In 2026, trust becomes the media's most valuable currency

2026 is going to be the year of trust. The media landscape is now so fragmented, and AI has disrupted it so much that people are desperate to know what (and who) they can rely on. This will translate into a search for reliability and accuracy, and will affect anything and everything from AI searches (high-quality backlinks are vital for AEO) to journalism and marketing. 

There are many ways to lean into this desire for quality and credibility. Part of it reflects the new world we live in, where consumers often trust individuals more than brands, putting their faith in someone they can relate to. In reality, it means we need to amplify the voices of our journalists. At the FT – where we already benefit from being seen as a trusted destination – we are putting an emphasis on what we describe as "trusted voices", our most authoritative names.

You may be wondering how to demonstrate trustworthiness, and some of it will obviously come through the journalism itself, the rigour of your sources and the way you present your work. But there is also much to be said for sharing how you go about your work: behind-the-scenes videos or podcasts, for example, which show how the journalism happens, help to build confidence. Always owning up to mistakes and putting in clear corrections also matter, and so does being responsive. Meaningful engagement - replying to comments or emails, basically showing you’re listening - is crucial.

Trust and value go hand in hand. If you want readers to value your content, it needs to be trustworthy; it really is that simple.