Fact-Checking for Businesses — How to Avoid Brand Misinformation

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be used in place of legal advice. If your brand is experiencing legal issues due to brand misinformation, consult a lawyer.

Today, more than ever, consumers rely on online content to help them make informed decisions about new products, services, and brands. As a result, brand misinformation that appears in blogs, online articles, or social media can have substantial implications.

An article published by the Smith School of Business noted that false information can reach an audience of 1,500 people six times as fast as the truth. 

Further, they added that research indicates social media users have a 70% higher likelihood of resharing (or retweeting) false information than correct facts. As a result of the spread of misinformation, brands and businesses have even experienced drops in stock prices and share values.

Brand misinformation is important to avoid for companies of all sizes, from major corporations to small businesses. Here are some tips on how to avoid brand misinformation. 

Create a Standardized Fact-Checking Process

Every business needs a standardized process to verify information before it’s publicly shared. This means having an SOP (standard operating procedure) in place that only uses reliable, industry-relevant sources or fact-checking websites to provide timely, credible information. 

As part of this process, you should:

• Create a checklist that outlines how to cross-reference and verify sources.
• Use an automated fact-checker to streamline fact-checking and reviews.
• Assign specific team members to fact-check content and instances of false facts that an automated fact-checker highlights — before publication.
• Train (and re-train) all team members regularly on the latest methods for identifying and halting the spread of misinformation.
• Keep your SOP and checklist in a place that’s easily accessible.

Educate Your Team on Handling Misinformation

Above all, you want to be proactive rather than reactive when it comes to handling misinformation. 

• Regularly hold workshops on how to identify misinformation.
• Including information on how it spreads, where it most commonly occurs, and actions to take when misinformation is identified.

Then, revisit and regularly update this training with the latest techniques and fact-checking tools to keep your team abreast of changes and adaptations so they stay prepared. 

Monitor Online Mentions for Brand Misinformation

Fact-checking is important, and every brand, large or small, should monitor online mentions for potential brand misinformation. 

That includes, but isn’t just limited to:

• Social media
• News websites
• Blogs
• Online forums 

Using tools that track brand mentions on various platforms can alert you when your brand or products are mentioned. 

Many businesses have taken the extra step of analyzing sentiment around their brand name. Using the latest in NLP (Natural Language Processing), certain tools can determine how an audience perceives a brand.

For example, if sentiment suddenly shifts, it could provide an early indication of misinformation that needs to be addressed rapidly.

Have your team regularly review sentiment analysis reports to address misinformation before it catches on. Steer the conversation toward a positive brand image by responding to customer concerns and clearing up misinformation. 

Respond Quickly if Brand Misinformation Surfaces

The proper response to brand information should be swift and strategic.

Example response: 

We noticed that there’s some confusion regarding (the misinformation) and we’d like to take a moment to clarify that. We at (Company) are committed to transparency, and we appreciate you bringing this issue to our attention. 

We’d like to clear things up. The truth is (the correct information). We work hard to create quality (products), and we’re happy to answer any questions you may have. 

If the misinformation has already spread considerably, you may want to take a broader approach. Depending on your strategy, this may mean posting through an official social media account, releasing a PR statement, or drafting a blog article. 

Maintain transparency and keep your audience informed while you address the situation.

If brand misinformation is negatively impacting the business, it may be worth escalating the issue to a higher level, such as a legal team.

Work Together with Third-Party Fact Checkers

Depending on the brand and organization, it may be beneficial to work with third-party fact-checking organizations. This could include regular ‘accuracy audits’ of information shared on the web and social media.

This can also demonstrate transparency to customers or clients. Additionally, formally working with third-party fact-checking organizations can expand company resources for addressing potential misinformation if or when it arises.

Create a Culture of Critical Thinking

Place accuracy and transparency at the forefront of communications to cultivate a culture of critical thinking at your business. 

• Encourage employees to work together to protect and nurture brand reputation.
• Actively engage in constructive discussions about content that’s posted, shared, and consumed about the brand. 
• Have open communication channels where employees can report concerns. 

Not only are these great steps toward building a culture of critical thinking, but they’re also a proactive way to reduce the risk of brand misinformation.

Have a Proactive Plan in Place

Establishing a proactive plan with guidance on how to address misinformation if it does occur can help your brand act quickly. 

Here are some tips to create such a plan: 

• Gather mission-critical individuals from different departments responsible for navigating the misinformation (consider including legal, PR, senior leadership and customer service). 
• Create a step-by-step process for evaluating misinformation. Consider when your brand would want to incorporate customer service, PR, and senior leadership. 
• Draft a set of pre-approved messages that are easy to customize and publish if misinformation occurs.
• Monitor AI content on your website with an AI website scanner, then fact-check and edit the text carefully to reduce the risk of AI hallucinations (incorrect information presented as fact in AI text).
• Review, revise, and continue refining the plan to keep it current.

The Bottom Line on Brand Misinformation

When it comes to brand misinformation, take proactive, positive steps now to create processes and procedures that equip you and your team. Then, consider incorporating fact-checking tools to help highlight incorrect information for your editors or publishers to review before publication.

Looking for more information on fact-checking? Check out our fact-checking resources.