Unlocking post-election engagement: Building lasting audience connections

Creating community-driven resources after gathering feedback through storytelling and engagement mechanisms is key to fostering higher rates of growth and sustainability. Offering tools and information that your audience needs opens additional engagement and revenue opportunities, similar to the high engagement levels and sponsorships seen by social media influencers.”

Richard E. Brown, chief growth and innovation officer, Wisconsin Watch

A recent conversation with a colleague made me reflect on post-election engagement and how we can strengthen our relationship with readers now and in the future. While election periods often bring a surge in audience interaction, news organizations frequently face churn and audience loss once the political season ends.

On cue, I couldn’t help but hone in on the seemingly organic growth and influence of social media figures. This prompted me to dig deeper into how these influencers on varying social media platforms cultivate such strong audience loyalty and consistent long-term engagement.

According to Pew Research’s 2021 study, over a third of Americans now get their news from social platforms, where influencers create emotional, niche content that fosters loyal communities through consistent engagement. This raises the question: How can we replicate that strong connection while maintaining our commitment to nonpartisanship and objectivity? It’s not easy by any means, but some social media influencers have mastered audience engagement in ways that traditional news outlets struggle to match.

One critical and perhaps daunting question facing news media today is how to evolve its connection with consumers while unlocking sustainable revenue opportunities. Why is it so difficult to replicate the engagement levels seen with social influencers? To begin with, the core challenge lies in the stark difference in mission and approach. News outlets prioritize objectivity, thorough reporting and factual accuracy, which don’t always lend themselves to the dynamic, emotional or provocative content that thrives on social media. This contrast makes it harder for traditional media to captivate audiences like influencers do, whose content often drives high engagement by tapping into more personal and emotional narratives.

Additionally, digital platforms are fragmented, requiring constant adaptation and flexibility in communication strategies — something traditional news outlets aren’t always set up to do as quickly.

On the revenue side, while news organizations have relied on traditional advertising, subscriptions or memberships, influencers and content creators benefit from more direct engagement models like Patreon, YouTube ad revenue and brand partnerships, which align more naturally with their niche, audience-centric strategies.

The challenge lies in adapting to these shifting preferences while upholding journalistic integrity. However, the opportunity to redefine how we engage with our audiences and ensure long-term relevance feels more abundant than ever.

Enhancing audience engagement through storytelling

Creating deeper engagement requires emotional connection and relatability in our storytelling. While trust and credibility are crucial for news organizations, genuinely connecting with audiences means offering content that resonates on a personal level. Our news content must be relevant and help consumers navigate their daily lives. The Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2023 highlights that younger audiences increasingly consume news via social media, yet nearly 38% of people report avoiding news due to negativity or perceived irrelevance.

To stay relevant, our content needs strategic adaptation. Documentaries, for example, engage viewers emotionally while presenting facts, showing why a story matters. Similarly, balancing our objectivity with evolving audience preferences ensures resonance, relatability and higher engagement. We can strengthen our connection with communities by incorporating personal, relatable stories and interactive content while maintaining journalistic integrity. Mastering this approach across platforms will deepen relationships with current audiences and prepare us for future consumers’ changing needs.

Building community connectivity

The next strategic shift in our content development approach is to foster an engaging community feedback loop environment across all platforms. Historically, news outlets have communicated in a one-sided manner. However, creating spaces for real-time audience interaction is crucial in today’s media landscape. By allowing community members and subscribers to engage directly with us, we can build stronger connections and amplify audience growth. This engagement also opens doors to future revenue opportunities.

For example, creating dedicated sections where the community can ask questions on topics like local voting or housing helps drive engagement. Additionally, hosting town halls, live events and Q&A sessions allows audiences to understand our journalism better and voice their concerns.

Two-way dialogue builds a loyal community that feels heard, valued and invested in our work. This approach betters our relationships and ensures our journalism remains a trusted source in today's shifting media ecosystem, securing both immediate and long-term growth.

Developing resources for sustainability

Creating community-driven resources after gathering feedback through storytelling and engagement mechanisms is key to fostering higher rates of growth and sustainability. Offering tools and information that your audience needs opens additional engagement and revenue opportunities, similar to the high engagement levels and sponsorships seen by social media influencers.

While entertainment, lifestyle and inspirational content dominate social media engagement, how-to guides and informational resources offer a unique content strategy for news organizations. These topics are well-positioned to deliver educational, specialized knowledge. News organizations can strengthen audience connections with relevant, timely, convenient and emotionally soothing information by addressing specific community needs — such as veteran support services, college guidance and financial aid tips, or healthcare and family resources. This approach leverages the strategic advantage of providing valuable, well-researched content and ensures long-term growth, sustainability and relevance as trusted sources of information.

Offering resources that address specific community needs builds a deeper sense of trust and connection, positioning news outlets as indispensable and reliable sources of information. By understanding and responding to what communities truly need, news organizations reinforce their role as essential, trusted, “influential” voices in our own backyards.

Richard E. Brown is a monthly columnist for Editor & Publisher and contributing writer for Digital Content Next. He currently serves as chief growth and innovation officer for Wisconsin Watch. Previously, he held positions at LPi, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Gannett and The Daily Beast. He also serves on the foundation board for the Wisconsin Newspaper Association, is a revenue coach LION and for the emerging news leaders' program for CUNY, and is the finance chair for NABJ-Milwaukee.