The average person is exposed to a staggering 5,000 ads daily, yet most barely make an impact. Your message often gets lost in a sea of clickbait headlines, low-quality content, and the mindless, endless scroll of social media feeds.
In contrast, local news sites and trusted publishers have built loyal, highly engaged audiences seeking credible, well-researched information. These platforms offer a unique opportunity to connect with readers who value authenticity and are more likely to engage with meaningful, relevant messages.
1. Trusted Media Helps You Reach the Right People—With the Right Message
Trusted media outlets are effective for advertising because they reach engaged audiences who are actively seeking information, rather than consumers passively scrolling through social media. When someone visits a local news site, they're in a heightened state of awareness, which means they're more likely to pay attention to your message.
Your ad benefits from context, too. When your brand appears alongside credible journalism, it inherits some of that trust by association. This is known as the halo effect—and you can read more about it in our last blog post.
The targeting precision also improves. Trusted publishers typically use first-party data from engaged subscribers, not just behavioral guesses from tracking pixels. This means your budget reaches people who match your actual customer profile.
2. Trusted Media Supports Long-Term Brand Health
Trusted media helps build a strong, positive image for your brand over time by avoiding controversial content and creating a lasting good impression. Consumers notice where brands appear, and that context shapes their perception of your credibility.
When your brand appears alongside local journalism, you're associated with civic engagement and community support. Generic programmatic placements, on the other hand, can land your ads next to misinformation, extreme content, or low-quality material.
In a recent study, researchers observed that attention spills from high-quality news content onto nearby ads. When asked about the ads later, participants showed significantly improved brand recall compared to ads placed next to non-news content.
3. Trusted Media Delivers Real Results—Not Just Impressions
Performance marketers often focus on metrics like impressions, clicks, and low CPMs, but trusted media offers something far more valuable: meaningful engagement that drives real conversions. Local media audiences, in particular, are more engaged and show higher intent because of their genuine connection to their communities.
Here's why trusted media is a smarter choice for your campaigns:
- Deeper audience insights: First-party data from trusted publishers is more accurate and reliable than third-party cookies.
- Higher ad attention: Ads in trusted news environments get 43% more visual attention than ads on social media.
- Better measurement: Track engaged users who match your customer profile, resulting in higher-quality leads.
- Improved ROI: Even if CPMs are higher, meaningful engagement improves the return on ad spend.
McClatchy Helps You Combine Trust with Targeting
McClatchy's Premium Audience Network delivers trusted media placement at scale—connecting your brand with engaged local audiences across 30+ journalism brands. This network reaches over 80 million consumers monthly through credible sources.
Whether you want to build brand awareness, drive conversions, or increase website traffic, our Premium Audience Network has the reach and credibility to deliver results. We understand the importance of reaching audiences where they are most engaged, which is why our network includes some of the top local news brands in the nation.
In addition to traditional display ads, we offer a variety of advertising options, including native content, video placements, and custom solutions tailored to fit your needs. Our partnerships with top-tier publishers allow us to provide unique opportunities for your brand to stand out and authentically engage with consumers.
Ready to Explore Trusted Media in Your Strategy?
Your advertising strategy deserves the same attention you put into your product and messaging. Trusted media environments offer a proven way to improve both performance and brand perception while supporting quality journalism.
