Why Do People Trust Local Magazines?
Posted on 21st October 2019
It takes a long time to build trust, but it’s easily lost.
Ofcom* says that readers rate magazines more highly than any other news platform for quality, accuracy, trustworthiness and impartiality, amongst other things.
Studies+ have also shown that here in the UK we trust magazines far more than social media.
Media planners agree trust is becoming more important for advertisers.
We decided to take a look at why trust is so important and why magazines rate so highly.
The Trust Index
Magnetic is the advertising agency for UK consumer magazines, so they know a lot about the views of readers. In their study they identified six key factors, which they called the ‘T-score’. According to them trust is driven by:
• relevance
• reliability
• objectivity
• diversity of views
• transparency
• fame.
Magazines are trusted more than social media on relevance, reliability, objectivity and transparency, although social media scored better on diversity of views and fame.
Magazines covering current affairs, hobbies and motoring score especially well, with up to 78% of readers regarding them as the most trustworthy source of information.
Of course, people choose magazines to read because they are interested in their content. They are probably quite knowledgeable about the subject, so they will quickly spot anything that isn’t accurate or well researched. For community magazines this is especially true, because people have a strong connection and interest in their local area.
Why is trust important for advertisers?
Readers who see brands advertising in trusted magazines tend to trust them more because of their context. Magnetic highlights case studies including Tesco’s F&F and Pearl Drops, where brand trust ratings improved from 64% to 94% after using magazine media.
Advertisers are benefitting from the magazine’s own brand, rather than the channel itself. So, the argument is simple; to improve trust in your brand, advertise in trusted media.
Benefit from online magazines
In a global survey earlier this year, almost two thirds (65%) of adults who responded said they trusted traditional media and search engines. So, if you’re looking to
make the most of your advertising budget, then choosing trusted titles that will also carry your advertisement in their online version will ensure your business is seen in all the right places.
Avoid the pitfalls
Part of the reason readers are increasingly concerned about the trustworthiness of media is the growing awareness of ‘fake news’. This isn’t just an issue in the UK. According to the statistics specialists, Statista, adults all around the world have wrongly believed stories before realising they were politically motivated, poorly researched, badly written or entirely intended to mislead
In contrast, magazines rely on the quality and accuracy of their content to build and maintain their audience, and there really isn’t anywhere to hide. As every editor knows, someone will always tell you if they don’t agree with what you have published or think you have made a mistake.
Local trust
Your community magazine will score highly in all six elements of the Trust Index. They are automatically relevant because their audience care about where they live. Reliability is high too; community magazines arrive regularly and consistently through the letterbox, delivering gems of local information that are accurate, interesting, varied and valuable. There’s no question about transparency either because these publications are simply for and about the local community. In terms of fame they are, at the very least, well-known and loved in the local area.
If you would like build trust in your brand locally, then talk with us about opportunities to advertise in NN Pulse and MK Pulse magazines.
Tagged as: Reputation, Trust
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