Keeping it real in a world of fake news: a survival guide for small charities

Seeing is believing no longer holds true in today’s media and communications landscape.

Consumers face a daily barrage of AI-generated clickbait, deepfake videos and unverified news reports, often via largely unregulated information providers.

Knowing what – and who – to trust is becoming increasingly difficult for all of us, posing a major challenge to PR professionals attempting to engage an increasingly cynical audience.

Examples of sophisticated deception are legion. A recent Press Gazette investigation exposed more than 50 non-existent ‘experts’ who’ve been repeatedly quoted and pictured in the British press. Meanwhile, the Daily Telegraph newspaper was reprimanded by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) last month for publishing an entirely fake case study, complete with an AI-generated image to illustrate it. The BBC highlighted concerns about overseas ‘content farms’ which are spewing out political deepfake videos which could impact upcoming national and local elections in May.

All organisations want to distance themselves from inauthentic, unreliable content, but none more so than charities, whose very survival rests on trust. For small charity comms teams without pockets deep enough to outsource projects, staying on top of proliferating media channels, while producing content which engages supporters and builds trust, is a tall order. Poorly managed, there’s a risk of burnout and costly misjudgements.

Here’s how small charity PR teams on low budgets can build trust:

Be a trust broker

Trusted, effective charities exist and survive because they provide useful support and information to people with a shared interest or experience. In other words, they have an immediate jump start on most organisations by having a clearly defined audience who are invested in its work and have a shared sense of purpose.

They are perfectly placed to take on the role of “trust broker”, proposed in the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer as an antidote to its findings of increasing social insularity and lack of trust that our institutions, including government and the media, will “do the right thing”.

The report says: “A trust broker can be a person, organisation, or institution trusted by each stakeholder group facing a common problem.” The idea is not to try to change people, but to find common ground to establish shared goals and needs.

Charities can use this search for like-mindedness to build and connect communities through shared experiences and values, amplified through owned channels. Sophisticated social listening, as demonstrated by Daniel Rowles, will support improved engagement by understanding how channels are being used and which subjects are capturing attention.

Communications expert Jim Macnamara has written extensively about the importance of “interactivity” in successful social media management, building relationships and establishing two-way conversations with audiences. This offers a low-cost way for “many to talk to many”, supporting the Edelman concept of finding shared goals in groups facing a common problem.

He also urges us to think beyond ‘clicks’ and ‘likes’ towards a deeper, more purposeful relationship with the audience. This could involve content made by supporters, for example, to strengthen relatability and a sense of belonging.

Values and voice

To win and maintain trust, charities must stay true to their values and present a consistent voice throughout their communications, whether that’s a speech by a leader or the tone of someone answering an email.

As Paul Smith has highlighted, a well-told story can capture the essence of an organisation, its work and connect those it supports through relatable situations. Small charities which regularly interact with their supporters either online, in person or via the telephone are in a strong position to build trusting relationships that enable people to tell their stories, their way.

Many small charities struggle to fund high-quality photography to illustrate their work and fall back on free image bank material, which can undermine the impact and authenticity of an excellent story. In fact, using slightly amateurish imagery may even boost trust and connection.

A recent survey by the University of East Anglia showed that charities’ use of AI imagery detracted from their message – turning the conversation away from their cause and towards the authenticity of the image. Co-author David Girling, from UEA’s School of Global Development, said: “Charities exist because people care about other people. The moment when audiences start questioning whether what they are seeing is real, the emotional connection that drives support is put at risk.”

Avoid peer pressure

Failing to stay true to your values and voice can backfire quickly, as the Stroke Association discovered when it attempted to piggyback on a viral social media moment about a couple caught on camera at a Coldplay concert. Comments from its Threads account attracted negative publicity and resulted in an apology from its chief executive.

‘Trendjacking’, particularly for small comms teams who lack agility, is generally ineffective and inauthentic and risks a damaging misalignment of values.

One misstep can have far-reaching reputational consequences. Academic Andrew Griffin noted: “When customers change their minds about what you are like, they might change their buying habits; when employees see you differently, they might move on. A damaged reputation is an outcome, and this outcome can in turn damage the bottom line.”

To avoid an over-excited social media post or other rash public responses, a rigorous approach to issue identification and management is needed, as well as a robust social media policy.

Viral moments can’t be predicted, but brainstorming potential scenarios and working through the objectives of posts can mitigate against disaster.

Even with the best planning in the world, things can still go wrong. Daniel Rowles says organisations with a social media presence need “… a culture that understands that building and iterating processes is essential and accepts that complete control is impossible”.

Embrace the fragmented media landscape.

Increasing consumption of news and information online means that charities no longer have to filter their messages through traditional media outlets, which can be time-consuming and unproductive.

Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos told the BBC earlier this year that the fact that YouTube now accounts for almost nine per cent of TV time in the UK is a recognition that “consumers change their habits”. How new habits are embraced by small comms teams depends on who you’re targeting, but if charities want to engage younger audiences, then adaptation is essential.

YouTube has been around for more than 20 years and seems set to be a key media influence well into the future. So why do so many small charities only use their channels as dumping grounds for overlong videos and dull webinars? While a YouTube revamp is not a small undertaking, it is surely worth serious consideration, given the resilience of the platform. It is a low-cost – if potentially time-heavy – way of getting stories and messages directly to a global audience in a format that’s continuing to gain traction.

Channels such as TLDR News show that whatever the subject matter, short, engaging video content can provoke a two-way conversation and capture the interest of a younger audience.

Podcasts have been something of a slow burn but are now listened to by 22 per cent of adults in the UK, with a fairly even split between men and women and broad popularity across the 15 to 55 age range. An additional opportunity is that 34 per cent of people access their podcast visually through YouTube.

Setting up a podcast is a serious time investment for a small comms team, but a quicker, cheaper and arguably more effective option is to leverage your leaders, supporters or related experts onto existing programmes. For health charities, for example, there’s the popular “This podcast will kill you”, or the mental health-focused “Happy Place”, hosted by Fearne Cotton. If you’re lucky enough to have an engaging chief executive, you could pitch to leadership podcasts.

Participating in a relevant podcast allows a charity to speak directly to an audience which might already be receptive to its message, enhancing visibility, trust and recognition.

The ‘churnalism’ of mainstream media content identified by Nick Davies 18 years ago is even more in evidence today. Exacerbated by a shrinking market and a diminishing workforce, journalists have less time to gather news and are even more reliant on ‘pre-packaged’ news provided by PR companies, organisations and charities.

But small comms teams need to work out whether the considerable time spent on generating news coverage – which can be torpedoed by breaking news or simply the vagaries of an editor – justify the impact of any resulting coverage. With only 19 per cent of news consumed through newspapers, which increases to 34 per cent through online versions, according to Ofcom, this is a pertinent debate. Although it’s worth noting that trust in public service broadcasters, particularly the BBC, is holding firm at around 62 per cent.

One argument in favour of making the effort is that media coverage can establish a charity’s leader as an expert in that field. As discussed at the start of this article, being a real person from a trusted organisation that exists is fast proving to be quite the asset. Positioning a chief executive in a thought leadership role in the media can lead to a range of other high-profile opportunities which can help improve visibility and amplify the voices of its supporters.

Prepare, prioritise and protect

Without clear strategic direction and regular issue management reviews, the life of a small comms team can feel like being permanently stranded on a beach at high tide. With the water lapping around your toes, taking a moment to review the current media landscape and assess the impact of your work is an impossible luxury.

If given the time to reflect and plan, most small teams will find themselves in a strong position to harness the trust hard-earned by their charity’s effective and compassionate work. The focus must be on strategic thinking, using resources and communication opportunities effectively and purposefully.

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Jessica’s perspective on studying for the CIPR Professional PR Diploma 

Jessica prepared this article for a CIPR Professional Diploma assignment while studying with PR Academy.

What do you see as the key benefits of studying the CIPR Professional PR Diploma?

For me, having the PR Diploma has given me the confidence to step back from a project and to take the time to assess what we’re trying to achieve and the best way to get there. In a small comms team, it’s very easy to get stuck on a treadmill of juggling too many projects and feeling as if you’re not doing any of them well. The PR Diploma has taught me that carving out research and planning time at the start of a project will reap long-term benefits in terms of creativity and impact.

What has been your favourite part of the course so far?

Unit one was my favourite part of the course, as it changed my thinking on what planning really means. It encouraged much deeper thought about audiences, stakeholders and objective setting. Writing this thought piece was also fun and interesting; I enjoyed the relative freedom of writing in an opinionated way – although I felt a little guilty that some of the issues I highlighted were ones that I probably could have navigated better too. It’s always easier to be the critic.

Have you been able to apply any of the learning, and if so, how?

Yes, it’s already made a big difference to the way I work. I’ve written a new communications strategy and am starting to embed a new planning system in my team. As an organisation, we are also changing the way we set objectives as a result of my course.

About the CIPR Professional PR Diploma 

The PR Diploma is a Master’s level qualification for more experienced practitioners who are looking to underpin what they do with theory and contemporary models. Topics include PR strategy and planning, content management, media and engagement, measurement and evaluation, and PR leadership and process improvement. 

You have two years to complete it, but with PR Academy you set your own study pace, and many students finish in about ten months. 

READ OUR COMPLETE GUIDE TO CIPR QUALIFICATIONS

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