Understanding why people share news: A research guide

The mechanics of authentic person-to-person news sharing remain surprisingly understudied, even as word-of-mouth becomes a core pillar of publishing strategy. While we've spent years optimizing for social media algorithms and viral spread, we know remarkably little about how and why people choose to share news with those they trust.

This gap in understanding is becoming increasingly critical. As social platform reach declines and paid acquisition costs rise, more newsrooms are realizing that genuine peer-to-peer sharing may be their most sustainable distribution channel. Some member-funded newsrooms have already abandoned paid social completely, focusing entirely on word-of-mouth and influencer strategies.

Yet our research methods haven't caught up to this reality. We still predominantly measure public sharing metrics while lacking frameworks to understand private sharing behaviors. This guide aims to help bridge that gap.

Recent research suggests that news sharing isn't the viral phenomenon we often imagine - it's an intricate social process where people make careful, strategic decisions about what information to share with whom. Understanding these decisions requires moving beyond traditional analytics to explore the human dynamics at play.

This guide offers a starting framework for researching authentic sharing behaviors. It won't give you viral formulas or engagement hacks. Instead, it provides tools to understand how information naturally flows through networks of trust - insights that can inform both content strategy and distribution approaches.

Research questions

Personal sharing history

"Think about the last time you shared a news story with someone directly (not on social media). Walk me through that experience."

Follow-ups:

• What made you think of that particular person?
• How did you decide this was worth sharing?
• What response were you hoping for?

Sharing channels & context

"When you come across something you want to share, how do you typically decide whether to:

• Share it on social media
• Send it directly to specific people (email, WhatsApp, etc.)
• Bring it up in conversation
• Save it for later discussion"

Follow-up: "What makes you choose one method over another?"

Value assessment

"What makes something 'worth sharing' to you? Think about the difference between content you consume versus content you actively pass along to others."

Social dynamics

"When someone shares news or information with you:"

• What makes you more likely to engage with it?
• What makes you more likely to share it further?
• What makes you dismiss it?

Social capital

"When you share information with others, how much do you consider:"

• Your reputation as an information source
• The recipient's potential reaction
• Whether it aligns with your values
• The risk of being wrong or misleading

How to get it right

Language choices

• Use "information" instead of "content" or "news" for broader insights
• Focus questions on specific instances rather than general behavior
• Ask about both successful and unsuccessful sharing experiences

Interview format

• Start with recent concrete examples
• Use "think aloud" protocols while showing sample articles
• Follow the thread of actual sharing behavior rather than hypotheticals

Analysis framework

Look for patterns in:

1. Motivation (why share?)
2. Selection (what to share?)
3. Channel (where to share?)
4. Timing (when to share?)
5. Audience (with whom to share?)

Expected insights

This research should help understand:

• The role of trust and relationships in information sharing
• How people evaluate information's share-worthiness
• The difference between public and private sharing behaviors
• What makes information stick and spread naturally

Using the insights

Findings can inform:

1. Content strategy (what to create)
2. Distribution approach (how to package)
3. Community building (where to engage)
4. Impact measurement (what to track)

Let's connect

If you're already conducting research into news sharing behaviors, I'd love to learn from your experience. What patterns have you noticed? What questions have yielded the most insight? What surprises have you encountered?

If you're thinking about starting this kind of research, let me know. I'm happy to brainstorm approaches or share what I've learned from similar projects, via Signal or email.

I explore these themes and other civic media opportunities in my monthly newsletter Re:filtered. Each edition digs into how we can make journalism more meaningful and sustainable in this moment of systemic disruption.

Looking forward to comparing notes on what you discover.