Social media is more than just a place where you promote your content, products, and services. It’s also a platform where you can communicate, interact, and effectively engage your target audience.
These interactions are important because they enable you to build trust and, as a result, create a deeper relationship with your customers and encourage referrals and repeat purchases.
Research has shown that more than 30% of respondents cite trust as one of the top 3 factors influencing their buying decision. Moreover, the research also found that opinions on social platforms have more influence on buying decisions than other factors that depend on the retailer, such as pricing or ads.
But do you know what it takes to build trust on social media? Here are 5 tips that will help you get started.
1. Ensure Brand Consistency
If you want to inspire trust in your social media followers, you need to ensure brand consistency. Ensure that your brand personality and voice match your content on social media, as well as your actions. For instance, if you say you care about the environment, post petitions, and news on the topic.
Don’t forget about the visual aspect as well. Keep the appearance of your brand colors, logo, and other design elements consistent in order to build a reliable and professional image for your business.
2. Pay Attention to Content Quality
When it comes to building trust on social media, one of the first things you have to do is make sure the content you post is high quality and that it offers some kind of value to your followers. This is crucial for encouraging engagement and establishing a loyal following. Posting quality content also shows that you’re an authority whose opinions can be trusted.
Here are a few tips to help you provide appealing content:
- Determine who your target customers are and what they expect.
- Identify your competition and do some research to see what they are posting and whether their content is missing something you could make up for.
- Avoid posting salesy and promotional content all the time. Apply the 80-20 rule: about 80% of the content should be non-promotional and informative, while the rest of it can focus on your products and your brand.
While not all followers who are interested in your content will necessarily become customers, your brand will definitely be on the top of their minds if they need what your business provides.
3. Get Some Instagram Shoutouts
Whether you are in home decor, fashion, sports gear, or something entirely different, chances are Instagram is one of the most important social platforms for your eCommerce business. According to recent reports, nearly 75% of marketers use Instagram and more than 65% of them plan to ramp up their Instagram efforts in the future.
When it comes to creating an Instagram strategy, there’s a big number of opportunities such as influencer campaigns or paid tactics like story ads. But have you tried Instagram shoutouts? An Instagram shoutout is when one user promotes another on their own IG account. There are a few ways to get an Instagram shoutout:
- A voluntary shoutout is when someone is just so satisfied with your product or service that they decide to give you a shoutout without you even having to ask.
- Shoutout for shoutout is a trade – someone agrees to give you a shoutout on their page in exchange for you doing the same thing for them.
- Paid shoutouts are a typical influencer marketing technique – you pay someone to promote your brand, be it with cash or in exchange for free products.
Instagram shoutouts are an easy and effective way to increase your Instagram followers. They can help you reach a relevant audience, get more followers, and increase trust. After all, research has shown that over 90% of consumers trust an influencer more than an advertisement or traditional celebrity endorsement.
4. Nurture Interaction
Throwing your content out isn’t enough. After all, the whole point of social media is socializing. Therefore, you need to encourage interactions, respond quickly, and make sure to thank customers who are talking about your brand.
With more active and thoughtful interactions, you will get more reach. If you manage to build a reputation as a company that’s available, consumers will feel more confident when it comes to buying from you.
5. Ask for Customer Reviews
Customer reviews are crucial for building trust. Nowadays, people go to Facebook to check a company’s rating or to review sites such as Yelp, before making a purchase. Even when they visit your website, chances are the review page will be among the first ones they visit. And if they see that you’re close to a five-star rating, visitors will feel reassured and will be more likely to convert.
That’s why it’s important to ask customers to leave reviews. Even if you get a negative review, you can always turn it into a positive one. If people see that you have no problem responding to bad reviews, they will view you as transparent and reliable.
Final Thoughts
If you want to grow your brand, social media should be a part of the marketing equation. However, instead of simply focusing on driving traffic to your eCommerce website or responding to customers, think about how you can use social media to build trust in your brand. The 5 tips in this article are a good starting point to build a loyal following and propel your eCommerce business forward.