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Consumers are looking for authenticity—here’s how to get it

by | Jan 10, 2019 | Public Relations

Globalism and the internet mean that nowadays consumers can buy from companies around the world, which means you can establish yourself in a niche and become a huge global hit without expanding operations and opening up new satellite offices in different countries.

But you do need to improve your site and digital marketing efforts for best results. This is by no means an easy task, but it is necessary to convince new customers to buy from you. It is always risky to buy things online. What if your information is stolen? What if you never get the product? What if the product is substantially less quality than they thought it was?

It’s up to you to improve your website and digital presence, and by doing so, you can build a PR strategy that’ll be an advantage to your company. Transparency sells in today’s climate.

The importance of authenticity online

Authenticity is a rather intangible goal for a website or online company, but it can be accomplished. All you really need to do, at the end of the day, is to focus on your brand’s values and to stick with them. If you are a company that wants to provide customers with a sustainable alternative to, say, their spa days, then you need to double down on your efforts towards a greener, brighter future. Doing something solely for shock value or for publicity can be turned against you.

How to offer this authenticity

Ways to offer this authenticity in ways that consumers can see include:

  • Using non-manipulated photos—Though you can absolutely edit photos, you should try to leave body proportions alone. Even airbrushing is seen negatively these days. Instead, try to show a real image of your brand that isn’t hidden behind hours of Photoshop.
  • Being transparent—Transparency regarding your business and your supply chain can really help users feel that you are an authentic company, because they don’t just see the shiny storefront.
  • Having an online review system—Gaming your review system or not having one at all can actually hurt your site and sales. Offer users the ability to review your products—but don’t take down negative reviews, as this will make your company seem disingenuous. Instead, take the opportunity to showcase your customer service publicly.
  • Focusing on SEO—Finally, focus on SEO. SEO can help improve the quality of your website, but most of all users trust Google. If your site were to come up after they search something, they will automatically trust you more.

What to change if you aren’t receiving the engagement you want

If you aren’t receiving the engagement that you want, it is time to seek out professional help. A professional such as an Austin SEO expert can help you improve your website’s design, your SEO strategy, and even help you optimize your PPC strategy to finally get the engagement you want. It is up to you to then work on creating a relationship with these new users so you can turn one sale into many, and a user into a happy repeat customer.

Online users have a lot of different trust factors that they use to determine whether a company is safe to use or not. Offer a well-designed, safe site, and be more authentic to attract millennials and all other users.

Steve Conway
Steve Conway is a content marketing professional and inbound marketing expert. Previously, Steve worked as a marketing manager for a tech software start-up. He is passionate about discovering new software that will that will advance his already well-honed digital marketing techniques.

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