Brand trust is the foundation for gaining loyal clientele and building a credible reputation, and it has always been at the forefront of every brand’s marketing strategy. In the age of social media and the ever-changing landscape of technology, how can a business build brand trust that cuts through the noise without demeaning their product? Today we take a look at how to build brand trust with social media marketing for your business.
What is Brand Trust?
Brand trust is literally how much confidence your business evokes from its customers. Do you deliver what you promise? Do you adhere to your values? Does your branding deliver on its promises? The answers to these questions reveal whether or not your brand has gained the trust of your customers, and if your brand has met their expectations. Some factors that help establish trust include, but is not limited to:
- Quality of the product
- Customer service and employee management
- Security of information and data
Cultivating brand trust is imperative for any business, so it is important to understand what it is and how to set the expectations.
Why is Brand Trust Important?
But why is it so important? One would think that the answer would be pretty clear, but recent reports show that consumers are less concerned with the excitement of a new product than the value and safety for society and how the brand impacts the world. Therefore, in the modern world, brand trust can elevate the product above the product itself, and offer longevity in a way that has not been seen before. The roles a business plays in society, culture and its purpose give a relevancy connected to not just the business, but the world.
Using Social Media to Build Brand Trust
With social media having become the main channel in most marketing strategies, building brand trust on the various platforms is now the most important priority for any sized business. Of course, many of the larger companies, such as Nike and Target, have an automatic step ahead of most other businesses, but it’s still important to build and maintain that brand trust no matter the business size. So how does a smaller business build brand trust on social media? A few of the most important steps include:
- Clear and concise communication – Just like in old school marketing, being direct and precise in the outbound communication is just as important and providing clear channels of inbound communication for quality customer service. Allow for comments and direct messages, and respond appropriately. Use this communication to elevate the customer service, and the brand in return.
- Authentic and relevant content – You don’t have to spend millions to look professional, nor to create quality content, but you do need to pay attention to the details and spend the right amount of time curating it. Being authentic to your brand will attract a loyal following who trusts the product being sold, because you’ve spent the time and consideration of what they need.
- Consistent and transparent messaging – posting obtusely written memes once in a while won’t do anything to build trust among followers. Be consistent with posting, as well as with replying, and be transparent within the content. A loyal following wants to know exactly what they are spending their hard-earned money on.
- Promoting what makes your business trustworthy – make sure that when others leave positive reviews or personal testimonials, that they are seen! Positive reviews can bolster a business like nothing else, so create content that displays how others see your business.
When it comes to the specific platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, we have a few specific suggestions.
Building Brand Trust on Facebook and Instagram
While Facebook itself may not be as trustworthy a brand as a business would hope, the platform is a necessity in the current marketing landscape. Instagram, on the other hand, seems much more trustworthy, even though it is owned by Facebook. Both are invaluable when it comes to customer reach, so therefore they are both important when building brand trust. But how do you do that? Here are some simple and effective tips for building brand trust on Facebook and Instagram:
- First and foremost, make sure your profile is complete, up to date, and relevant. If it looks questionable, you won’t even start the journey.
- Post relevant content consistently, and be sure to post content that is personal to the company, along with some user-generated content and content that shows your expertise. Content is king!
- Respond to your followers and never take them for granted. They are why you exist on these platforms, and you must maintain communication with them within the world of these platforms.
Just like with old-school marketing, building brand trust is imperative to its success. Using social media can help tremendously in this endeavor, so be sure to never overlook it when planning your business’s marketing strategy. But use it wisely! Please contact us if you have any questions and let us help you build brand trust on social media!
