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Scepticism and diminished brand loyalty

First and foremost, people are increasingly sceptical about data collection, which makes it even harder to persuade them to hand over their data. But that doesn’t mean the consumer or user is completely unwilling to provide you with valuable data. They simply want to make sure that it isn’t used unethically.

Additionally, consumers aren’t as loyal to brands as they used to be (especially younger consumers). Now that products and services can be accessed from all over the world, consumers can easily move on to a different brand if yours doesn’t meet their needs. Consequently, consumers now mostly care about the personality of your brand and what’s in it for them, rather than the product or service you offer (which should be top-notch anyway).

If you want your audience to hand over their data, you have to win their trust. But remember, trust is frail. If it's not carefully cultivated, it will diminish, leading consumers to brands that can offer the service, security and connection they are looking for.

Gen Z

Now that Gen Z has joined the workforce (meaning they are now active consumers), we need to build trust more than ever. This generation is known for being the most critical and least loyal consumer group to date, making them harder to impress. They speak up and demand an excellent experience that fits their views and values.

They are also the most tech-savvy generation yet, meaning they’re smart about their data. This also means that they’ll know if you’re trying to keep them in the dark or worse, lying to them.

A trust-first approach

Now, you might think “We’re super trustworthy!”. That may be, but consumers don’t know that yet. And in a world where many brands offer similar services, they’ll be gone in a flash if they feel like they cannot trust you.

That’s where trust-first marketing comes in, which puts the target audience in charge of their data. It allows you to create a user experience that is not only secure but also makes your users willing to give you their first-party data.

To implement this approach, you need to truly get acquainted with your target audience – and we’re not just talking about buyer personas. You need to figure out what they care about, who they are and what they believe in. How? By listening to and interacting with them, but also by being open and honest.

Step 1: be transparent

You won’t be able to hide behind your brand. To please today’s audiences, you need a genuine identity; a firm grasp on who you are and what you stand for. And you need to honestly communicate that to your target audience. After all, when you say trust, you say honesty, which is vital to build a long-lasting connection with your audience. And that needs to seep through all your communication and content.

A few tips:

Own up to your mistakes. You’re human, and what really matters is how you handle the mistakes you make.
Be open about your strengths and weaknesses. That includes admitting that your product doesn’t answer certain needs when it doesn’t.
Take a stand on social issues. You may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but you’ll draw in relevant consumers.
Show the faces behind the company. Who are you?
Welcome and reward follower and visitor interactions. Getting to know each other and forging a bond is always a good thing.

A transparent privacy and cookie statement

Another vital part of building trust in a cookieless era is your privacy and cookie statement. Your audience needs to know what happens to their data. That means your privacy and cookie statement needs to be on point: GDPR-compliant, yet transparent. Simplify your language and don’t mess it up by inundating your users with legal mumbo-jumbo. If you aren’t being 100% truthful, your audience will know.

Step 2: focus on adding value

Don’t risk disappointing your visitors by making promises you cannot keep. The only thing you’ll do is make them think that you’ll do anything to make money off them, which won’t get you any closer to procuring first-party data.

So, even though referring your leads to a different source may seem counterproductive, it’ll help you in the long run if you offer them a solution that suits their needs. Even when users don’t find what they were looking for with you, they’ll remember that you helped them, which will boost your trust factor in the long run. It shows that you care about bringing them true value, which is what it’s all about.

Step 3: consistency is key

Finally, building trust also comes with consistency. Your visitors and consumers want to feel like they can count on you. So, spread a consistent message that fits within your branding across all your channels, and deliver on your promises.

Consistency means you need to be reliable, as well. Audiences today are everywhere, and they have complete control over how they consume content. Meet them where they are and learn what kind of content they want to consume. Knowing that you’ll be there to answer questions and give them what they need any time they need it, will build a tremendous amount of trust.

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Joyce Van Grieken - Long copy

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