We’ve all been victims of fake news, if not once, than many times over the past year. The nature and speed of online sharing coupled with the general public’s apparent greed for constant entertainment, has produced a global epidemic of fake news. This can only mean one thing for video marketers in 2017.
Anita Balakrishan of CNBC recently reported that more Facebook users engaged with top fake election news than real reporting. The lines between gossip and hoaxes and genuine news stories have blurred so much that many of us are just ignoring news in general. Why is fake news generating more engagement than real news? Conservatives in America will tell you it’s the Liberal Media, while Democrats will blame it on sites like Brietbart.com. No matter who you are, the reason why fake news is such a problem today is the same: crime, violence and sex scandals sell and we have bought it into it.
How Can We Tell Fake News From Real?
In the past, we’ve easily distinguished the real news from fake news. The real stuff was what we saw on the nightly news, or 60 Minutes, or the New York Times, while the fake news was splattered across the National Enquirer at the grocery check out line, giving us a quick chuckle. But as the ease, comfort and familiarity of online news sharing grew to almost epidemic proportions during 2016, we all learned a valuable lesson: Fake news can come from almost any source and it is up to us to determine the fake from the real. The Film Theorists at YouTube even suggest that fake news is killing the Internet:
A New Direction
No longer can viewers read a post or ad on Facebook, or any other social media platform for that matter, and believe it’s true. Even fact checking may turn up more fake news to support the fake news you are researching. In fact, websites dedicated to proliferating fake news for clicks have become a serious problem. There’s only one direction to take in 2017 – Authenticity.
People are going to be searching for what’s real this upcoming year, they are craving it, and chances are good they won’t be looking to the news. What will they be looking for? Authentic people who they feel they can trust. This is a positive trend. Most of us have had it with fake news and click bait and with trying to decipher what is real and what isn’t. Now we will be turning to the voices of reason that we see in video. We’ll be wanting more authentic and intelligent content in the form of livestreamed videos and personalized video marketing.
If you or your business can project authenticity in 2017, you will be capturing a ready audience. Here’s how:
Three Ways to Show Authenticity to Your Target Audience Using Video
Interview Some of Your Staff
Have an informal discussion with one or more of your employees and livestream it. Let your audience know what a cool company you run by seeing the camaraderie and cooperation between you and your employees. People who see how your treat your staff will feel assured that you’ll treat them right, too.
Give Them Sneak Peaks
Do you have an upcoming event that you are genuinely excited about? Send your audience a video about it and tell them why you’re so excited. Did your business just reach an important milestone? Share your news and thank your audience for their part in reaching this goal.
Restate Your Mission
Chances are the reason you started this business was not because you wanted to make money. What is your passion? How did you come to this place in your business journey? Share with your audience in a two minute video what it is that keeps you going and what’s most important.
Fake news may be threatening to take over the web, but business owners can spread their true message authentically in 2017 and stand out above the rest. Maximize the authentic attributes of your brand with the help of Valoso.
