Taking the Wheel: Steering the Conversation in a Digital World

People are talking about you. Modern technology allows anyone’s story to instantly reach the entire world. Is that story true? Who controls the story?

The data suggests traditional news formats don’t influence the narrative like they used to. A poll found only a third of Americans trust legacy media (newspapers, radio, and television). Two thirds of the public expressed little or no trust in these formats.

If traditional media outlets don’t have the same trust, where do people get their news from?

Over 90% of Americans have received news from a digital source before, and more than half report receiving digital news regularly. Roughly 8 in 10 digital users find this news from internet search, news websites or apps, and social media.

While they may not intentionally seek it out, many Americans are exposed to news narratives through social media. Research shows news related content appeared to 91% of Facebook users, 82% of Instagram users, and 90% of TikTok users. Despite this high rate of encounter, less than half of all these users reported news as a reason for using social media.

But what is the size of this audience? How many people are using social media platforms to begin with?

A report found roughly eight in ten American adults use YouTube, nearly 7 in 10 use Facebook, and almost half use Instagram. In a span of 3 years, TikTok’s audience grew from around one tenth to a third of U.S. adults.

Younger Americans have an even higher rate of use, suggesting social media’s growing dominance for the next generation. But the present already offers a significant opportunity to influence public opinion across generations. Social media offers a free, instantaneous opportunity to contribute to the global news cycle.

Every public figure, government, and business has the power to shape their own reputation. Talk about yourself or your organization, because others already do. It’s up to you to set the story straight when others lie. To give the full picture when context isn’t there. And most importantly: build a reputation with proactive communication, not reactive responses.

Your audience is waiting to be reached, you just need to learn:

• Who they are.

• What they need to know.

• Where and how to reach them.

There’s no need to reinvent the wheel. TheWheel.Media is your guide to navigating modern communications. Read, watch, or listen to our resources on how to take the wheel and start steering the conversation about yourself today.