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ARTICLE #77
Brand Trust: Why is it important and how to build it?
Brand Loyalty
Brand Building
Brand Strategy
Consumer Trust
Marketing Tips
Brand Loyalty
Brand Building
Brand Strategy
Consumer Trust
Marketing Tips
Written by:
4 min read
Updated on: August 8, 2024
Toni Hukkanen
Head of Design
Creative Direction, Brand Direction
Toni Hukkanen
Head of Design
Creative Direction, Brand Direction
Ever notice how a customer’s gut feeling about your products or services can make or break your entire business? If you promise the moon but deliver far less, that shaky trust can send your sales—and your reputation—straight downhill. Today, people (especially Gen Z) are more careful before hitting “buy,” thanks to rising costs and economic uncertainties. They won’t pledge loyalty to a single brand without good reason, particularly when there are dozens of challenger brands tempting them with fresh offers.
That’s the climate you are up against: consumers sorting through product reviews, hunting for genuine quality, and picking from a sea of alternatives. Winning them over means taking brand trust seriously. It’s about producing top-tier products, staying transparent about how you operate, and reflecting the values your audience holds dear. Not exactly a breeze, is it? But with the right strategy and genuine follow-through, you can build a reputation that boosts both sales and long-term loyalty.
Ever notice how a customer’s gut feeling about your products or services can make or break your entire business? If you promise the moon but deliver far less, that shaky trust can send your sales—and your reputation—straight downhill. Today, people (especially Gen Z) are more careful before hitting “buy,” thanks to rising costs and economic uncertainties. They won’t pledge loyalty to a single brand without good reason, particularly when there are dozens of challenger brands tempting them with fresh offers.
That’s the climate you are up against: consumers sorting through product reviews, hunting for genuine quality, and picking from a sea of alternatives. Winning them over means taking brand trust seriously. It’s about producing top-tier products, staying transparent about how you operate, and reflecting the values your audience holds dear. Not exactly a breeze, is it? But with the right strategy and genuine follow-through, you can build a reputation that boosts both sales and long-term loyalty.
What is brand trust?
What is brand trust?
Brand trust is how confident people feel about your brand’s ability to do what it promises. That might include the excellence of your product, how transparent your supply chain is, the honesty of your marketing, or the way you treat customers (and your team). Once people believe you’ll meet—or exceed—the expectations you set, they’re far more likely to buy and keep coming back.
Consider it a stepping stone to brand loyalty: if they trust you once, they’re more likely to trust you again. That consistency can transform first-time customers into long-term supporters who happily spread the word about your brand.
Brand trust is how confident people feel about your brand’s ability to do what it promises. That might include the excellence of your product, how transparent your supply chain is, the honesty of your marketing, or the way you treat customers (and your team). Once people believe you’ll meet—or exceed—the expectations you set, they’re far more likely to buy and keep coming back.
Consider it a stepping stone to brand loyalty: if they trust you once, they’re more likely to trust you again. That consistency can transform first-time customers into long-term supporters who happily spread the word about your brand.
Why is it important to build brand trust?
When customers genuinely trust your brand, they’re not just more likely to come back—they’ll also spread the word and defend you when it counts. Lose that trust, and you risk losing the heartbeat of your entire operation.
1. More sales, more profit
Research points out that 81% of customers worldwide prefer to buy from a brand they feel they can depend on. In practical terms, that means a trustworthy image can lead to a healthier bottom line. When reviews and testimonials back up your claims, new buyers are likely to feel good about giving you a shot. If everything goes smoothly, those new fans turn into loyal regulars.
2. Customer retention
People who already trust your brand won’t feel tempted to ditch you for the next shiny product that appears in their feed. Yet brands can lose that trust in a blink if they don’t live up to their advertised promises. In fact, studies show that 53% of customers have cut back or entirely stopped purchasing from a brand after a poor experience. Earning trust once is just the start—maintaining it is what keeps your customers sticking around.
3. Customer advocacy
When folks trust you, they talk you up—to friends, on social media, even in random conversations at the café. That word-of-mouth marketing can be worth its weight in gold. If you are consistently trustworthy, you are likely to stand out from the competition and attract a wave of new customers eager to see what you are about.
When customers genuinely trust your brand, they’re not just more likely to come back—they’ll also spread the word and defend you when it counts. Lose that trust, and you risk losing the heartbeat of your entire operation.
1. More sales, more profit
Research points out that 81% of customers worldwide prefer to buy from a brand they feel they can depend on. In practical terms, that means a trustworthy image can lead to a healthier bottom line. When reviews and testimonials back up your claims, new buyers are likely to feel good about giving you a shot. If everything goes smoothly, those new fans turn into loyal regulars.
2. Customer retention
People who already trust your brand won’t feel tempted to ditch you for the next shiny product that appears in their feed. Yet brands can lose that trust in a blink if they don’t live up to their advertised promises. In fact, studies show that 53% of customers have cut back or entirely stopped purchasing from a brand after a poor experience. Earning trust once is just the start—maintaining it is what keeps your customers sticking around.
3. Customer advocacy
When folks trust you, they talk you up—to friends, on social media, even in random conversations at the café. That word-of-mouth marketing can be worth its weight in gold. If you are consistently trustworthy, you are likely to stand out from the competition and attract a wave of new customers eager to see what you are about.
How to build brand trust?
Carving out trust in a competitive market can feel like chasing a moving target—especially on social media, where consumers openly call out brands and demand immediate responses. Here are some marketing tips to keep your brand’s reliability front and centre:
1. Define your brand's mission
First, you need to have a defined mission. Every company wants to boost sales, satisfy customers, and build positive word-of-mouth, but that is merely the tip of the iceberg. You have to ask yourself:
What does your brand truly represent?
Do you believe in sustainability?
Do you care about giving back to the community?
Do you set out to simplify life with an innovative product?
Get these details down, and you lay the foundation for trust. Let's say you produce electric cars. Your mission might be to reduce carbon emissions and catalyse a greener future sooner. Your customers seek authenticity, and if your mission is the same as your core values, then it becomes easier for them to identify with what you are doing and trust you.
2. Set customer expectations—then meet them
Nothing torpedoes trust faster than unmet expectations. Therefore, it is essential to set out how individuals can anticipate from your company. If your website advertises your products as "premium and ethically sourced," you'd better produce what you so describe; otherwise, you'll be hearing about it online. The best approach is to keep your claims honest and your message consistent. If you offer next-day shipping on your site but regularly take three days, customers won’t see you as reliable. They will remember that mismatch and in today’s world of viral feedback, a disappointed tweet can travel fast. So, set goals and promises that are ambitious yet realistic.
3. Use social media for customer support
Social media is not just for show-and-tell anymore; it’s a full-fledged customer support channel. 51% of customers say that a brand responding to them on social media is the most memorable action a brand can take. So if you are ignoring your DMs or leaving comments unaddressed, you are missing a golden chance to boost trust. How to stand out? Be proactive. Thank customers for praise, handle negative feedback gracefully, and solve issues quickly (and publicly). People appreciate a brand that openly addresses problems rather than brushing them under the rug. Social media puts your customer care on display, so why not show off your best self?
4. Collaborate with the right influencers
Influencers are not just fashionable collaborators; they can be mighty partners in building brand credibility. Almost half of marketers indicate that influencer collaborations enhance authenticity and credibility. The trick is to identify someone whose ethos is your ethos. It's inviting a guest speaker to your event—do you invite a wild card who might undermine your message, or a partner who supports it? When you get the right fit, their endorsement can ring out far outside your regular audience. Individuals trust word of mouth, particularly from someone they already respect. Just be certain their audience intersects with your target audience. Otherwise, you're spending money on attention that never will be converted into actual relationships.
5. Maintain consistency in brand communication
When your messaging is casual and warm in one location, and corporate and formal in another, customers become confused. Consistency breeds familiarity and predictability, two ingredients to trust. If your brand says it's transparent, don't hide product defects. If you say you'll deliver quickly, don't keep customers waiting three days for a response. Straightforward communication does wonders. Call it opening the back door to your brand. Invite people into the making of your products, behind-the-scenes photos of who makes them, or why you've used a certain material. You're giving customers a behind-the-scenes glimpse which not only allays curiosity but also shows that you've nothing to hide, which is always welcome when credibility's the aim.
Carving out trust in a competitive market can feel like chasing a moving target—especially on social media, where consumers openly call out brands and demand immediate responses. Here are some marketing tips to keep your brand’s reliability front and centre:
1. Define your brand's mission
First, you need to have a defined mission. Every company wants to boost sales, satisfy customers, and build positive word-of-mouth, but that is merely the tip of the iceberg. You have to ask yourself:
What does your brand truly represent?
Do you believe in sustainability?
Do you care about giving back to the community?
Do you set out to simplify life with an innovative product?
Get these details down, and you lay the foundation for trust. Let's say you produce electric cars. Your mission might be to reduce carbon emissions and catalyse a greener future sooner. Your customers seek authenticity, and if your mission is the same as your core values, then it becomes easier for them to identify with what you are doing and trust you.
2. Set customer expectations—then meet them
Nothing torpedoes trust faster than unmet expectations. Therefore, it is essential to set out how individuals can anticipate from your company. If your website advertises your products as "premium and ethically sourced," you'd better produce what you so describe; otherwise, you'll be hearing about it online. The best approach is to keep your claims honest and your message consistent. If you offer next-day shipping on your site but regularly take three days, customers won’t see you as reliable. They will remember that mismatch and in today’s world of viral feedback, a disappointed tweet can travel fast. So, set goals and promises that are ambitious yet realistic.
3. Use social media for customer support
Social media is not just for show-and-tell anymore; it’s a full-fledged customer support channel. 51% of customers say that a brand responding to them on social media is the most memorable action a brand can take. So if you are ignoring your DMs or leaving comments unaddressed, you are missing a golden chance to boost trust. How to stand out? Be proactive. Thank customers for praise, handle negative feedback gracefully, and solve issues quickly (and publicly). People appreciate a brand that openly addresses problems rather than brushing them under the rug. Social media puts your customer care on display, so why not show off your best self?
4. Collaborate with the right influencers
Influencers are not just fashionable collaborators; they can be mighty partners in building brand credibility. Almost half of marketers indicate that influencer collaborations enhance authenticity and credibility. The trick is to identify someone whose ethos is your ethos. It's inviting a guest speaker to your event—do you invite a wild card who might undermine your message, or a partner who supports it? When you get the right fit, their endorsement can ring out far outside your regular audience. Individuals trust word of mouth, particularly from someone they already respect. Just be certain their audience intersects with your target audience. Otherwise, you're spending money on attention that never will be converted into actual relationships.
5. Maintain consistency in brand communication
When your messaging is casual and warm in one location, and corporate and formal in another, customers become confused. Consistency breeds familiarity and predictability, two ingredients to trust. If your brand says it's transparent, don't hide product defects. If you say you'll deliver quickly, don't keep customers waiting three days for a response. Straightforward communication does wonders. Call it opening the back door to your brand. Invite people into the making of your products, behind-the-scenes photos of who makes them, or why you've used a certain material. You're giving customers a behind-the-scenes glimpse which not only allays curiosity but also shows that you've nothing to hide, which is always welcome when credibility's the aim.
How to measure brand trust?
Building brand trust is only half the job, you also have to keep tabs on how it’s holding up in the real world. If you don’t track progress, you might never know whether your efforts are working or which areas could use a tweak. Below are a few KPIs that can help you pinpoint where your brand stands in the hearts and minds of customers.
Sentiment analysis
Consider sentiment analysis as listening in on public conversation, only you can get away with it. By searching online reviews, forums, and social media posts, you can determine whether the overall atmosphere around your brand is good, bad, or indifferent. Systems such as Brandwatch or Sprout Social read through huge quantities of text and apply sentiment scores, providing you with a bird's-eye view of how others feel about you. A decline in positive sentiment may suggest that it's time to do damage control or rework your messaging, whereas an increase assures you that you're doing something correct. Sentiment analysis identifies the "why" of people's emotions. Did you launch a new product line, or was there a recent public scandal blackening your reputation? Monitoring sentiment keeps you from being blindsided by changing attitudes. And if you do notice a slump, you can shift your strategy before things get out of hand.
Engagement metrics
Sometimes, “likes” and “shares” tell a deeper story than you’d imagine. High engagement on social media often correlates with brand trust, people don’t usually share content from a brand they dislike or mistrust. And if comments on your posts are full of positivity, it’s a solid clue that your brand messaging is hitting home. On the flip side, if your posts are greeted by crickets or, worse, a flurry of negative feedback, it might be time for a brand tune-up. Engagement metrics act like a gut check on your brand’s relevance. If you are consistently seeing low engagement, you might not be speaking your audience’s language or they might not trust you enough to interact. Keep an eye on this data as it evolves: a big spike in shares might mean your newest campaign genuinely resonates with people, while a sudden drop could signal a brand misstep.
Net Promoter Score (NPS)
The NPS is reduced to a simple yet revealing question: "On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend our brand to a friend?" Those who respond 9 or 10 are classified as Promoters, 7 or 8 as Passives, and 0 to 6 as Detractors. Subtracting the percentage of Detractors from the percentage of Promoters yields your NPS. A higher score points to a trustworthy brand people willingly vouch for, while a lower score indicates more caution (or downright dissatisfaction). An NPS survey provides a direct line to your customers’ feelings about your brand. If your NPS is tanking, you can’t ignore that. And if it’s soaring, it’s a prime opportunity to double down on what’s already working—maybe your stellar customer service or the unique perks you offer.
Building brand trust is only half the job, you also have to keep tabs on how it’s holding up in the real world. If you don’t track progress, you might never know whether your efforts are working or which areas could use a tweak. Below are a few KPIs that can help you pinpoint where your brand stands in the hearts and minds of customers.
Sentiment analysis
Consider sentiment analysis as listening in on public conversation, only you can get away with it. By searching online reviews, forums, and social media posts, you can determine whether the overall atmosphere around your brand is good, bad, or indifferent. Systems such as Brandwatch or Sprout Social read through huge quantities of text and apply sentiment scores, providing you with a bird's-eye view of how others feel about you. A decline in positive sentiment may suggest that it's time to do damage control or rework your messaging, whereas an increase assures you that you're doing something correct. Sentiment analysis identifies the "why" of people's emotions. Did you launch a new product line, or was there a recent public scandal blackening your reputation? Monitoring sentiment keeps you from being blindsided by changing attitudes. And if you do notice a slump, you can shift your strategy before things get out of hand.
Engagement metrics
Sometimes, “likes” and “shares” tell a deeper story than you’d imagine. High engagement on social media often correlates with brand trust, people don’t usually share content from a brand they dislike or mistrust. And if comments on your posts are full of positivity, it’s a solid clue that your brand messaging is hitting home. On the flip side, if your posts are greeted by crickets or, worse, a flurry of negative feedback, it might be time for a brand tune-up. Engagement metrics act like a gut check on your brand’s relevance. If you are consistently seeing low engagement, you might not be speaking your audience’s language or they might not trust you enough to interact. Keep an eye on this data as it evolves: a big spike in shares might mean your newest campaign genuinely resonates with people, while a sudden drop could signal a brand misstep.
Net Promoter Score (NPS)
The NPS is reduced to a simple yet revealing question: "On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend our brand to a friend?" Those who respond 9 or 10 are classified as Promoters, 7 or 8 as Passives, and 0 to 6 as Detractors. Subtracting the percentage of Detractors from the percentage of Promoters yields your NPS. A higher score points to a trustworthy brand people willingly vouch for, while a lower score indicates more caution (or downright dissatisfaction). An NPS survey provides a direct line to your customers’ feelings about your brand. If your NPS is tanking, you can’t ignore that. And if it’s soaring, it’s a prime opportunity to double down on what’s already working—maybe your stellar customer service or the unique perks you offer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes customers trust a brand?
High-quality offerings and honest communication are key. Independent reviews, excellent support, and speedy resolutions also go a long way in showing you are genuine.
How do you build brand loyalty and trust?
Provide stellar customer service. Listen intently, solve issues promptly, and treat every buyer like a priority. Over time, consistent positive experiences lead to loyalty.
What are the three stages of brand loyalty?
Experts often talk about brand recognition (people know who you are), brand preference (they’d pick you over a rival), and brand insistence (they won’t buy from anyone else).
Final Thoughts
Brand trust isn’t some checkbox you tick on a customer-satisfaction survey—it’s the fuel that drives real, lasting growth. When you treat people right, consistently show up for them, and keep your brand human (whether that’s through influencers, real-life reps, or a clever AI assistant), you prove you are in this for the long haul. It’s straightforward: if customers believe in you, they’ll stick around and even spread the word.
So aim higher than just meeting expectations—be the brand they’re proud to tell their friends about. That’s when brand trust becomes your biggest competitive edge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes customers trust a brand?
High-quality offerings and honest communication are key. Independent reviews, excellent support, and speedy resolutions also go a long way in showing you are genuine.
How do you build brand loyalty and trust?
Provide stellar customer service. Listen intently, solve issues promptly, and treat every buyer like a priority. Over time, consistent positive experiences lead to loyalty.
What are the three stages of brand loyalty?
Experts often talk about brand recognition (people know who you are), brand preference (they’d pick you over a rival), and brand insistence (they won’t buy from anyone else).
Final Thoughts
Brand trust isn’t some checkbox you tick on a customer-satisfaction survey—it’s the fuel that drives real, lasting growth. When you treat people right, consistently show up for them, and keep your brand human (whether that’s through influencers, real-life reps, or a clever AI assistant), you prove you are in this for the long haul. It’s straightforward: if customers believe in you, they’ll stick around and even spread the word.
So aim higher than just meeting expectations—be the brand they’re proud to tell their friends about. That’s when brand trust becomes your biggest competitive edge.
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Work with us
Click to copy
work@for.co
- FOR® Brand. FOR® Future.
We’re remote-first — with strategic global hubs
Click to copy
Helsinki, FIN
info@for.fi
Click to copy
New York, NY
ny@for.co
Click to copy
Miami, FL
mia@for.co
Click to copy
Dubai, UAE
uae@for.co
Click to copy
Kyiv, UA
kyiv@for.co
Click to copy
Lagos, NG
lagos@for.ng
Copyright © 2024 FOR®
Work with us
Click to copy
work@for.co
We’re remote-first — with strategic global hubs
Click to copy
Helsinki, FIN
hel@for.co
Click to copy
New York, NY
ny@for.co
Click to copy
Miami, FL
mia@for.co
Click to copy
Dubai, UAE
uae@for.co
Click to copy
Kyiv, UA
kyiv@for.co
Click to copy
Lagos, NG
lagos@for.ng
Copyright © 2024 FOR®