Why is brand credibility important?
Brand credibility is essential for any business – it’s key to establishing trust and growing your business. In this blog, we talk to our branding expert Kim, who explains more about reputation and how to build it, addressing “why is brand credibility important?”
What is brand credibility?
Kim: Brand credibility is the extent to which your brand is trusted. Your community will naturally include customers and/or clients, but it’s also important to consider how you’re seen by the rest of your industry.
Why is brand credibility important?
Kim: Brand credibility is important for a number of reasons.
The most obvious one is that it helps you build and retain a strong customer base. Consistency and trustworthiness will always attract customers: they’ll feel reassured, confident and like the business cares about them.
As well as attracting customers directly, a credible brand will also help you attract opportunities and collaborations. Maybe you’ve established yourself as the most reliable designer of finance software – brand credibility could lead to you speaking at a major conference. Or you might offer something with a niche appeal, but your credibility allows you to branch out into teaching your skill as an additional revenue stream.
Another a key benefit is that credibility makes your business resilient. For example, you probably saw that big high street brand Marks and Spencer suffered serious cyber attacks earlier this year. You probably also saw that they were able to bounce back because the strength of their brand outweighs any doubts about their online security.
How do I build brand credibility?
Kim: Brand credibility is one of the ultimate slow burns. While you can invest in brand development, design a new logo or use a fresh advertising campaign, these ideas can’t build credibility by themselves. So in addition to your active branding work, it’s a good idea to think about what you can do to show that you’re a brand to rely on.
A good starting point is consistency. Make sure that your community has the same kind of experience whether they buy from you in person, visit your website, follow you on social media, or any other touch points. An audit of your marketing will highlight any inconsistencies – note them down then take action!
Checking for customer focus is also important. Measure every aspect of your brand against the customer experience, because your community will trust you if they feel like you care about them. Check whether your business easy to recognise and contact. Check your tone – are you talking to them, with them or simply at them? “You” is a powerful word – use it.
You can also look out for opportunities to show leadership. From being an expert in your field to shaping your industry’s response to a new situation, there are more opportunities than you think. Establishing yourself as a leader helps you attract good PR and partnerships, as well as directly driving conversions.
Outsource branding to Get Ahead
If reading Kim’s insights has got you thinking about increasing your brand credibility, Get Ahead can help. From a marketing audit to a detailed branding exercise, Kim and our other branding experts can help you strengthen what you already have (or even start from scratch!). Explore our site to find out more, follow us on LinkedIn or contact your local regional director today.
