What does the Edelman Trust Barometer teach us about strategic PR?

The 2019 Edelmen Trust Barometer reveals that while the UK public trusts every institution more than it did a year ago, generally we’re still a distrusting nation.

Across the six major institutions the report tracks – NGOs, business, government, media, the EU and the United Nations – only the United Nations enjoys a majority (60%) of the population’s trust, while the rest are considered to be distrusted. The institution at the bottom of this list is the media, which is trusted by just 37% of the population.

While institutions aren’t trusted, the Barometer suggests individuals are, and across the world there’s a growing trust in experts – whether it’s a company’s technical experts or academics with professional expertise.

This a huge opportunity for PR and comms, who have access to in-house specialists they can direct to both the public and the media, as  journalists are increasingly looking for expert voices to lend authority to their content. The best media and the best PRs are already collaborating in this way, but public demand means it’s no longer just a smart strategy, it’s now a requirement.

The ResponseSource Journalist Enquiry Service, which was recently acquired by Vuelio, gives journalists the opportunity to request experts directly from leading PRs, further validating the role that communications plays in providing access to trusted, knowledgeable sources of information.

The Trust Barometer is full of PR opportunities for the savvy practitioner. Within its results, the report reveals a huge rise in the number of people engaging with and amplifying news, which effectively means the market for information is growing and PRs are arguably best placed to fuel it.

Any information PRs provide should, of course, be trustworthy as the public is wary of fake news; 73% now worry that it will be used as a weapon in society.

If you can position your brand, business or client as a trusted authority, and have the evidence to prove it, you will increase your PR opportunities and ultimately improve your reputation.

What did you take away from the Trust Barometer? Let us know on Twitter @Vuelio.