It’s often claimed that younger generations are disengaged from news brands, but this perception is misguided and ignores the evolving ways in which media is consumed today. With so many touchpoints to access news in different ways, people are consuming it earlier than probably ever before. This shift opens up substantial opportunities for marketers to build trust and drive conversions for their brands through news platforms.
There is a significant disconnect between perception and reality when it comes to news brands. Trying to understand consumer behaviour is difficult. In a survey of Brits aged 15–29, only 16% reported reading news online, and 49% of Brits believed that news was not important to their peers. These figures seem to reinforce the stereotype of youth apathy and perpetuate the myth that young people don’t care about news content. However, Newsworks, the marketing body for national news publishers, has challenged this narrative, arguing that it’s inaccurate. They reasoned that: “media research relying on recall can be difficult.” They agreed that capturing real behaviour, rather than self-reported habits, was the most effective way to measure engagement, and therefore conducted a year-long study.
According to the recent Newsworks study, young people engage with at least six news articles per day, on average. News brand content was found to be 85% more trusted than any other content on social media, offering a strong argument for its role in the digital ecosystem. The study also highlighted the commercial potential of news engagement. Seven in ten people turn to retail sites after reading news brand content, and six in ten share news with others several times a week. When comparing consumption of content online, news was found to be third in terms of overall reach, and 75% of people have taken some kind of retail action after reading a news brand.
News as Entertainment and a Gateway to Informed Decisions
Young people agreed that news is an important aspect of our society. Many say it helps them participate in informed discussions and allows them to stay up to date with key issues. These findings underscore how deeply integrated news is in younger audiences’ lives, far from the supposed apathy often assumed.
For young consumers, the news serves multiple roles. They are interested in a diverse range of categories, from politics and the economy to sports and celebrities. News serves as much to entertain as it does to influence and educate opinion.
Why This Matters for Brands
For marketers, these insights offer a roadmap to effectively reach young audiences. News brands provide a brand-safe and trusted environment to connect with younger demographics. Talking with programmatic teams can help to better target young people on news platforms. Reminding clients of the proven trustworthiness and influence of news brands is an extremely effective strategy and is a powerful way to reach specific target audiences, transforming myth into measurable success.
