How Businesses Can Regain Trust with Connected Content

How well do your customers, employees, and shareholders trust you?

The recently published Edelman Trust Barometer spring update reveals that in fact people are losing trust in businesses. Why? Because the tumult of 2020 has exposed some cracks in the way businesses operate. As Edelman reported:

• Only 38 percent believe business is doing well or very well at putting people before profits.

• Only 39 percent believe business is doing well or very well at protecting their employees’ financial wellbeing and safeguarding their jobs.

The pandemic and social unrest in the summer of 2020 have tested how well businesses deliver on their values and purpose. Many are coming up short. Our own Connect.IQ report shows that only 42 percent of companies around the world share their purpose on their websites. Research we conducted with Forrester indicates that businesses are struggling to articulate their brand values across digital channels.

No wonder trust is eroding. Businesses are not adapting their story to reflect their value and purpose in an authentic way. Too many are sharing the same old stories about their growth strategies and profit margins. Don’t get me wrong. Growth strategies and profit margins are important. But as Edelman reported, 71 percent of people surveyed agree that if they perceive that a brand is putting profit over people, they will lose trust in that brand forever.

Brands need to tell a better story. An authentic one that reflects their purpose, values, and commitment to making a meaningful difference in the lives of people and society. It’s not that brands need to tell a new story – many do discuss, for example, their commitment to sustainability/ESG. But they need to dial up purpose and values in a way that resonates with employees, customers, and job seekers.

How, though? Through an approach we call Connected Content, in which businesses create and amplify powerful narratives on intelligent platforms – across the entire digital world. We’ve just published a new white paper, 5 Strategies to Build Trust in Digital Communications, that shows brands how to do just that. Based on our propriety research and client work, our white paper shares actionable tips on how to make your purpose and values resonate in a meaningful way. I invite you to download a copy – and create a stronger bond of trust that endures.