Influencers in the Newsroom: Building Trust, Not Chasing Buzz
Partnerships with community messengers aren’t about hype. They’re about reach, credibility, and making journalism feel like it belongs again.
Back in August, I wrote about what happens “When Trust Walks Out the Door”. My point then was simple: if people don’t feel journalism is for them, they’ll find someone else they do trust.
That wasn’t a thought experiment. We see it every day. Trust is fragile. Once it’s gone, audiences don’t wait. They move.
So the question is, how do we bring it back?
One answer is in front of us. Work with the people communities already trust.
Not the “Influencer” You’re Thinking Of
When I say influencers, I don’t mean celebrities or viral TikTok stars. I mean community leaders, local creators, and voices that already carry weight with your audience. These are the people who can open doors that traditional journalism sometimes can’t.
These partnerships aren’t about chasing buzz. They’re about extending reach and building credibility by showing up alongside people your community already listens to.
A Practical Step
On Tuesday, September 23, from 2 to 3 pm ET, my colleague Liz Worthington will lead a free virtual session in partnership with the News Revenue Hub.
Here’s what you’ll get:
How to prepare for partnerships with creators and trusted messengers
How to create a newsroom culture that supports collaboration
Lessons from API’s Influencers Learning Cohort and a new toolkit you can start using right away
Why It Matters
As I wrote in that earlier piece:
“If journalism isn’t accessible, if it doesn’t feel like it belongs to the people it serves, trust walks away.”
That’s what this session is about. Newsrooms can’t be everywhere at once. Trusted messengers can help fill the gap, connect with new audiences, and make journalism feel like it belongs again.
Final Thought
Collaboration doesn’t dilute journalism. Done well, it strengthens it.
If you want to move beyond the people and sources you already know, this is a good place to start.
Have a question about the event or the work I am doing at API:
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