What is referred to as “fake news” is not new. It just reached a crescendo in the 2016 election. Now, many people can no longer tell what’s fact and what’s fiction.
Further, it appears to be growing. People seek out news sources that reinforce what they believe. Whether its true or not is not necessarily an issue.
So how can we tell if something being reported is true or not?
AlturaSolutions, a publishing, content, and digital marketing agency, offers the following tips:
Check the URL: Sometimes, the URL of a trusted news organization is hijacked. For instance, a news story may appear to be from the New York Times. However, looking a little closer, you find that instead of the URL being “newyorktimes.com, it’s newyorktimes.co. Clicking on the second link will go to the fake news site.
“Barking” Headlines: Publishers of fake news often use “clickbait” headlines. These are designed for one reason, to get your attention. They have been referred to as the types of headlines a carnival barker might call out at a carnival show.
Look Behind the Story. When reading a news item online, check to see if the online publication provides information such as its mission, staff members, where it is located, telephone, or email addresses. Fake news publications have a habit of not providing this information.
Check the Author. If an author and bio is provided, and you are skeptical about a news story, take a closer look at who wrote it. In one case, the author of a fake news article was listed as Jimmy XXX’; his bio indicated he was a doctor, had won four Pulitzer prizes, and a Peabody award. A quick search found that no Jimmy XXX ever won any of these awards and he’s probably not a doctor either.
“Fake news is one reason B2B trade publications are on the rebound,” says Robert Kravitz, president of AlturaSolutions. “If someone must make a business decision for an organization, they want to know the facts. The B2B press in North America is very focused on providing those facts.”
About AlturaSolutions Communications
Based in Chicago, AlturaSolutions Communications prepares and publishes educational articles that discuss the value, benefits, and features of your products and services. These articles are published in major B2B trade publications, the ones your customer’s read and trust. The company also produce an ongoing stream of search engine optimized blogs, news stories, product releases, digital marketing services, and case studies. For more information, visit www.alturasolutions.com
