person events. (We have more guidance around these strategies in this Trust Kit.)

2. Be authentic

Research shows that younger news consumers want content that feels authentic. In a world where we’re facing a constant firehose of information, things that don’t feel authentic simply aren’t resonating.

The way content creators share information often feels very genuine and informal. Their content is frequently produced within social media platforms, helping it feel unpolished and in the moment. You often see the creator’s face and hear their voice, making it feel more relatable. And, as we shared above, you get glimpses of who they are as people — perhaps even getting to know their personal opinions and political leanings. 

For journalists, especially those working in more traditional media where sharing personal opinions isn’t encouraged, it can be hard to figure out what being personal and authentic should look like. But there are still ways journalists can emulate this authenticity without necessarily divulging their take on controversial issues. Here are two quick ideas for how journalists can do this.

• Have humility, about what you get wrong and what you don’t know. Tangle News does this well. They use a conversational tone when they mess up and highlight their corrections at the top of their daily newsletter.
• Express empathy for how challenging it is to consume the news. Here’s how content creator Jessica Yellin of News Not Noise talked about her own desire to take a break from the news this week in an Instagram story. And we shared an example in Trust Tips a few weeks ago from a startup newsroom, LOOKOUT, where they sent a quick newsletter encouraging readers to turn off their phones for a bit and go outside after the elections.

3. Explain your value

A major reason people say they tune the news out is because it feels like it doesn’t add value to their direct lives. People have limited time, and they want to know why they should be turning their attention to you. 

Successful content creators are really great at articulating the value of their products. Take this example from Howtown, an explainer YouTube channel created by two former Vox journalists, sharing their guiding principles. Within minutes, they explain their approach while making the case for why their product is needed and different. 

Or, here’s another example of this from Yellin of News Not Noise from the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, talking about why she started her brand and what people can expect if they tune in. 

If your journalism offers something unique and valuable to your community, communicate that clearly with your audience. Get specific about how you’re filling information gaps and meeting your community’s needs. That could look like explaining: what sets your journalism/newsroom apart from other media, how you’re working to combat polarization, how you’re working to help people cut through the noise, etc. We have more guidance and ideas for how journalists can do that here.

Let us know who you follow

We would love to hear about any specific journalist creators or influencers you follow! In our work with creators, we’re continually looking to follow and connect with more creators doing it right. Shoot us an email and let us know!

Has your newsroom collaborated with an influencer?

The American Press Institute is developing a guide for local newsrooms that want to collaborate with influencers to grow the reach and impact of their journalism. As part of that guide, API is looking to feature lessons learned from newsrooms that have experimented with influencer collaborations. If that’s your newsroom, fill out this survey to get in touch.We especially want to hear about any specific journalist creators or influencers you learned about. We’re working with Project C’s Liz Kelly Nelson to explore how the ethics and standards of more traditional news might apply to the creator economy, and we’re keen to follow and connect with creators doing it right. Hook us up!