The world is shifting considerably and consumer behaviours are shifting with it. People are growing more wary of the information around them; the climate crisis, the cost of living, the rise of artificial intelligence, and many more societal issues are constantly at the back of everyone's minds. We're also witnessing a generational shift as GenZ is entering adulthood and challenging conventional norms and practices. This tidal wave of change is reshaping the way brands connect with their audiences and establish trust.
Building brand trust is essential for all organisations and is something that should continually evolve and be built upon throughout the life of a company. In the marketing world, we see the most obvious form of trust building in the form of feedback platforms like Trustpilot, Tripadvisor and Google My Business along with content formats such as user generated content.
Whatever you're selling, the overall aim of building trust is to develop a closer relationship with customers and prospects to encourage action. Essentially, the more they trust you, the more likely they’ll buy from you and advocate for you. However, trust is challenging to maintain and can be easily lost. That's why businesses need to monitor the broader landscape to understand how it impacts their buyers' journey while considering the perspective of their customers.
This blog will explore some of the current marketing trends surrounding brand trust, the importance of transparency and authenticity, while highlighting the potential implications on B2B and B2C companies.
Consumers’ Trust is Eroding
The concept of building brand trust within business isn’t new and according to Edelman, 81% of consumers say brand trust is a deciding factor when making a purchase decision. However, trust levels are eroding as people grapple with an increasingly disruptive environment. The dizzying fast-paced advancements in technology, the threatening spread of fake news, the diminishing control over their privacy combined with economic and political uncertainty have sculpted an unstable landscape that is daunting to navigate. People are losing confidence in once-reliable institutions and this is felt throughout the business world.
The Edelman Trust Barometer Global Report is an annual online survey which collects global data based on opinions surrounding trust. In 2024, they surveyed 28 countries with over 32k responses, to help build a picture of perceptions globally.
The UK is Now Among the Least-Trusting Countries
Edelman’s 2024 report records that the UK has experienced some of the greatest drops in trust between 2023 and 2024 in comparison to other countries:
Source: 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer Global Report
As the UK population loses trust overall, we can expect a negative impact on UK businesses who will need to work harder to gain new customers and retain existing ones.
Artificial Intelligence Raises Suspicion
Despite a global high trust level within the Technology sector itself, there is a significant divide between the sector and the innovation around Artificial Intelligence, and as reported in the data below, there is little confidence in the legitimacy of Artificial Intelligence:
Source: 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer Global Report
The distrust in Artificial Intelligence has been furthered in this data analysis by the Office for National Statistics in their Opinions and Lifestyle Survey, which is based on the opinions of adults aged 16 and over in Great Britain in the latter half of 2023 with a sample size of over 12,000 people.
Source: Office for National Statistics
As a marketer, it’s critical to take these concerns into consideration when crafting your campaigns. Although AI can be used to assist you in your work, you should be wary of how you use it and, more importantly, how you present it to your audience. As the technology evolves and its use spreads even further, be prepared to deal with the consequences on your target audience and potential changes in their behaviour towards content, data privacy, chatbots, etc.
The most significant concerns highlighted in this study include:
- Over 70% concerned that AI will use personal data without consent – highlighting the need for transparency in privacy policies regarding use of data when using AI.
- Over 65% agreed that AI makes it difficult to tell whether news or information are fake – demonstrating the need for more content based on real life experiences and opinion pieces.
- 50% agree that AI will worsen their experience of customer service – accentuating the need for the human touch within the realms of customer service.
The Battle for Quality Content vs. AI
Google updated its algorithm to penalise low-quality and spam content which arguably has become more prevalent with the mass use of Generative AI.
They designed the EEAT guidelines to improve content quality and therefore, improve their search results. EEAT stands for:
- Experience
- Expertise
- Authoritativeness
- Trustworthiness
This framework is an integral element of a successful SEO strategy and is encouraging content based around actual experience to increase your website’s authority and, in turn, your rankings. By focusing on high quality, unique content, your audience sees you as more authentic, therefore engages more with your content, which sends trust signals to Google to rank you higher in search results.
Despite the increase in spam content tackled by Google, users seem to still trust online searches the most which is great news for marketers using this channel to reach their audience.
Source: 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer Global Report
Some helpful tips:
- Read more about how to use EEAT Guidelines in a compliant and effective way.
- Watch out Digital Marketing Answered™ about How to Engage Your Audience in the Face of Generative AI Noise
Family-Owned Business Convey More Trust
Interestingly, when questioned about the type of business that is most trusted, family-owned came out on top, closely followed by privately-owned businesses:
Source: 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer Global Report
If you are a family-owned business, you should communicate this in your marketing and sales campaigns. Stories can help build better relationships with your audience. As explained in this article Family Businesses Need To Tell Their Story Better. Here’s Why. by Forbes, storytelling can be a powerful asset for trust building:
“Stories help share values and impact in context. They help inspire and recruit employees. They help connect with clients and customers in memorable and meaningful ways.”
Even if your business isn’t family-owned, you can still use storytelling tactics to support conversion rate, as touched upon in our Conversion Rate Improvement Checklist.
A New Generation Emerges
It is well known that in comparison to older generations, Gen Z (people born between 1997-2012) places great importance on authenticity.
“This is a generation of skeptics who are calling into question the honesty, integrity and motivations of business and leaders, with 60% reporting that they believe most people can’t be trusted. For them, loyalty is never automatic, and they’re more likely to trust individual people than organizations or brands.”
Source: EY Blog - 4 keys to understanding Gen Z: trust is the new loyalty
In a report by EY, it was mentioned that among Gen Z respondents, ‘92% indicated that being authentic and true to oneself is extremely or very important’
Source: EY
The power of authenticity for Gen Z is clear, so don’t ignore it. Whether Gen Z is part of your audience now or will be in the future as they age, you should seriously consider how your brand values are represented in your marketing campaigns. However, this must be done in a genuine way. When it comes to issues such as sustainability, environmental practices and social responsibility, you need to align your values with a genuine commitment, otherwise it could quickly backfire and breach your audience’s trust. Once this trust is lost, it can be extremely difficult to gain it back and can highly damage your marketing and sales for the long term.
Promoting Your Brand Personality
With these trends in mind, it’s important to ensure that you have a strong brand which is based on conveying your values and mission with transparency.
We’ve spoken about storytelling to help you resonate with your audience, but brand personality is a great way to create memorable messaging, which suits your business.
Jennifer Aaker, behavioural scientist and marketing professor, summarises the Brand Personality Framework as follows:
“Five dimensions that help characterise and define a brand’s personality:
Sincerity: This dimension reflects a brand’s perceived authenticity, honesty, and genuine concern for customers. Sincere brands are typically perceived as wholesome, down-to-earth, and caring — think Dove or Tom’s of Maine. Build trust by sharing meaningful stories, testimonials, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of your brand, demonstrating your commitment to transparency.
Excitement: Brands that fall under this dimension are characterized by their energy, enthusiasm, and sense of adventure — think Red Bull or GoPro. They aim to summon stimulation and thrilling feelings in their customers. Use vibrant visuals, lively language, and dynamic content to evoke a sense of excitement among your audience, encouraging them to engage with and share your content.
Competence: A competent brand is seen as efficient, reliable, and capable — think Apple or IBM. They aim to convey a sense of expertise and trust and are often associated with high-quality products or services. Demonstrate your brand’s knowledge and capabilities through informative and educational content that positions you as a trusted industry authority.
Sophistication: This dimension exudes elegance, refinement, and a sense of charm — think Chanel and Rolls-Royce. Sophistication brands often target customers who appreciate luxury and style in their purchases. Utilize polished visuals, crisp language, and exclusive content to attract an audience that appreciates the finer things in life.
Ruggedness: Rugged brands are outdoorsy, tough, and associated with resilience and durability — think The North Face and Jeep. They tend to appeal to customers who value strength, longevity, and durability in products or services. Showcase bold imagery, powerful statements, and content that align with a daring and adventurous lifestyle to appeal to an audience seeking thrilling experiences.”
Original Source: Brand Personality Framework by Jennifer Aaker
It can be daunting for a brand to take a stand or share an opinion because it means some people won’t agree with you. However, in this day and age, the benefit of being authentic and sharing values with your audience outweighs the potential loss of a few customers who might not agree with you. If done right, the people who trust your brand will become strong advocates, generating a virtuous cycle for your sales and marketing.
However, beware of being too political and keep to subjects that are actually related to your industry. Trying too hard could have the opposite effect. Having a personality can be a minefield and needs to be thought through carefully!
How to Build Trust With Digital
Here are a few digital marketing tactics that can help to build trust in your business:
- Reviews - ensure you collect and display reviews on various platforms, preferably independent like Google, Feefo, or Trustpilot
- Feedback - be responsive to feedback, good or bad, and be part of the conversation online
- Accreditations - showcase relevant accreditations and awards across your site to instil confidence
- Case Studies - provide real-life use cases of your products and services with testimonials from clients
- User Generated Content - entice your customers to share their experience or how they use your products and services as people place higher trust in this type of content
- Expertise - demonstrate your expertise in content by adding author information, using first person, and providing examples of your first-hand experience
- EEAT Guidelines - ensure you follow these rules to demonstrate expertise in what you do, first-hand experience, topic authority, and trustworthiness as a business
- Values - clearly convey what your brand stands for across your marketing messaging and your website
- Be Real - share real stories about your brand using storytelling tactics
Time to Boost Your Trust Factor
Consumer needs and wants are changing as the global landscape is quickly evolving. Between AI, economic and political uncertainty, climate change, and many other factors, people are looking for reassurance. Developing a brand with foundations in trust and authenticity and based on the human touch is critical to face this change successfully.
With simple tactics such as storytelling, reviews, and User Generated Content, you can connect with your audience in a genuine way to build long-lasting relationships with your customers. Turning your customers into advocates will help you ride these waves of change and stabilise your business.
Need help to boost the trust in your brand? Contact Innovation Visual to see how our experts can develop a successful digital marketing strategy for your business and turn your customers into advocates.
