Customers have become very picky, thanks to the abundance of available options.
But, this doesn’t mean that they will always opt for products with lower prices — quite the opposite. In one survey, 46% of respondents said that they’re willing to pay more to purchase from the brands they trust.
Moreover, 90% of customers are more likely to recommend a brand they trust to their friends and family compared to other brands. Even when their trusted brand makes a mistake or a faux pas, 82% of customers say they are more willing to forgive them.
It’s obvious that brand credibility plays an important role when it comes to establishing long-lasting relationships with customers. Here’s how digital marketing can help you build your brand’s credibility and maintain it.
- Get Brand Mentions on Reputable Sites
Getting a reputable source like Huffington Post, the New York Times, or TechCrunch to drop a mention about your brand is an amazing achievement.
And this isn’t just about vanity.
These media outlets have massive audiences, which means that you can tremendously expand your reach and increase your brand’s exposure.
In addition to that, they are perceived as trustworthy, so when people read about your product on one of these websites, they will automatically give you a seal of approval in their mind.
Plus, if your brand was featured on a TV show, in an article, or on social media, you can showcase these references on your website.
SomniFix, the brand behind the eponymous mouth strips that curb mouth breeding during sleep, was featured on an episode of Shark Tank, in the New York Times, and in other reputable media. They highlight all this on their website, thus piquing visitors’ curiosity and giving evidence that the brand is legit.
Source: SomniFix
How to Earn Brand Mentions
Brand mentions are organic, and that’s why they’re so impactful.
To get online and traditional media to reference your brand without having to pay for expensive advertising, use the following tactics:
- Take advantage of your network. By being active on social media and generating buzz around your brand, you can engage your network and get some valuable references. Your connections will point you in the right direction, spread the word about you, or even introduce you to the right people. So, create and share valuable content, respond to comments, and engage in conversations with your network if you want to get noticed.
- Connect with influencers from your industry. Some of them will be willing to promote your brand in exchange for your products. You don’t have to go after big shots — micro-influencers have an even more dedicated following that is highly responsive. Besides generating some high-quality traffic, this tactic can also boost your brand exposure and visibility.
- Showcase your expertise. Create exceptional content that shows you’re an expert in the field and share it on social media. It’s also a good idea to join relevant communities on social media. By interacting with other members, answering their questions, and participating in discussions, you can establish yourself as an authority. This won’t go unnoticed, and you can lend yourself some valuable mentions.
- Harness the Power of Social Media
Your website is essential for attracting visitors and converting them into paying customers.
However, your social media profiles are equally important for building your loyal community and communicating with your customers.
The interactive and informal nature of social media makes it perfect for getting in touch with your audience in a more casual manner. Don’t hesitate to sprinkle your posts with gifs, memes, and pop-culture references. This will add to the authenticity of your brand and humanize it.
But, use this channel to share valuable content that your audience can’t find on your website.
Video is an excellent medium for social media since it allows you to condense your message into easily digestible bite-sized clips and get to the point right away. Plus, our brain tends to process visuals faster than text, and short videos easily capture viewers’ attention.
All this might be the reason why 85% of people want more videos from brands on social media.
Impossible, a performance gear and nutrition brand makes the most of Instagram. The brand consistently posts photos and videos of athletes wearing Impossible clothes. They also have a behind-the-scenes video that shows what the packing and shipping process looks like. Such videos are extremely powerful for building trust and establishing more meaningful relationships with potential customers.
Source: Impossible
- Make the Most of Social Proof
Hardly anything can beat social proof when it comes to the credibility of your brand.
Research shows that 70% of people are more inclined to trust recommendations from someone they don’t know, while brand messaging isn’t nearly as convincing.
So, all your paid advertising, sales copy, emails, commercials, and other marketing efforts work better if your existing customers’ word corroborates them.
Get customer reviews
The average customer reads at least ten customer reviews before they make up their mind and decide which product to purchase.
That’s why you should obtain as many customer reviews as possible, but only if they’re authentic. Fabricated reviews can only hurt your reputation.
It’s a good idea to incentivize your existing happy customers to leave reviews on your Google My Business page, Facebook, and other third-party review websites.
Bay Alarm Medical does a great job by not only sharing video testimonials from their customers but also adding a Google Customers Review badge. This clever detail shows the brand’s rating and the number of reviews it generated. It’s not the same as having a 5-star rating based on 10 reviews and 4.7 stars based on almost 8,000 reviews.
Source: Bay Alarm Medical
Encourage user-generated content (UGC)
For an added touch of credibility and authenticity, encourage your customers to create user-generated content. But don’t even think about staging your UGC because fake efforts will be easily busted.
When potential customers see others using and praising your products, they will experience a certain degree of FOMO, which is a powerful motivator in sales.
UGC can be in the form of photos, videos, reviews, social media posts, video streams, or testimonials. It’s worth mentioning that it can also be created by your employees and brand advocates.
Apple is among brands that nail user-generated content and make their potential customers want to purchase their product right away. Is there a better way to showcase a top-quality camera than posting a photo snapped by an impressed user?
Source: Apple
- Create Relevant and Helpful Content
By creating exceptional content, you position yourself as an authority in your industry, and your brand will also be affected by this popularity.
People feel more confident when they purchase from someone who’s an expert.
Relevant and helpful content covers a certain topic or issue in great detail and helps readers to understand it better. But, it’s even more important to address your audience’s pain points and help them find a solution.
So, even if they don’t purchase anything immediately, you can be sure they will come back for more tips, and you’ll have a lot of opportunities to convert them into paying customers.
KURU Footwear specializes in designing shoes for people with particular conditions. This means that their prospects land on their site looking for advice on how to pick the best shoes for, say, a collapsed arch. The brand’s blog is practically a knowledge base packed with helpful tips for all kinds of foot conditions. Every blog post features a suggestion for the best shoe(s) for the discussed problem.
Source: KURU Footwear
- Deliver Exceptional Customer Service
67% of customers say they’re ready to pay more for a great experience.
Providing exceptional support is a surefire way of wowing your customers and building the credibility of your brand. And if you do this consistently, you’ll convince your customers to trust you.
There are different simple and affordable ways to take your customer service to the next level.
Implement conversational bots
Customers can be impatient, particularly when they need answers to their product-related questions or a solution to a problem. 24/7-hour live support is an expensive perk available only to the biggest brands.
However, you can overcome this obstacle by implementing a conversational chatbot, which will handle customers regardless of what time of night it is or whether it’s a holiday. Chatbots will also free up your support reps’ time and allow them to focus on more complex issues. Finally, they will reduce waiting times, as they can talk to multiple customers simultaneously.
Use social media
Social media is another avenue you should leverage to give your audience a chance to reach you. Your customers are already hanging out there, which is why it’s the most convenient place to meet them and offer your support.
The trick is to respond to all questions and complaints in a timely manner. This way, you’ll show that your customers’ opinions matter to you and that you’ll go out of your way to make them happy.
Casetify, a brand that designs smartphone cases and covers, is very responsible on Facebook. They always answer their customers’ questions and address their concerns, thus showing they care. And that’s something customers always respect and reward with their trust and loyalty.
Source: Casetify
Final Thoughts
Brand credibility is very delicate, and once you’ve carefully built it, maintaining it takes patience and strategy. Although it takes time and effort to be considered a trustworthy brand, everything you do will be worthwhile as it will translate to a loyal audience and an increase in revenue. These five simple tips can help you get there — and stay there.
