News is going social. With 71% of Gen Z reportedly turning to social media as their primary source of news, news-orientated influencers have stepped in to beat traditional journalism to the punch by creating content that resonates with audiences — and gaining ground from traditional media.

With their rise, the media landscape is about to get more complicated, and exciting.

Engagement equals trust equals influence

As social media becomes the primary news source for many, newsfluencers have been able to grab hold of audiences that many traditional media publications couldn’t totally crack.

Most news organisations have seen social primarily as a distribution channel to entice and then re-direct readers. The storytelling element is minimal with short videos, simple text or images.

Newsfluencers instead take a ‘medium is the message’ approach by creating content specifically for the platform they operate on. This means maximizing the functionality and algorithms of the chosen platforms, and doing all storytelling there. This is backed with direct, one-to-one engagement.

The impact? Deeper trust through personal engagement with their followers. They are seen as individuals, not a faceless media business. They speak directly, and natively. This trust converts to influence.

As the number of people choosing social media as their go-to source for news grows, so too will newsfluencers. Considering the decline in traditional media, both in terms of personnel and audience influence, newsfluencers give an additional boost. They are able to deftly fill the gap caused by shrinking newsrooms and outdated methods.

Why does this matter?

As PR and comms professionals, our job is to obsess over the media in all its forms. As the world of news evolves, we must adapt alongside it.

Newsfluencers need to be a part of a brand’s media mix today. Trial and experimentation with this new(-ish) form of media engagement needs to happen now in order for a brand to quickly crack how it can engage relevant newsfluencers.

The key to success lies in ensuring a brand treats influencers with the same level of respect, seriousness, and co-operation they would give a traditional journalist.

This means giving them the same level of information and access — including advanced embargoed notices on key stories and exclusivity. At the same time, comms pros need to place an even greater emphasis on format; if your newsfluencer is primarily reporting on TikTok, do you have the visual materials to align with their content?

While newsfluencers have a broad tendency towards consumer-related brands, given the typical age of their audiences and the broad reach they seek, it is important for B2B brands to get stuck into newsfluencer engagement as well.

With more and more publications shuttering, trade journalists are going solo; setting up their own ventures and platforms to speak to their audiences — bringing in both more personalisation and character to industry topics.

Newsfluencers are changing the shape of news — and with it, the future of PR. Creativity, granular targeting and experimentation are the building blocks of success. But the time to identify your new media ecosystem, build relationships and engage them with your stories is now. Otherwise, your brand is at risk of being left behind.