Episode 23: Marketers Can Learn a Lot From Fake News

I'm a bit of a junkie when it comes to NPR podcasts - especially since a lot of their best radio content airs when I'm busy here at the Quintain office, working on content for our clients. So the fact that I can catch up on what I missed on live radio after it airs makes me happy. 

But I'm not here to wax poetic about podcasts or NPR. Instead, I want to share a specific episode of Fresh Air, during which Craig Silverman of Buzzfeed Media was interviewed regarding what he learned about the fake news that plagued the recent election. (It's approximately 36 minutes long, but there is a transcript at the link.)

I tuned in as a politics nerd. But to my surprise, I found myself riveted as a marketer. 

By the conclusion of the interview, I had to admit that while I find the idea of fake news utterly repugnant, those behind it weren't successful by accident. In fact, when you push the heaping mess of politics aside, there is a lot us marketers can glean from what they were able to accomplish. 

So in this week's episode of Creator's Block, Shelby (in her first week as my full-time co-host!) and I talk about the good, the bad and the ugly of fake news. Because while you may want to roll your eyes and dismiss fake news, there is plenty to be learned.

A Note from Shelby and Liz: Before you listen to this podcast, we want to be very clear that while the recent election is a necessary part of the backdrop of the fake news story as a whole, our discussion on this episode is not about whether or not we agree (or disagree) with any particular politician or their beliefs.

In addition, while we are aware of the current "disagreement" around BuzzFeed's news practices - which occurred after we recorded this episode - we still believe that Silverman had a lot of extremely valuable insights to share during the Fresh Air interview posted above. 

 

SO, WHAT DID WE TALK ABOUT? What are the negative lessons we can draw from fake news? What content marketing strategies worked for those creating fake news? How much (or how little) are audiences reviewing your content? What kind of headlines attract the most attention and click-throughs? Google Adwords says they monitor for rule-breakers - but do they really? How can you A/B test with content? How tone deaf are you about what your audience wants? What does fake news say about the content we're trying to create? Are you expressing real opinions in your content, or are you playing it safe? You may win the battle with crappy content, but will you win the war?

 

RESOURCES WE MENTIONED: BuzzFeed: How Teens in the Balkans Are Duping Trump Supporters with Fake News Kathleen Booth: Create Insights Not Content Forbes: What Fake News Taught Us About the State of Content Marketing Muzli for Chrome Behance - "Showcase and Discover Creative Work" Finally, meet Bandit... the "most hipster of huskies"

 

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What did you think of this episode? Is there another topic or question you want us to take on? Or do you just want to say hi? Reach out to us on Twitter at @CreatorsBlockHQ or using the hashtag #creatorsblockparty. You can also say hi to me at @naptownpint and Shelby at @shelbstheging. You can also join us in the Creator's Block Podcast group on Facebook, where you can ask questions and get inspired.

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…until next week!