3 ways to build trust with your content.
Let’s get one thing straight: in business, trust isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s everything.
It’s not fancy visuals. It’s not clever taglines. It’s not even price.
Trust is what makes people choose you and keep choosing you.
In fact, studies show that 84% of customers won’t even consider a product or service if it doesn’t meet their trust standards. That means if your content doesn’t feel credible, clear, and grounded in real value, your audience won’t just hesitate—they’ll walk away.
So here’s the good news: you don’t have to be a big-name brand to build real trust. In fact, small businesses often have the upper hand. You have the agility to get personal, be real, and build relationships in a way that faceless corporations just can’t match.
Why is trust such a big deal?
Trust is the foundation that turns curiosity into conversion. In an age of endless content, paid promotions, and polished brand personas, audiences have become incredibly good at sniffing out anything that feels off, fake, or overly polished. And here’s the truth: people aren’t just looking for clever marketing, they’re looking for credibility. They're not just buying a product; they’re buying into a belief that you’ll deliver what you promise.
Marketing at its best isn’t about convincing. It’s about connecting. The brands we trust most are the ones that make us feel seen, understood, and valued, not sold to. And that feeling doesn’t come from flashy design or gimmicky tactics. It comes from words.
Your copy, the words on your website, your Instagram captions, your email subject lines, are often your customer’s first impression of your business. And it’s through those words that your audience will decide: “Is this brand for me? Do I feel safe here? Do I trust this?”
So when we talk about building trust through content, we’re really talking about how to write in a way that sounds human, honest, and aligned with the promises you actually deliver.
Let’s dig into 3 fresh, non-boring ways to build trust through your content, starting now⬇️
1. Stop Hiding Behind Jargon
Here’s the thing: your customer doesn’t need to be impressed by your vocabulary. They need to understand you.
And nothing kills trust faster than making people feel stupid.
If your content is loaded with acronyms, industry speak, or vague business buzzwords that no one uses in real life, your reader will either tune out—or assume you’re not speaking to them.
Trust doesn’t grow in confusion. It grows in clarity.
What to do instead:
Use plain language your audience actually uses.
Write like you’d explain something to a smart friend, not like you’re giving a TED Talk.
If you have to use a technical term, explain it.
Don’t think of simplicity as “dumbing it down.” Think of it as “making it easy to say yes.”
Bonus tip? Read your copy out loud. If you wouldn't say it in a real conversation, it's probably not the right wording.
2. Share Proof- From Real People, Not Just Your Team
We’re hardwired to trust other people more than we trust marketing. No surprise there.
It’s why reviews, testimonials, and user-generated content carry so much weight. We believe each other more than we believe ads.
But here’s where most brands go wrong: they only use polished, overly scripted testimonials that sound like they came from a corporate press release.
That’s not trust-building. That’s performance.
If someone’s going to believe that your offer can actually help them, they need to see proof. And it needs to come from people who look, sound, and feel like them.
What to share:
Screenshots of real customer messages or DMs (with permission)
Case studies showing the before and after
Short, imperfect video testimonials
User photos, tagged posts, and mentions
You don’t need dozens. A handful of well-placed, real moments can do the heavy lifting.
And when you get a glowing review? Don’t just post it and move on. Use it as a conversation starter. Respond. Add context. Celebrate it.
3. Talk About What You Actually Know
It sounds simple, but it’s overlooked more than you’d think.
In a rush to sound “expert” or “relevant,” lots of businesses try to speak on every trending topic under the sun—even when it’s not their lane. The result? Shaky messaging, vague advice, or regurgitated ideas that don’t say anything original.
You don’t need to be an expert in everything. You just need to own your zone of genius.
When you talk about what you know deeply—what you’ve experienced, studied, tested, it shows. Your confidence comes through. Your voice sharpens. Your content becomes magnetic.
So instead of trying to prove your authority, embody it.
Share your opinion on a common industry myth.
Break down a process you’ve refined.
Offer a real-world perspective your audience won’t find on page one of Google.
And yes, sometimes that means taking a stand or saying, “Sorry, we don’t do that.”
That honesty? It builds more trust than pretending you can do everything for everyone.
Bonus tip: Make the Copy Match the Experience
Trust doesn’t stop at your words. Your visuals, layout, and user experience all speak volumes, too.
If your copy says "we’re reliable," but your website is a mess? That’s a trust break.
If your emails say "no spam, ever," but you’re sending weekly blasts that feel irrelevant? That’s a trust break.
Every touchpoint is a chance to either build trust or chip away at it.
So make sure:
Your design is clean and mobile-friendly
Your tone of voice is consistent across platforms
Your content aligns with your actual offer and delivery
Because your content isn’t just what you say, it’s what people experience when they interact with your brand.
The Takeaway
Trust doesn’t come from shouting the loudest. It comes from consistently showing up in a way that feels real.
That means:
Speaking clearly, not cleverly
Letting real customers do some of the talking
Sticking to what you know, and doing it well
You don’t need to have the biggest brand or the flashiest site. You just need to show people that you see them, that you get them, and that you’re the real deal.
So, how’s your content stacking up? Where are you building trust... and where might you be losing it without even realising?
Take a moment. Audit your content. Start small. Start honest.
Because trust isn’t just what gets someone to hit “buy.” It’s what brings them back. And that’s the kind of content that lasts.
