In an age in which many people stay informed at least partly from Facebook posts, the nature of terms like “news”, “advertising” and “content” blur together. The ads and news articles placed on the newsfeeds of users of Facebook – which with over 2.2 billion active users is by default a news provider – are based on the algorithms that have analysed their behavior of people on the premium social media site.
Advertorials blur the lines of advertising and news, and may morph into fake news when ethics go unchecked. Integrity counts more than ever. By staying authentic and on-message, a company can quietly build an impenetrable reputation for reliability. Just remember that in the digital era, as ever, reputations can take years to build and just an instant to unravel. While authenticity can be maintained by sticking to simple truths, like not editing photographs to create false impressions, and not taking down unflattering posts from customers, integrity goes deeper and is reflected in what a company values when working to achieve its core mission.
The Public Relations Society of America Ethics lists values such as honesty, loyalty and fairness as integral to the health of the profession of PR as a whole. What’s more, staying committed to these values make good business decisions that lead to a better reputation and earning potential for the long-term. Shortcuts in integrity and moneymaking don’t pay off, and risk confusing audiences. Stay true to what you do best, and your customers are more likely to stick around.
The Human & Digital Communications Agency
Our award-winning communications team blends human interactions & digital engagement seamlessly to produce results for brands.
