Want to build amazing credibility for your brand?
Facebook is a great place to start!
After all, the social network has more than a billion users -- which is roughly the population of China.
And there are more than 25 million active small business pages on Facebook.
So how does a small brand like yours stand out from the rest?
How do you compete against companies with huge marketing budgets?
First you need to build credibility!
You need to get your audience to trust you. Only then will customers become ambassadors & start recommending your company to their friends.
The tips I’m about to share aren't exactly rocket science, but they're helpful reminders about simple ways to enhance the credibility of your brand.
I call them the 6 S's of brand credibility. And they will help you convert customers into fans for life.
Every Brand on Facebook Should Master the 6 S's of Brand Credibility
1. Setup
Let’s start with the basics. Make sure your Facebook page is fully optimized.
That doesn't mean just completing your registration. I'm talking about loading the page with amazing content & details about your company.
I'm often invited to Like pages that have nothing -- not even a profile photo!
That's a huge turnoff to a big part of your potential audience. So make an effort to optimize your page before unveiling it to the world.
Include key elements like a:
- Profile photo
- Cover photo
- Detailed About section
- Phone number
- Website link
- Apps
Page managers here did a great job with this setup:
2. Storytelling
To build brand credibility, you’ll need to tell your fans about your company & how the business came to be.
Storytelling is one of the most effective forms of communication because stories are so personal & authentic.
Through stories people connect with your business on a whole new level. Everybody loves & remembers а good story. My grandmother told me stories as a kid that I still remember today.
Start by sharing stories of your success, the challenges you’ve faced & lessons you’ve learned.
But most importantly, tell the stories in an authentic way.
Dwayne The Rock Johnson knows how to spin a good yarn on Facebook:
3. Share Useful & Engaging Content
Companies that are credible demonstrate knowledge in their field.
Sharing useful & engaging content helps get them there.
Nothing kills credibility more quickly than a limp Facebook page that constantly shares posts while getting no engagement from fan -- not a Like, not a comment, NOTHING!
It's difficult to appear credible when your fans won't interact with your blog posts, infographics & other status updates.
Sharing interesting content that gets people to respond is a surefire way to boost your brand credibility.
Here's a great example from the Post Planner fan page:
Read these articles for help getting started:
- 5 Charismatic Ways to Get Facebook Fans to Interact with You
- 9 Ways to Game the Facebook News Feed (this Stuff Really Works)
4. Social Proof
Social proof is another great way to get people to trust your company.
Social proof is brand credibility that comes from others engaging with your business.
When you have lots of Facebook fans who often Like & share your posts with friends, that tells other people that your brand is credible & should be paid attention to.
The concept of social proof is nothing new, but social media websites let businesses leverage social proof in incredibly powerful ways.
These content examples will help push your social proof off the charts:
- Case studies
- Customer testimonials
- Awards & recognition
- Photographs of you with industry thought leaders
- Media mentions
- Published articles you wrote or contributed to
Marie Forleo publishes customer testimonials on her Facebook page:
5. Show up & Stay Con
sistent
Q: What's just as bad as a Facebook page that posts content that puts you to sleep?
A: Page managers who don't update Facebook on a regular basis.
You don’t have to update your page multiple times a day. Just be consistent with your posts.
I'd recommend posting at least once a day. This becomes easier if you create a content calendar for your Facebook page so your fans know what to expect.
And stick to your calendar!
Too many page managers only update once a week -- or they post on random days. This makes it impossible for your audience to anticipate when new content will be published.
Posting consistently keeps fans coming back for more.
6. Support, Support, Support
It’s simple really: provide outrageous customer support on Facebook!
Show people you care about their needs & concerns.
Businesses suffer when dissatisfied customers post nothing but angry comments -- especially when the comments get ignored.
Ignoring customers shows you don't care about them -- a death knell for brand credibility.
When you don't respond to a dissatisfied customer, they keep coming back with negative feedback. This makes your page look more toxic than it should.
And savvy customer service can fix all this.
Recap & the Seventh S
To recap, the 6 S's of brand credibility on Facebook are:
- Setup
- Storytelling
- Share useful and engaging content
- Social proof
- Show up and stay consistent
- Support, support, support!
And now that you've seen the 6 S's in action, it's time to move on to the 7th (and most important) S:
SUCCESS! :)
Have you tried any of these ways to increase your brand's credibility? If so, please leave a comment & let's discuss it!
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