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Writer's pictureDarby Riales

5 Ways to Build Brand Trust with Digital Marketing

Are you looking for a way to build a brand that clients trust? Then you have landed on the right page! In this article, you will find helpful tips on how to expand your customer base and establish that your business is trustworthy.



What Is Brand Trust?


Believe it or not, trust rates were falling drastically among businesses for nearly a decade. However, there has been a significant improvement in the number since last year. According to the 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer, approximately 68% of the general U.S. population trusts businesses. This is a great improvement from the same study in 2018 that showed the numbers at only 48%.

The survey also suggests that people are now expecting businesses to take the lead in breaking the latest cycle of distrust. Issues such as climate change, economic inequality, workforce re-skilling, and providing trustworthy information are all at the forefront of consumer concerns.

Now, people are turning to brands to stay informed and updated via social media, YouTube, and even blog content. While brand trust can be built the old fashion way, it can take a lot of time. For efficiency, businesses need to adopt a more proactive strategy to establish their brand as trustworthy and solidify that trust with their target audience from the beginning.

You can do that with a comprehensive digital marketing strategy. Here are some tips to help get you going!

#1 - Value Proposition


The value proposition defines your purpose as a brand and communicates to your target audience what your brand will do for them. Not having a clear value proposition from the get-go can damage your reputation and ability to build up trust.

Trust consists of two primary components: benevolence and competency.

Benevolence = Intention + Motives (that are beneficial to the customers)

Competency = Realization + Delivery (on promises)

In other words, what is your brand bringing to society and can you do what you say you can? These are the first two questions you should ask yourself if you wish to build brand trust quickly.

Think about the problem that your brand solves. What challenges does your product/service meet head-on? How can you clearly and concisely express that to your consumers?

Pro Tip: A great way to start building brand trust is to offer a loyalty program that rewards customers. Not only will this make people happy, but it will also keep them coming back.

#2 - Hyper-Focused Content


Creating and implementing relevant, engaging content is not a foreign concept. However, hyper-focusing on a certain niche is a bit newer in the digital marketing realm.

The best thing you can do for your business is to sit down and brainstorm for creative content. You can very quickly establish trust among your customers by offering them tips, strategies, and solutions to problems. Once your target audience realizes that your brand is knowledgeable, they will feel more with their decision to buy from you.

Pro Tip: Content should be educational and authentic. It should focus on helping the viewer and not just selling them something.

Research from Conductor has shown the following:

  • Educational content boosts the feeling of trust with consumers by 65%

  • One week after reading the educational content, that number increased to 74%

Not only does good content build trust, but it also helps to solidify brand identity. Consumers should be able to recognize your content via the tone, intro, or even a sign-off video. This reinforces your brand’s core values and creates consistency.

When considering content, you can ask yourself these questions:

  • Does the content reflect the brand’s core values?

  • Do the viewers know what the core values are? How can you be sure?

  • Is the communication consistent across all channels?

#3 - Authenticity


Humanizing your brand is crucial to building trust. It’s a way to bring authenticity into play.

A recent survey from Social Media Today shows that 90% of millennials believe authenticity to be important. Perfect and packaged is out. Real and organic is in.

The best way that businesses are doing this is by telling origin stories. People enjoy seeing where something started. They like seeing how it has grown. You don’t even need to have a long history. You can simply start by sharing how or why you opened your business. Accomplishments and obstacles along the way are also very popular.

#4 - Social Proof


Gathering up social proof is another way to build brand trust with your customers. Online, this is mainly done with reviews. However, there are a few more ways to show that people like your brand:

  • Showcasing follower counts or subscribers

  • Collecting testimonials

  • Pushing for user-generated content

  • Hiring an influencer

While that may seem daunting for a new business, it isn’t too difficult. Just start small.

Get a verification badge from Google Analytics to proudly display on your site. Snag some guest blogging spots on other reputable sites. Display a “featured in” section on your homepage. These are some ways you can get going without breaking the bank.

#5 - Transparency and Keeping Promises


What is your value proposition? What are the benefits of using your brand? Now that you have those two questions answered, it’s time to deliver!

Give your customers VIP treatment. Go above and beyond to deliver on your promises and exceed expectations. Happy customers are loyal customers, and loyal customers are the best marketers.

Pro Tip: NEVER be misleading.

If you run a promotion for a free product/service, do not add on hidden fees. If you plan on increasing your prices, tell your customers in advance with your reasoning for doing so. If something doesn’t go as planned, own your mistake. (People love honesty.)

Finally, always make sure that your customer service is exceptional. Do not brush off complaints. Address them and fix whatever problem there is. Most customer complaints are simple fixes, and you can build strong brand trust if you make noticeable efforts to keep your customers happy.

Wrapping Up: Building Brand Trust


Brand trust (or lack thereof) can make or break your business. If you take the time to focus on cultivating a solid reputation in your industry, you will attract and retain customers more easily.

Need help building educational, authentic content for your brand? Get in touch with Clever Girl Copywriting today!



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