In our latest WSI Digital Marketing Video Series entry, we highlight 5 Key Components for Building Better Brand Authority.
As markets become more crowded and consumers get smarter, it's hard not to sense the burgeoning frustrations of businesses everywhere. But the truth is there's no end in sight for new technologies and platforms that make things more competitive for business owners, brands and marketers. It just means we have to be better.
It seems like there are new social platforms to manage, devices to optimize for and online review outlets to pander to every single week. And even though these developments put more power and intelligence in the consumer's corner, it doesn't mean your hands are tied. There are countless ways you can use the growing digital environment to build positive brand authority and credibility for your business.
1. Content Marketing
At the end of the day, there's no better way to achieve authority and credibility than by being exactly what you say you are and delivering the products or services you promise. It's vital that your brand's content, whether it's a static 'About Us' page or an in-depth blog post, accurately represents what you're about - down to the very core. If your content consistently matches the way you conduct business, you'll build strong and natural brand authority, and begin amassing an army of advocates.
2. Social Media Marketing
A while back, we published an infographic that highlighted how 1 in 4 Facebook and Twitter users expect a company to reply to complaints on social media within one hour. Let this stat serve as a reminder that how and what your brand says on social media matters. Don't take it lightly when an unhappy customer complains on social media because before you know it, you could have a disaster on your hands. Social media is real-time public relations, so take advantage of that knowledge and develop a purposeful and meaningful presence.
3. Video Marketing
When you implement video marketing, you're doing two things simultaneously: a) creating highly engaged content that captures your brand's personality and b) proving your digital savvy using mobile friendly content. Video content isn't exactly easy to produce, either, so you're also showcasing your brands skills and the lengths you're willing to go in order to connect with your audience. When you earn respect, you earn trust, credibility and authority.
4. Personalized Marketing
Consumers can easily find out about you, so we've been discussing the power of personalization and how to build credibility by showing customers that you're paying attention. As long as you're up front with why you want customers' information and are careful to always present content that's relevant to their interests, they'll actually trust you more for personalizing your marketing efforts.
5. Reputation Marketing
When it comes to review sites and platforms, monitoring is more than half the battle. If you know customers will use a certain site to review your product or service - for example, TripAdvisor if you're a hotel or restaurant - having a branded presence on that site is a great way to engage with your customers. You can say thank you for positive comments and mend fences or solve problems when you get negative feedback. Instead of viewing review sites as a thorn in your side, use them as an opportunity to develop better brand authority.
