How To Establish Trust With Your Marketing

"Fake news" has become a well-known phrase over the past few years. However, searches for fake news and similar terms actually peaked in March 2020 which shows that people definitely still feel the threat of misinformation, especially at a time where we rely on the news and the media for reliable information.

52% of all online brand discovery happens in public social feed, which highlights that digital marketing has changed the way we consume marketing. That is a significant amount of content people are trying to work out what they can believe is real and what is fake news. Trying to gain consumers' trust during this time is a struggle. However, using methods such as direct mail to advertise to your customers can be a great way to gain trust while avoiding the rising distrust of social media.

Who can we trust?

45% of the British public believe they encounter fake news online every single day. A way of getting consumers to trust you more is to invest more in alternative marketing methods as the public are suspicious of many things they see online. If you provide valuable content then the customer will have a more enjoyable experience with your brand, building up that essential relationship that starts to create trust.

Dominic Carter, chief commercial officer at News UK said, “We don’t have a fake news problem, we have an issue with getting advertisers to understand the value of credible trusted news versus an audience, which is playing to the hands of the distributors.”

Direct mail is a trusted news source compared to what people see online. People will believe in the value of post mailed out rather than random sponsored ads they have seen on their social media.

Use the postal services

There is something you encounter most days, and that is your post. Whether you trip over it or the dog has chewed it, you see it every day. So, think of the coverage your brand could be getting, being seen in every household. Mail is not just something you can scroll past and forget about like social media posts; it is there already in your consumers’ households, and they have to interact with it. The mail brings a sense of trust to your brand as people believe that traditional forms of media are more trustworthy than online mediums. Having your brand already visible as a trusted form of advertising can be so valuable for your brand.

How many unread emails are in your inbox?

Let’s be real, the amount of unread emails in an average person’s inbox is ridiculous. Most of these emails are neglected promotional materials from shops a customer may have used once years ago. However, when you see the post every day there is no way of avoiding it. Having that physical form put through the door gets your brand into the house without having to hope that your posts get opened instead of deleted out of an inbox. Getting random junk emails can be the same as seeing fake news to consumers, and they will interact with it in the same way—with suspicion and not taking much notice of it.

Taking the time to have your advertisement posted through people’s doors rather than just creating an email or social media posts creates a relationship with the consumer without having to wonder if your online advertising has reached the correct people.

Without a doubt, fake news is a worry for many people. By using the traditional media of mail, people can have a closer relationship with your brand. Utilising a trusted form of advertising (like direct mail) is clearly beneficial in the age of fake news and will help you stand out from the digital crowd.

Sources

https://www.marketingweek.com/the-fake-news-effect/

https://journolink.com/resource/319-fake-news-statistics-2019-uk-worldwide-data

https://medium.com/swlh/marketing-in-the-fake-news-era-47bb2265c479

https://blog.hootsuite.com/social-media-advertising-stats/