Know, Like, Trust: Building the KLT Factor on Social Media

Let’s talk about the KLT Factor.

If you aren’t familiar with it, KLT stands for “Know, Like, Trust.” And this particular element is essential if you want to build a successful brand and business.

Why? Because at the end of the day, people need to know who you are, they need to like you, and they need to trust you. If you don’t have that, you’ll struggle to build a community and make sales on your products and services.

So, the question is… How can you build the KLT Factor for your brand through social media? In this post, I’m giving you a few ideas of what you can share as you work on establishing each of these three elements.

Know, Like, Trust: Building the KLT Factor on Social Media

To effectively build the KLT Factor, remember that you need to start with the “Know” stage and go from there. You can’t just try to build trust right off the bat. It’s going to take some time to get to that level. So, be patient as you work to develop this connection with your audience.

Help Your Audience Get to Know You Better

In order for people to like and trust you, they need to know what you’re all about first. They need to know what you’re like as a person, as well as what your brand stands for. This will help them determine if you’re the kind of person for them. Here’s how you can give people a better understanding of who you are:

• Show Up Consistently: In order to be known, you have to put yourself out there. That means posting regularly because an inactive account doesn’t appeal to anyone. And it also helps to be present and engage with others often in order to gain more exposure.
• Share Your Story: We all have a unique story about how we became who we are today and how we got to where we are. Sometimes these can be rather vulnerable stories, but they can play a powerful role in helping people to get to know you. Open up and share the journey you’ve taken to get to this point in your life or what prompted you to build your brand.
• Give a Glimpse Behind-the-Scenes: What’s so great about behind-the-scenes content is that you don’t have to think about it too much. You simply need to pick up your phone and document as you’re going about your daily life. It gives people the inside scoop to what your life is like and it showcases your personality in the most natural way.

Get Your Audience to Genuinely Like You

As people have gotten to know you, it’s only natural that the next step is for them to actually like you. (Or dislike you, but since you’re probably pretty awesome, that isn’t likely to happen!) To increase your likability, here are some tips that will build the all-important second step of establishing the KLT Factor:

• Always be Yourself: With everything you post on social media, make sure it’s your authentic voice and personality shining through. Share the thoughts and opinions that are unique to you. Ask yourself if there’s a hot topic you can chime in on via social media that will allow you to share your perspective and encourage an open dialogue with others.
• Find Ways to Give Back: If you’re showing up regularly and being of service to your target audience, of course people are going to like you! Figure out how you can add value to their lives and do this often. It shows that you care about them and gives them a reason to keep coming back. As a bonus, you can experiment with different ways to add value, whether it’s through your captions, graphics, or videos.

Establishing a Level of Trust

The final step in building the KLT Factor is to establish trust. This is a crucial step because, without it, you aren’t likely to succeed as a brand. You see, people aren’t going to be inclined to purchase products or services from someone they don’t trust. Here’s how you can position yourself as a trustworthy source on social media:

• Be Transparent: Talk about the experiences you’ve had that make you the expert you are today, even if they involved some struggle. The ups and downs of your life are relatable and it shows people that you’ve been through a lot to get to where you are now. You can even share stories of your background (like education, certification, work experience) to prove your expertise as well.
• Share Social Proof: An easy way to build trust is to show people how you’ve been able to serve those you’ve worked with in the past. Do this by sharing testimonials from happy clients or reviews from products you offer. If someone is on the fence about purchasing one of your offerings, a review can help seal the deal.
• Offer Case Studies: If you can, share case studies that feature real-word examples to showcase what you’re capable of. This goes even deeper than testimonials because it gives more insight into the work you do and how transformative it can be. Infographics and basic stats are great to share on social media for building this part of the KLT Factor.