Building Trust with Content Marketing: A #CMWorld Twitter Chat with Jacquie Chakirelis

In this era of fake news, there’s a crisis in consumer trust. It’s not a quick process to build, but it is easy to lose it. Trust is the foundation of any relationship. So how do we earn credibility in an environment of disbelief? We invited Content Marketing World speaker Jacquie Chakirelis to find out. What follows is a brief look into our conversation with Jacquie and the #CMWorld Twitter chat community. Check out our Twitter Moments (Part 1and Part 2) for every tweet from the Q&A.

Trust is our goal as content marketers. How does it fit into our content marketing strategy?

A1 Trust is the foundation of any successful relationship. This includes the relationship between a company and its customers. Just as important as attracting attention, we must build trust on our path to conversion and advocacy. #CMWorld

— Jacquie Chakirelis | #CMWorld 2020 Speaker (@JacquieChak) September 29, 2020

A1: Trust is EVERYTHING in marketing and yet it’s still considered one of the least trustworthy professions.

Addressing this starts with NOT underestimating your audience’s intelligence and respecting their time.

#CMWorld

— (((Emily L. Phelps))) (@SouthpawTales) September 29, 2020

A1: We use content marketing for thought leadership. Thought leadership builds trust. When customers know that we have an interest in helping them (not just selling), they trust us more. #CMWorld https://t.co/XHo8rR0mIR

— Andi Robinson (@hijinxmarketing) September 29, 2020

A1. To me, content breeds trust when you adopt a voice that’s human. Write like your talk, tell stories, share personal experiences, and keep asking for your readers’ feedback on how they find your content & what they want to consume.
P.S. Sorry, running a bit late here#CMWorld

— Masooma | Content Writer (@inkandcopy) September 29, 2020

A1) It shouldn’t “fit” in our strategy, it should be the foundation of our strategy.

Without trust &, over time, reputation, that audience doesn’t grow. Connections aren’t made. Engagements aren’t happening. And sales/conversions are lost.#CMWorld

— Jason Schemmel – Speaker & Podcaster #GSDChat?️? (@JasonSchemmel) September 29, 2020

It is said trust is earned, not given. What kind of content can help instill trust?

A3 Earning trust through content begins with delivering on our promises and doing the right thing. We can showcase this in our content with a consistent focus on serving the needs of our audience. Everything from guides to video tutorials with the audience needs first. #CMWorld

— Jacquie Chakirelis | #CMWorld 2020 Speaker (@JacquieChak) September 29, 2020

A3. Free & valuable guides, content that assures them their data is safe with you, informative content such as articles and podcasts #CMWorld

— Charu Misra (@charumisra) September 29, 2020

A3 #CMWorld

1. Customer reviews about your brand on socials and review sites

2. Whitepaper and ebooks

3. Discussion with industry leaders/blog/video

Basically any piece of content which is backed by reasearch, facts, data and customer needs/feedback in mind.

— ?Smita Poojary (@Smita_DigiMarke) September 29, 2020

A3: A simple go-to is an FAQ section of your website.

I also really love myth-busting content. If you can dispel a long-standing misconception in your industry, you’ve got my attention. #CMWorld

— Brianne Fleming (@brianne2k) September 29, 2020

A3: Data, data, data! Survey data, customer stories with data. Show the customer proof! #CMWorld

— Penny Gralewski (@virtualpenny) September 29, 2020

How can executives start then lead a content culture that fosters trust?

A5 People grant their trust based on two distinct attributes: competence and ethical behavior. As leaders we need to embrace these attributes in order to build a culture that fosters advocacy. #CMWorld

— Jacquie Chakirelis | #CMWorld 2020 Speaker (@JacquieChak) September 29, 2020

A5: The company I work for has a saying: Do what you say you’re going to do, when you say you’re going to do it.

We implement this internally and externally and it definitely fosters trust with team members & clients alike. #CMWorld

— andrew ? (@apdonovan1990) September 29, 2020

A5: Open communications with employees. Creating a culture of openness and trust empowers people to do their best work. That culture trickles down into public-facing content.#CMWorld

— Danielle Bullen Love (@daniellewriter) September 29, 2020

A5: Executives can lead the way by being transparent and sharing their knowledge with their teams. While I’m not a fan of the term, thought leadership is built on trust and can also help show the way for their teams — it’s #contentmarketing for internal communication! #CMWorld

— Mike Myers ? (@mikemyers614) September 29, 2020

A5: Unfortunately, in heavily ingrained corporate culture, incentives are ? to building trust & sharing content. Give your employees autonomy & TRUST in their ability to contribute content in their field. Content production goes beyond marketing-include the entire team.#CMWorld

— Megan Doyle (@Megg_Doyle) September 29, 2020

A5: By themselves being trustworthy and leading with that expectation. #CMWorld https://t.co/etcwbnuuFQ

— Carlarjenkins (@carlarjenkins) September 29, 2020

When brands gain customer trust, the benefits are huge. What are you doing to build trust? Tell us in the comments below.

Trust us when we say you should attend this year’s Content Marketing World. The conference kicks off in two weeks. Hurry and register today! Use discount code SM100 to save $100.