The alchemy of audience trust

Published: 28 Apr 2025

Trust is complicated topic. There is a wealth of factors that feed into whether or not we decide to trust in an individual or an organisation and different groups will prioritise different elements when forming their opinions. On top of that, it is far easier to lose trust than it is to gain; one wrong move could undermine decades of brand building.

Audience trust has always been important for publishers, but as AI ramps up the speed and virality of misinformation and disinformation, it is increasingly critical to make sure that foundation is solid. We reached out to our Associate partners to discover what they considered to be the key factors in building trust with your audience. From privacy management, to a streamlined ad experience, to fact-checked and reliable content, here are the eleven areas that should be top priorities for publishers right now.

Tap into audience insights to deliver highly relevant and engaging content.

Publishers ought to deepen their understanding of their audience, if they are to instil trust. Consumer behaviour has changed significantly in recent years. There are now multiple touchpoints across different channels shaping the customer journey; the path to purchase is no longer linear and has become more complex.

Publishers are in a unique position here, as many have a wealth of audience data and insights they can leverage. By drawing on these insights, they can ensure they’re sharing relevant, tailored content, which is crucial to driving engagement and trust with their audience. Integrating more advanced technology helps to facilitate this; leveraging AI and identity signals can provide frictionless experiences across their platforms, in line with consumer expectations.

Franziska Motta Ferraz, VP, Media Owner Development, EMEA, Criteo

Educate audiences on privacy and the value exchange needed to fund quality content.

By providing transparency and choice, publishers can build trust with their readers and drive a more engaged and enriched customer experience.

How can this be achieved? By being clear and concise on the value exchange that is required in order for the publisher to continue to provide fact-checked, unbiased, verified professional journalism. This starts with clear and transparent consent and is followed by respect for that consent in line with privacy regulations. Getting this right is the gold that grows trust, and a better user experience. A consented and trusting audience will drive better outcomes all round; more engagement, more interaction, more brand loyalty, in an era when audiences are on the decline, and every single reader matters.

Catherine Murray, Head of Partner Services UK, Utiq

Offer a simple, accessible privacy experience.

Building trust with your audience is paramount, and we believe this starts with respecting their privacy. Recent research, including the Opt Out Audience Whitepaper, highlights the positive impact of providing clear and easily accessible opt-out options for cookies and tracking. Studies show that users respond favourably when given a simple "Refuse All" option, reporting a more positive perception of websites that prioritize their privacy.

By making data privacy a priority and offering clear choices, publishers can foster stronger user trust, engagement, and ultimately, long-term loyalty. It's about building a relationship based on respect and transparency.

Paul Smith, UK MD, Opt Out Advertising

Promote quality content in an era of AI-slop.

On my mind publishers should deliver quality and trusted content. That's the one thing they need to work on. In these times of copy-paste, affiliate links and artificial intelligence content, only quality journalism is trustworthy.

Sergei Soloviev, CEO, Viqeo

Be mindful of your audience’s perceptions of AI when embedding new tools in journalistic processes.

High-quality editorial standards have always been the foundation of trust between publishers and their audiences. As AI increasingly takes on much of the groundwork traditionally handled by journalists, it will be interesting to see how this shift impacts readers' perceptions of credibility and trust in the content they consume.

James Hanslip, CEO, Content Ignite

Offer highly personalised and curated content experiences.

Prioritising personalisation to create a reader experience that is both relevant and engaging is a sure-fire way to build trust. Investing in data-driven audience strategies that provide insight into both on-site behaviours and what engages readers beyond a publisher’s own properties will offer a fuller picture of who they are. Leveraging these audience insights to create a more personalised experience through high-quality content and recommendations will help further drive engagement and build out long-term relationships with the audience - using data to add value, not just to monetise.

Dave Posnett, Head of Partnerships, Captify

Adopt measurement solutions beyond third-party cookies.

To build audience trust, publishers must prioritise transparency, especially in data handling. A privacy-first approach demonstrates they are committed to respecting audience expectations at a time when concerns about online privacy are growing. This also extends to measurement. By adopting measurement solutions that are free of third-party cookies and do not capture personal information, publishers can deliver meaningful insights, whilst also protecting user anonymity. Educating audiences about these practices fosters greater confidence in the platforms they engage with. Trust is built when publishers show they value both effectiveness and ethics in their campaigns, reassuring audiences that their privacy is never compromised.

Sean Adams, CMO, Brand Metrics

Prioritise user-friendly advertising.

Publishers should prioritise a great user experience in order to build trust with their user base. The quest to remain sustainable has often resulted in more and more ad positions being added to a page, often at the expense of the user's enjoyment of the content they want to consume. With so much choice for users and the spectre of social media hanging over the publishers heads, priority needs to be given to user friendly advertising formats, delivering a relevant and quality experience for users. That quality experience needs to consider the dynamism of social media and delivering exciting video experiences the younger user, in particular, has come to expect.

Richard Chambers, Managing Director, Business Development - Publishers Northern Europe, Teads

Provide a well-curated ad experience that doesn’t impact on site use.

Publishers should prioritise delivering a high-quality, user-first site experience to build trust with their audience. This means fast-loading pages, limiting intrusive formats like pop-ups, and ensuring ads are relevant and respectful of the user journey. After all, we’re all internet users ourselves, and it’s worth reflecting on the kind of experience we appreciate when browsing online. People don’t hate ads, but they hate the bad ones. By maintaining control over the ad experience and avoiding clutter or poor-quality placements, publishers demonstrate that they value their audience’s time and privacy. A clean, well-curated environment not only encourages repeat visits but also strengthens credibility in a digital landscape where trust and transparency are easily lost.

Thuy Ho, Sales Manager, Relevant Digital

A/B test site layouts to find the optimal balance between revenue generation and audience experience.

Site and user experience are excellent areas to invest your resources as these are the storefronts of your business. But it can be tricky to balance ad revenue optimisation and non-disruptive experiences. Broadly speaking, you can get ahead of the game by utilising media quality metrics such as viewability and attention to consistently A/B test how audiences respond to new pages or layout changes. You can take these efforts even further with the right verification and measurement partner, which can help you automate processes and return valuable time to your teams.

Anya Libova, Senior Publisher Sales Director, DoubleVerify EMEA