TRUST IS A COMMUNITY-FIRST STRATEGY
The TL;DR: More than ever, Americans are getting news through social media. As trust in traditional media declines and social platforms become more normalized with younger audiences, people increasingly rely on creators and real voices who make information feel more digestible and relatable. For brands, trust is no longer built directly, it’s earned through creators and communities who already have audience attention and credibility.
Americans are increasingly getting news through social media rather than traditional outlets. Pew Research reports that 53% of U.S. adults at least sometimes get news from social platforms, reinforcing their role as a core part of the modern news ecosystem. News is no longer a destination, it’s embedded into everyday scrolling alongside the content people already consume. Facebook (38%) and YouTube (35%) remain the top platforms for news, while TikTok and Instagram continue growing with younger audiences.
At the same time, trust dynamics are shifting. While trust in traditional news remains higher overall, it continues to decline, with only 56% of Americans reporting at least some trust in national news organizations in 2025. Trust in social media remains lower at 37%, but these platforms have become increasingly normalized as news sources, especially among younger audiences. This is driven by real-time user reporting, edutainment, and more personal perspectives that make information feel more relatable, digestible, and emotionally resonant. As a result, audiences are increasingly building trust with the creators delivering the information.
In today’s social landscape, trust is not built solely by brands, it’s inherited through people. Audiences are more likely to trust creators and community voices who feel authentic, experience-based, and unbiased over brands with something to sell. Consumers don’t look to brands for validation, they look to people who have already tried, experienced, and formed opinions.
For brands, this means building trust ecosystems through creators, partners, and communities who already have credibility with the target audience. Doing so allows brands to naturally embed messaging into feeds while borrowing existing trust and attention. Ultimately, a brand page alone won’t drive someone to try a product, but a trusted voice talking about it will.
A snapshot of buzz-worthy communities and fandoms to guide community engagement
👗 Met Gala Mania
What’s Going On: The annual Met Gala was this past Monday, May 4th, with the theme of Costume Art. As always many users took to social to let their inner Miranda Priestly out regarding the couture of the night. It was reported it was the most successful Gala, raising $42 million.
🏒 Heated Delusionship
What’s Going On: Post-Met Gala, recent Heated Rivalry star Hudson Williams responded to a fan’s thread asking them to stop shipping him with random people. After the frenzy of the show, both HR stars have faced increased parasocial commentary that has quickly infiltrated their personal lives.
🦅 Migration Nation
What’s Going On: Migration Alert! 🚨Billions of birds have flown across the East coast and eastern Midwest this week. It was forecasted that 373 Million migrated Monday night, 269 Million on Tuesday night, and 241 Million migrated on Wednesday night.
Four must-click links that crossed our feeds today.
Olivia Rodgrio debuted an unreleased song, begged, on last week’s episode Saturday Night Live.
FX dropped a surprise episode of “The Bear” on Wednesday, titled “Gary.”
Whitney Leavitt announced that she is departing from “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.”
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni end their lawsuit settlement in court.
TV/Streaming: Euphoria passes the halfway mark of Season 3 with episode 5 releasing on Sunday, May 10.
Movies: Mortal Kombat 2 premieres in theaters this Friday, May 8.
Music: Harry Styles releases a teaser for the Dance No More music video dropping on May 7.
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