Building a loyal social media audience

When building a loyal audience in social media it is crucial for marketers to gain trust from its customers. Three main ways in which credibility can be built within social media are the use of stories, the inclusion of experts, and the use of referencing towards one’s own material. When stories are used in social media, they aim to achieve what is called “results envy” which is when the audience can relate to the story being told and then hope to achieve the positive end result from the story shared (Martin, 2018). When using stories to connect with the customer through social media the brand is aiming for “charismatic integrity” meaning that the trust and credibility gained from the audience is done through a feeling of being included in a like-minded community (Martin, 2018). When credibility is built through the use of expert knowledge it is bringing in a source that the audience can be sure is accredited and therefore creates the belief that the brand is backed up by fact and not only good ideas or speculations. Lastly, and most importantly, a brand that builds a strong foundation of credibility often achieves this by following up on its word. If a brand shares what ranges from ethical standpoints to promotional deadlines its audience expects the brand to follow through. When a brand builds credibility it makes sure to use social media in a way to connect with other groups and promotional individuals that are in line with its message. A brand that builds its credibility through this method also looks at its product and the way it is produced, because its social media presence makes it easy to create a loyal audience due to its consistency in connecting its brand message and values to its actual content. Brands in social media are able to use all three methods to build credibility or focus on one method specifically depending on its product and audience. 

 

References

Martin, G. Z. (2018). The essential Social media marketing handbook: a new roadmap for maximizing your brand, influence and credibility. New Delhi, India: Rupa Publications India Pvt. Ltd.