The bad news is that it’s not. Product names come and go. The ability to gain customers’ trust is crucial to a company’s survival over the long term.

PwC found earlier this year in a worldwide survey that consumer trust in brands significantly affects where they choose to make purchases. Trust in brand was cited by 35% of respondents as one of the top three factors influencing their shopping decisions, and by 14% as the primary factor after price.

In addition, the same study suggests that the opinions of friends and strangers alike on social media have a greater impact on purchase decisions than factors that are under the control of retailers, such as advertising and pricing.

Evidently, trust can be established on social media platforms. Here are ten tried-and-true methods for establishing your brand’s credibility on social media and laying the groundwork for long-term success.

Promote only excellent material

Assuming you have your social media channels established, the first step is to offer useful content to your audience. Long-term benefits can be seen in terms of visitors’ time spent on the site and their participation in related social media activities. Building a dedicated fan base that returns for more is another benefit.

Putting out quality content demonstrates that your company is more than just a money-making machine.

Facilitate communication on your social media platforms

The whole point of using social media is to interact with other people. You can’t just publish your content and walk away. With the help of some free social media management tools, you should interact with your customers, answer their questions, promote conversation, and express gratitude to those who are already talking about your brand. In proportion to how often you engage with others, more will approach you. Customers will have more faith in your business if they perceive it to be approachable and responsive to their needs. By taking these steps, you can establish your brand as reliable and attract loyal customers.

Third, promote user-generated content

Enhance customer engagement by requesting that they post product photos and videos to social media. Marketers can gain trust and social proof from potential customers by disseminating user-generated content (UGC) through their social media channels. Consumers who are actually interested in your product can be reached through user-generated content. Customers will be overjoyed to see their content shared or retweeted, and your authenticity scores will soar.

Have customers rate your business

Earning positive feedback from customers is crucial to growing loyalty to your brand. Before making a purchase, many people will look at a business’s Facebook page and reviews on sites like Yelp. This is something that they will see right away when researching a company online. Customers will make a swift decision to buy from you if they can quickly determine that your overall rating is very close to a perfect 5.

Put only reputable resources in your posts, number five

Your brand’s online presence can’t exist without links. No matter the context—whether you’re sharing industry news or articles discovered through a content curation tool—make sure the sites to which you link are trustworthy.

Use a custom link shortener for social media to let readers know exactly what they’re clicking on and link to authoritative sources when sharing curated content.

Give us a sneak peek into the inside process, number six

The concept of transparency is brought up again when you give your customers a glimpse of your brand’s inner workings via social media. You’re proving to everyone that there’s nothing to fear from you. However, offering consumers a chance to see something before anyone else is a great way to attract their attention and make them feel like they have something special.
Providing an exclusive look at your company can be a great way to showcase your brand’s character and values. People will get a glimpse of the real people behind your brand when you share behind-the-scenes photos and videos from the kitchen or the runway.

Consistency in your brand’s presentation is crucial

If you want your brand to be trusted by your audience, you need to be consistent in your messaging. Don’t pretend to be concerned about something if your behaviour belies this.

Volkswagen’s attempt to cultivate a reputation as an environmentally responsible company was undermined when it was revealed that the company had lied to customers and government agencies about the emissions of its vehicles.

Eight, broadcast live events online

Live video is a fantastic tool for increasing interaction on social media and meeting the needs of your audience in real time. The two can meet face to face thanks to live video events, which promote engagement and bring brands closer to their fans. Humanizing your brand is an important goal, and allowing viewers to see you respond to their questions in real time via live video promotion is a great way to earn their trust.

Express your social principles

Today’s consumers demand evidence that the brands they patronise are compassionate. Furthermore, if your company’s name stands for more than just making money, this will do wonders for public confidence in it. If your company has a social mission, use social media to spread the word.
You can get a lot of mileage out of influencers, so don’t be afraid to send your products to them, host an event for them, or hire an agency to help you out.

Last Words

Depending on the scope of your operation, the nature of your market, and the scope of your ambitions, your choice of influencers will vary. However, make sure they have a high rate of engagement, as this will show how much their followers trust them. You’d rather have a credible person recommend your product than a celebrity.