Ten quick tips to think from your journalism audience’s perspective

By Rob Golub

In an era of distrust and outrage, journalism must build an authentic relationship with consumers of news, not just churn out stories.

To emotionally connect with your audience and earn their trust, to cut through the garbage of the internet, you’ve got to think from their perspective. In this wild 2025 world, love is the answer, not anger or hate.

Here are ten quick tips to think from their perspective:

1. Remember who it’s for. The news product is for them. You still have to deliver the bad news, but if you want your audience to stay with you instead of tuning out, bring love, not anger. This isn’t the time to prove what a tough journalist you are by taking down the local grandma. Approach it from you’re important, not we’re important.
2. Prioritize ordinary people. Lead with the names and faces of real people in the community. Put them up front, loud and proud.
3. Empower your audience. Invite them in. Ask for help with a history project. “Does anyone know what used to be on that block?” Let them be part of the storytelling. Help them feel needed.
4. Be a community cheerleader. Run big, beautiful photos of relief and joy after a near-disaster. Say it visually: We’re celebrating with you.
5. Don’t talk down. Give them the hard news, the bad news, the real news. Emotional engagement doesn’t mean softening journalism. It means doing great journalism that connects.
6. Make your calendar work for them. If you’ve got one, make sure it’s easy and fun to use. It should feel like a joy to scroll through, not a buggy chore.
7. Love alternate story forms. Numbered lists and Q&As engage readers and give them a mental break. That breather earns their loyalty for the deeper work. Do “Ten things to love in town,” then the story that uncovers the truth in town. We need both: keep them, then serve them.
8. Think beyond words. Writers and editors should care about the whole experience. Is the design giving readers multiple ways in, or chasing them off with walls of text? Are you making sure you have photos that help tell the story, or that you have photos or art at all? Don’t assume that this is someone else’s job. It’s yours.
9. Go beyond the official. Don’t just report what sounds formal or bureaucratic. Tell stories about how human culture is changing — who we are and what’s happening in our hearts. Help your audience understand their own emotions and place in the world.
10. Above all, think love. Be caring. Your readers are stressed. I know that I’ve got subscribers in the UK, Europe, South America, Australia, everywhere, and I'm grateful you're here. But perhaps in particular for the U.S., many people feel that things are headed the wrong direction. Whatever their politics, it’s a tense time. Meet that with care. Many of us just want someone, somewhere, to care in uncertain times.

Like what you read?

I’m building a movement for greater trust in journalism, rooted in emotional engagement of audiences. If this resonates with you, please forward this to a colleague or friend who cares about the future of local or community news.

For additional practical steps, check out the Successful Journalism One-Sheet Guide.

Together, we can create journalism that communities believe in.