The Role Of Credibility In Marketing

Credibility in marketing can be hard to come by. We live in a world where companies make huge promises – but don’t always deliver. But if you want long term success, you need to approach things differently.

In this guide we look at why credibility in marketing is so important. We also give you the main elements of credibility and actions you can take to ensure your marketing is as credible as possible. 

Credibility In Marketing: Why It Matters

Consumers make purchasing decisions based on trust. This is why credibility is so important. Without it, potential customers will always be skeptical of what you say. This will naturally reduce the amount of engagement your marketing attracts. In addition, you will have a lower conversion rate across your entire sales process.

On the other hand, there are a ton of benefits to a credible brand. Build one (and inspire trust in your audience), and you can foster customer loyalty, word-of-mouth referrals, and an edge over any potential competition. Generally, your company will also be seen as more reliable.

Of course, none of this is to say that credibility is guaranteed. You don’t keep it forever once you have it. Just because you have spent years building credibility with your customer base doesn’t mean you can’t lose it. Here are just a few ways that can happen:

• Misleading advertising
• Inconsistent messaging
• Poor quality of products or services
• Lack of transparency 

Losing credibility can be detrimental to a brand’s reputation – and, like we say above, how much money it makes. And once you lose it – rebuilding can take longer than you might expect. Best to prioritize building and maintaining credibility.

The Key Elements Of Credibility In Marketing

So – what does “credibility” actually look like? While the specifics will differ from brand to brand, there are a few key elements you need to pay attention to. Here are five of the most important:

• Authenticity. Consumers value honesty and transparency. A brand that stays true to its values (and shares the truth of whatever it might be going through) builds trust that’s hard to recreate. 
• Expertise. People want to buy from experts. Demonstrate knowledge and industry authority and you are able to build your organization’s reputation.
• Consistency. Once you have a solid brand, stick with it. If you have consistent messaging, product quality, and customer service, people know exactly what to expect. This builds credibility much quicker.
• Social proof. As we’ve argued before, social proof is absolutely essential no matter what your industry is. Invest the time in gathering testimonials, reviews, and endorsements to nurture your credibility over time.
• Ethics. We live in a world where many of your potential customers want to do business with a company they can stand behind. This is where ethics can influence your credibility. Don’t forget to prioritize responsible business conduct, sustainability and fair treatment of employees.

How to Build Credibility In Marketing

Let’s now go over some key actions you can take to build your credibility. Again, while every company and organization differs, how you build credibility in marketing does not. Here are five actions you can take today:

1) Deliver High-Quality And Educational Content

Good content marketing is where everything starts. If you want to position your brand as an industry leader (and one to trust), you need to give value first. This is where your content comes in. By creating and distributing educational and valuable content, you are seen as an expert. This makes credibility much easier. Be sure to invest in the creation of blog posts, whitepapers, and videos. 

2) Feature User-Generated Content (UGC)

Even with valuable content, there is a limit to how much people believe what companies say about themselves. Potential customers know you are trying to sell them – of course you’re going to put your best foot forward. But if other people are promoting your products and services? That’s where user-generated content becomes so valuable. Few things build credibility like a glowing (unasked for) review of your offer!

3) Use Data & Social Proof

Numbers don’t lie. If you want to build credibility that’s impossible to question, data is how you do it. By showing people actual statistics of what your company has achieved, you don’t just talk about your success – you prove it. This makes all your claims more believable, and builds a strong desire among your audience. As for the kinds of data you should focus on? Case studies and usage numbers are a great place to start.

4) Engage With People

Make sure you always engage with your audience. This should be both buyers and non-buyers, and can be anything that they will find helpful. Respond to questions as quickly as you can, and don’t forget to reply to comments on your social media posts. The fact is, people don’t necessarily buy from companies – they buy from people. But showing your human side, you make your company more relatable. This is a surefire way to create more credibility in your marketing – and makes it easier to build super fans. 

5) Deliver On Promises

Our last suggestion for building credibility in marketing is all about backing up what you say. You can say whatever you want – the marketing world is full of hyperbolic claims. But if you actually back it up? At that point, your credibility has to be believed. By promising future customers something, and then delivering it, people come to trust you. They don’t even think of other solutions, and once you’re at that point – you’ve won a customer for life.

…

Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!