Why providing supporting information should be the norm
Author: Sarah Greenidge, Founder of WellSpoken
Date of preparation: October 2017
At WellSpoken we often conduct research and audits of content produced by players in the wellness industry. Nine times out of ten our audits show that there is never any supporting information or references included in wellness consumer content.
Expressing opinions and personal stories about individual wellness journeys and experiences is perfectly valid and people working within the wellness industry have a legitimate right to do so.
The challenge comes when personal opinion is presented as universal fact under the guise of expertise.
In the case of individuals building brands, the by-product of having a large following is that they become trusted advisors (regardless of relevant qualifications). If we get down to the nitty-gritty of the basis of influencer/brands partnerships, they are built on that fact that influencers have a large captive audience who are influenced by the words and endorsements of said individuals.
While this symbiotic relationship should technically be transparent (thanks to guidance from the Advertising Standards Agency) we can no longer bury our heads in the sand when it comes to the responsibility that comes with a large sphere of influence.
Here at WellSpoken one of our key credibility principles is ensuring that consumers are provided with full information in order for them to make informed choices based on credible information.
One way we can easily meet these criteria is to ensure consumer content is backed up by credible sources that these sources are easily accessible for the public to verify for themselves.
Including a reference link to studies mentioned or linking to other credible websites where people can read more information are all ways that this can be achieved.
Our mission is to reach a stage where it is utterly the norm to write a piece of content and give the reader several other avenues to make their own informed wellness decisions.
Join us on this journey today.
