What is the psychology of brand trust? 

Put simply, the psychology of brand trust states that for a brand to build trust with its customers, it must establish relatability and genuineness through its organization’s behavior, communications, and consumer interactions.  

Why brand trust is so important

If you’ve caught yourself scrolling and saying, “yeah, yeah, yeah, why should I care?” Here’s the meat and potatoes behind it all. Beyond the obvious benefit of building better relationships with your consumers, brand trust does so much more. It can also: 

• Increase marketing receptivity 
• Drive new business 
• Create brand loyalty 
• Build client and consumer advocacy 

How to build brand trust with your consumers

Here comes the challenging part. How do you build trust within your brand? First, you need to know where to start. The Edelman Trust Barometer Report states that three factors influence consumer trust, and the most important is the product experience. The second most valuable factor is customer experience, and coming in third is your brand’s impact on society. 

If you’re working with quality products, have killer customer service, and are conscious of your brand’s societal impact, you can check that box and move on to your brand’s approach. Here are a few questions you should be asking yourself when developing your branding approach.

1. What brand promise do I want to communicate to consumers? 
2. Would I enjoy the brand experience I’m creating? 
3. Does my content truly represent my brand? 
4. Are my customers and target demographics engaged by my branding? 
5. Is my branding consistent across all platforms? 

When it comes to developing a brand that people trust and connect with, every decision you make has a compounding effect on how customers perceive you. A strong brand flows in one seamless loop. 

An inconsistent brand creates a form of cognitive dissonance: When behaviors and beliefs don’t align, users try to find a way to rectify the problem. For prospects, that might mean they simply move on to the next option. In contrast, current customers may tolerate the relationship instead of celebrating it, making them ripe pickings for the competition.

Building trust and keeping it

Let’s say you feel you’ve done a good job creating a brand that your customers trust. That’s great and all, but do you know how to maintain the loyalty and confidence you’ve built? We’ve all seen it happen. A business launches and is an instant hit, but customers move on to the next best thing after a year or two. Where did it all go wrong? 

Chances are it was one or several of these factors: 

• Inconsistent brand messaging
• Lack of adaptability 
• Ignoring customer feedback
• Not improving alongside competitors
• Poor training or customer service 
• Service or product quality issues
• Losing touch with the target demographic 
• Not giving customers a reason for return business

Do you see a theme here? Nearly every factor revolves around consistency and observation. You must stay consistent with your messaging, products, service, training, customer interactions, etc. You also should observe what people like about your brand, what they don’t like, what your competition is doing, what people are saying online, and what trends are circulating in your industry. 

A good brand anticipates the next “big thing” its customers want. Let’s say you have a healthy snack food brand that you love. Then, goji berries become the new health craze. You wouldn’t be surprised to see that brand come out with a goji berry granola a month later. Why? Consistency and observation. Bingo. 

What influencer marketing can teach us about branding

If you’re looking for some branding inspiration, consider influencer marketing. In 2006, PayPerPost launched to pay social media influencers and bloggers to receive income from posting content for companies on their personal accounts. As you probably know, this concept took off, allowing thousands of influencers and celebrities to make big money from brand deals. 

The reason this method is so effective is because influencer audiences already find the accounts they follow likable, relatable, inspiring, and trustworthy. (Influencers have branded themselves in the process of gaining followers.) So when they casually recommend a brand or product on their page, consumers are likely to be sold on it. As long as brands reach out to influencers that match their target demographic, it’s a highly successful investment. 

For example, if a business reaches out to a beauty influencer to promote their skincare brand, they could greatly benefit from the trust that influencer has built with their followers. If you’re looking to build trust with your customers, take a few tips from influencer marketing and remember that honesty, relatability, and personality go a long way. 

Are you ready to take a deeper dive into your company’s branding? At Outsource Marketing, we help you fine-tune your brand to build lasting relationships with your customer base. Let’s make a splash. Click to schedule a free consultation.