Understand the why behind what you share and protect your brand in the process.
With content circulating around news outlets, social platforms, and influencer feeds, it’s easy to get swept up in what’s trending. But for marketers, quick reactions can come at a cost. Media literacy defines the ability to assess the accuracy, intent, and impact that media has. In recent years, it has become a core skill for building trustworthy strategies and protecting brand credibility.
Here’s how sharpening your media literacy skills can help you stay focused and serve your audience better.
Assess the Source Before You Share
Every article, post, podcast, and data point comes from somewhere. While that may be common knowledge, understanding the where is key to building messaging that’s grounded in truth. Before using or sharing information, pause and take a moment to look at the full picture.
A Quick Gut Check Can Save a Campaign
- Research the publisher or platform. Is it known for reliable reporting or viral takes?
- Look into the author’s background. Are they a subject matter expert?
- Double check facts across multiple, reputable sources.
- Ask yourself the intent behind the content you’re consuming. Was it created to inform or simply to entertain?
Read Beyond the Headlines
Click-worthy headlines don’t always tell the complete story. Marketing decisions made on partial or misleading information can lead to off-brand messaging or misaligned campaigns.
Go Deeper Than the First Impression
- Read the full article before sharing or referencing it in content.
- Scan for missing context, cherry-picked data, or emotional framing.
- Look at how the content aligns with your brand voice and values.
- Don’t let the urgency to get content out outweigh your understanding.
Context Isn’t Optional
Trends move fast, but reputations last. While jumping on a trending sound, meme, or visual might seem like an easy engagement boost, not all viral content is safe for your brand. In marketing, what you post is just as important as where it came from and what it now represents. Without that context, well-meaning content can land poorly or, worse, create backlash.
Your Content Reflects Your Brand Judgment
- Always research where trends originated and how they’ve been used in the past.
- Pay attention to tone shifts. A trend might seem humorous, but carry serious or sensitive undertones.
- Be mindful of whether you are enforcing brand values or chasing trends.
- Example: A well-known brand recently used a trending audio on TikTok to promote their service. The audio, however, had been taken out of its original context, which carried a vastly different meaning than what they thought. What started as a lighthearted post quickly raised questions among viewers, prompting unexpected pushback.
Media literacy is no longer a niche skill, but a necessity in modern digital marketing. At Linden, we believe thoughtful marketing starts with thoughtful decisions—and that includes what we share, reference, and amplify for our clients.
Have a perspective on media literacy or a recent trend you’ve had to navigate? We’d love to hear it. Connect with us today!
About Linden
We truly believe that we have the best clients in the world. The trust they’ve placed in Linden gives us the freedom to broaden our experience and diversify our skillset in order to better serve their needs. This allows us to take on bigger and more complex projects, so we’re always growing in tandem with these distinctive companies.
If these Linden Digital Marketing offerings piqued your interest, we welcome you to reach out and connect as we’d love to learn more about you!
