How Much Do People Trust Your Content?

“Don’t believe everything you read on the internet.” Ever heard someone say that? There’s good reason.

Much of what gets published on the internet never sees an editor. Even less of it gets fact-checked. And sadly, many web writers don’t follow even basic standards for properly attributing sources.

That’s just one side of the problem. There’s also a general distrust among readers. Journalists’ credibility is at a low. Marketers’ credibility is even lower.

Most people dislike being sold to. If you trigger their radar on this, many of them will bolt. The older they are, the truer this is, according to research from Nielsen.

Charming a suspicious audience isn’t easy, but it isn’t impossible. If you can follow a few guidelines consistently, over time you can build a loyal, trusting audience.

1) Make it useful

Serve your audience first, and your business goals second. I know that’s hard to follow when you’ve got quarterly business goals, but there is no better way to build trust and hold people’s attention. Content marketing is not adverting. Simple as that.

2) Back up what you say

So much of online content is based on people’s opinions. Opinions are great, but unless you’re marketing on the force of your personality, you’re going to need some backup.

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