How to Build Trust on Social Media

A group of people stand in a circle joining hands in the center.

By now, you probably know about the KLT Factor, which stands for Know, Like, and Trust. Well, it’s that final element of building trust that’s so crucial to focus on building, no matter what industry you’re in. Because without it, you’re going to struggle to build a loyal community.

Inspired by a past Twitter chat on community trust, this post shares how to build trust on social media. And it also covers why establishing trust is such an important step in creating success.

Why Building Trust Should be Your Focus

When seeking to build trust as a brand or business, it’s about more than just getting people to have confidence in your products or services. It’s about instilling confidence in your brand overall. It’s also about providing an experience that reassures people you’re an authority in your field, a dependable resource, and that you truly care for those you’re serving.

Here are a couple reasons why trust is essential:

  • Trust increases brand loyalty, meaning people will be more inclined to come back and make future purchases. That’s key to your long-term success in business.
  • People do business with those they trust, so it’s going to help boost sales. In fact, consumers that trust a brand are 53% more likely to be the first to buy a brand’s new products.
  • When people trust a brand, they sometimes step up as advocates, singing your praises to anyone they can. This is powerful because 61% of consumers say they trust influencer recommendations, so it goes a long way to generate awareness and sales.

How to Build Trust on Social Media

Having been on Twitter since early 2008, I’ve had the great fortune to be able to cultivate a loyal social media community that has been truly supportive of my brand. Not only do they engage with my content on social media, but they also join my Twitter chat, read my blog, and enroll in my programs.

A huge reason I’ve been able to create that success is because I’ve been able to effectively build trust on social media. Here are some tips on how you can do the same.

1. Always be Your Authentic Self

In this day and age, it’s easy to be swayed by what others are posting online. And sometimes we fall into this trap of thinking we need to change something about ourselves in order to see the success others experience. But the truth is, it’s more important to stay true to yourself.

If you try to be something you’re not, it’ll create this disconnect within your content. Instead, allow your authentic personality to shine through. Know what you stand for and be vocal about it. Doing this will attract the right people and supporters to your brand. Gary Vaynerchuk is a great example of this, as he isn’t afraid to embrace his personality and show it in his content.

 

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A post shared by Gary Vay-Ner-Chuk (@garyvee)

2. Find Ways to Showcase Your Expertise

If you want to build trust on social media, people need to see that you know your stuff. You simply cannot become a reliable resource in your industry if you’re not showing up and sharing valuable content. Luckily, this can be done in a variety of ways. And it starts with learning about your target audience and discovering their pain points. This way, you can create content that addresses their biggest concerns.

Then, it’s all about creating and sharing this content. For instance, you could go live on Twitter Spaces and host a conversation around these topics. On Instagram, post Reels that offer short and sweet tidbits that are informative and actionable. Allow yourself to get creative, but also take advantage of the content formats that most resonate with your audience according to the data in your analytics.

3. Prioritize Building Relationships

Many brands are too focused on making the sale. As a result, they spend more time pitching when they should be providing value for free and building relationships. Now, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to make money. It’s the only way to keep your business afloat. However, you have to be willing to put in the work beforehand. Most people aren’t going to purchase right off the bat. They need to be warmed up first.

To do that, follow the previous advice about sharing content that showcases your expertise. And while you’re at it, make sure you also prioritize building relationships with those in your community. There’s no bigger turn-off in the marketing world than a brand that ignores social media posts from its community. So, whenever someone replies to you, take the time to leave a thoughtful response of your own.

Answer their questions. Lend your support. Just be willing to have those conversations so you stand a better chance at cultivating strong relationships that turn followers into loyal members of your community. It’ll pay off in the long run.

4. Embrace Transparency

Customers today want to do business with brands that are open and honest. This has become even more prevalent in recent years as they’ve demanded brands to be more transparent with their business practices. For example, be honest about descriptions and prices of your offerings. Allow people to see an occasional behind-the-scenes look into your business. And don’t be afraid to own up to any mistakes you’ve made. By embracing brand transparency, you’ll go a long way in cultivating that loyal community.

One brand that does a great job at this is skincare company Cocokind. They’re open about how they set prices for their products, which allow customers to see exactly where their money goes when making a purchase. See an example below.

 

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A post shared by cocokind (@cocokind)

5. Share Social Proof

Let’s face it… We all read reviews online before making a purchase. Sometimes it’s those real-life testimonials that lend a much-needed push when we’re on the fence about whether or not to buy something. That’s because we want to know that a product or service worked for other people before we hand over our hard-earned cash.

This is why it’s smart to build trust on social media by sharing social proof from your past customers. Occasionally sharing a quote from a customer can go a long way in encouraging someone to invest in whatever it is you offer. To really take it up a notch, ask them to share a video review with you because that will have an even greater impact.

It’s also helpful to use a tool like Brand24, which allows you to monitor mentions of your brand online. Then, you’ll be able to pick up on reviews that weren’t left on your website, for example.

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