Brand Credibility and Customer Loyalty

Brand credibility is the perception of consumers in the trustworthiness and expertise of a brand. According to Science Direct, the relationship between consumer and brand produced sensations, feelings and cognitions that influence the development of an emotional bond or attachment towards the brand. Therefore, brand attachment involves the cognitive and affective connection between the brand and the self, as well as positive feelings and memories about the brand.

So, how do you build brand credibility?

1. Offer Quality Products and Service

According to Forbes, consistency here is crucial. A single defective product or memorably bad customer experience can be far more impactful than 100 amazing products and 1,000 customer interactions. 

2. Be Consistently Transparent

According to Melt Water, the most obvious case for building trust is truth in advertising. Honesty is the best policy – both in life and in marketing. Trust and transparency are critical drivers of brand credibility that must be nurtured and respected. 

3. Listen to Customers

The brand needs to be approachable and accessible. Communication can be as simple as showing that the company cares by acknowledging and replying to comments, or at least acknowledging feedbacks. 

This age of social media, people can easily criticize or praise you publicly. And these online word-of-mouth is very powerful. At times, it can make or break your brand and products. 

4. Engage with the Community of Thought Leaders

There’s value in connecting with your direct consumers. As well, with the influencers and leaders of the field.
According to Aspiration Marketing – as you build an online presence, focus on sharing and commenting on content from your niche’s thought leaders. As you engage through social media, you’re showing you understand and value those around you who know what they’re talking about. 

5. Establish a Clear Brand Identity

Offering quality products and giving good service are essential factors to build brand credibility. But aside from those details is the more basic reason of the brand existence – its identity. According to Aspiration Marketing, establishing your brand identity does not just make your product more memorable. It makes your brand more authoritative in its market.

The brand that establishes a face and maintains that face consistently over time develops credibility among its competitors and trust among its customers. 

Brand credibility not only drives consumer attention, more importantly – it induces customer loyalty. It can also provide significant value to the business, which is why it’s a key component of an overall brand management. Because as explained by Melt Water, credible brands can enjoy increased chances of building loyal relationships. And because of the favorable perception, the brand can benefit from less price-sensitive customers. 

Establishing credibility is not a one-time undertaking. You have to trust the process. And be consistent! 

Sources: 

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969698921003854#:~:text=Brand%20credibility%20refers%20to%2 0the,Erdem%20and%20Swait%2C%202004).

https://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2018/05/15/the-importance-of-brand-credibility-and-how-to-buildit/?sh=6dec03f326fd

https://www.meltwater.com/en/blog/brand-equity-part-3-4-steps-towards-building-brand-credibility

https://blog.aspiration.marketing/how-to-build-your-brands-credibility