Stories Formats
Interactive Elements to Boost Engagement
Give Them a Voice And Involve In Conversation
Counter False Narratives with Broader, Impartial Storytelling
Stories Formats
Informed Empathizers require comprehensive and detailed analysis to engage with complex topics effectively.
Recommendation
Ensure that stories provide detailed background information and context to satisfy their preference for in-depth analysis.
Because this group is open to long form content formats, including videos (YouTube), audio (podcasts) and long form articles. These allow for deeper analysis and explanation of context, causes and consequences.
Because this group is open to long form content formats, including videos (YouTube), audio (podcasts) and long form articles. These allow for deeper analysis and explanation of context, causes and consequences.
Case Study
Our partner in Slovakia created two stories focused on the misinformation surrounding technology, specifically reaching Young Waverers (Click here to see what they did differently to engage Young Waverers) and Informed Empathizers. They educated these audiences about the dangers of deepfakes and the importance of critical thinking by using interactive elements such as quizzes, explanatory videos, and long-form articles. However, Informed Empathizers preferred comprehensive, in-depth stories that align with their need for detailed analysis and contextual understanding.
Interactive Elements to Boost Engagementes Formats
Integrating interactive elements like embedded surveys in articles can significantly enhance audience engagement, build trust, and gather valuable insights, but managing polarized reactions requires careful moderation and audience segmentation:
Recommendation
To enhance audience engagement and build trust:
- Сontinue integrating interactive elements like surveys within stories.
- Transparently share the gathered insights with readers.
- However, ensure that robust moderation strategies and nuanced audience segmentation are in place to manage and mitigate polarized reactions, especially when addressing politically charged topics. This approach will maintain a constructive dialogue and foster a more informed and engaged readership.
Case Study
Our partner from Poland conducted a detailed examination of Russian influence within the Polish government, mainly focusing on its impact on the army and police. They published in-depth articles enriched with background information and embedded surveys to engage readers and collect their insights. The continuous use of these surveys increased page views, fostered interactive discussions, and built better long-term trust with the audience. Additionally, they created new sections, such as “What Do Readers of our Media Think?” to showcase reader poll results on various topics transparently. However, the project highlighted challenges, including a high volume of hate speech and polarized reactions, underscoring the need for improved moderation and more nuanced audience segmentation to manage and counteract such responses on politically sensitive issues.
Give Them a Voice and involve in conversation
They value being engaged in the news and politics a lot.
Recommendation
To enhance audience engagement and build trust:
Case Study
Media from Poland Investigated Russian influence within the Polish government, especially in the systems like the army and police.
- Published detailed articles enriched with historical context and background information to offer a complete picture.
- Used embedded surveys to engage readers, gather their insights, and foster interactive discussions. Afterwards, published reader poll results in sections titled “What Do Our Readers Think?” to showcase transparency and involve readers in the conversation.
- The media received much higher engagement from this audience compared to the average, along with an increase in followers significantly above the weekly average, indicating improved trust from this audience.
Counter False Narratives with Broader, Impartial Storytelling
Once disinformation has taken hold, spreading the facts is not very effective, and we saw significantly more positive results from our human storytelling and countering false narratives through more wider topics.
Recommendation
Countering false narratives by not addressing the polarizing element directly. Where editorially appropriate, introduce articles and topics by providing wider context or general summaries, and avoid statements that are clearly not impartial.
Case Study
- Media from Slovakia referred to unreliable eyewitness accounts but did not make any links to politics, in other words focusing on the mechanisms through which false information spreads rather than a specific story.
- This post achieved high reach, and audiences began to discuss politics in the comments, as well as other examples such as flat earthers.
- This shows how explaining root causes provides a route into stories which appeals to Informed Empathizers, while maintaining a sufficiently impartial stance to avoid alienating this audience.