\u2018Fake News\u2019 is not a new concept. But with the revolution of social media, it\u2019s been difficult to differentiate between \u201creal\u201d stories and \u201dfake\u201d news.<\/p>\n
The web has made the sharing of information and content easier, more accessible, and\u2014what\u2019s rather scary\u2014it also enabled the sharing of dishonest reporting, fabricated content, and \u201cfake\u201d or made-up stories. As Winston Churchill once said, \u201cA lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.\u201d<\/p>\n
While dishonest reporting and phony stories may not be something we\u2019ve never dealt before, it is interesting to explore how such bogus content affects us as consumers and the way we perceive brands.<\/p>\n
The first question to ask is as follows:<\/p>\n
A research study conducted by Hill Holliday among 18-61-year-olds shows that 54% of consumers seem to be wary of what they read online. 41% verify what they read against a second source and 38% distrust sites that have provided fake content in the past. What\u2019s quite absurd\u201420% distrust everything they go through just because fake news is somewhere out there.<\/p>\n
Understandably, an overwhelming majority of 55% are primarily concerned about dishonest reporting and lack of journalistic integrity when it comes to current news, while the 9% who are concerned about fake reviews on Yelp or Amazon are the more digitally-savvy amongst us.<\/p>\n
The second question to ask is:<\/p>\n
According to Hill Holliday's research, most consumers are concerned with the quality of the product or service they are purchasing. As a result, if a chosen brand generated fake content about their services or products, 59% would stop buying that brand immediately, and 64% are said to be more likely to shop with that brand if they know they are truthful about their business.<\/p>\n