The impact of reviews on brand authenticity and product credibility

Brand authenticity refers to “the extent to which consumers perceive a brand to be faithful toward itself, true to its consumers, motivated by caring and responsibility, and able to support consumers in being true to themselves,” according to the creators of the Perceived Brand Authenticity Scale. 

Elements of brand authenticity include transparency, purpose, continuity in messaging, ethical practices, and a commitment to the brand's values.

How customers feel about a brand (their sentiment) is a big deal for how real you seem (your authenticity). After all, they're telling you what they think, which helps you act more genuine.

Customer sentiment and brand authenticity go hand in hand, mostly because customer sentiment is a qualitative customer service metric based on customer words. This aids in shaping and improving brand authenticity through direct feedback. 

Product credibility differs from brand authenticity because it takes a while to build up. It’s about delivering what you promise in your value proposition and keeping customers impressed and happy enough to support your product. 

The elements of product credibility include but are not limited to, product reviews, beta testing programs, clear communication about how a product works, and reliability.

Both brand authenticity and product credibility need each other to create emotional connections with consumers and encourage purchase confidence. At the end of the day, an authentic brand will have product credibility, and reliable products can only arise from an authentic brand foundation. 

In the last few years, branding has become prolific online. Thanks to the power of social media and the universal language of information sharing, there isn’t much brands can’t do to get their message out there. 

Now, it seems anyone can build a brand identity, especially with the advent of influencer marketing.

However, when a brand's relationship with its audience becomes transactional, trust becomes crucial, and security and authenticity become the main concerns for brand consumers. 

Authenticity can be hard to prove online, but it is vital for brand growth, considering 86% of consumers believe authenticity is vital when deciding which brands they like and support.

However, trust is waning in the online shopping space. Three out of four consumers who shop online through e-commerce and social media platforms report they have experienced financial fraud, and more than half (55%) have had payments lost due to glitches. More than two in five (42%) say they frequently receive damaged goods. 

So, how can brands rise above the digital din and forge genuine connections?  The answer lies in prioritizing authenticity and building trust through every interaction. 

When physical interaction with products can sometimes be limited, brands rely more on beefing up their product credibility. But how can this be done in an online world?

Consumers have multiple product options online, and it can be overwhelming and make it harder for businesses to cut through the noise. Decision fatigue is a real issue facing today’s shoppers. According to recent research from Episerver, 46% of customers have failed to complete a purchase online due to overwhelming choices.

Neuromarketing expert Katie Hart deduces, “The problem is that, as individuals, we are unaware of 95% of what goes into our daily decisions. That is because the information that drives our behaviours and choices comes from below our conscious threshold.” 

Product credibility can break through the noise from too many online options. There are a few ways to create credibility online, such as open communication with consumers, transparency regarding product development, social proof and independent testing. However, reviews are a surefire way to get there, with 40% of consumers claiming reviews are key to building product credibility. 

Customer sentiment plays a vital role in both brand authenticity and product credibility. Reviews, encompassing both positive and negative experiences, provide a platform for genuine customer voices. This transparency, fostered by platforms like Trustpilot, strengthens credibility.

Let's delve into real-world examples:

Transparency builds trust: TurboDebt, despite amassing over 7,500 positive reviews, also received a small number of negative ones. This transparency, showcasing both sides of the customer experience, bolstered the credibility of their positive reviews and led to a 14% increase in conversion rates. The negative reviews proved to be useful, too; TurboDebt brought up trends in negative reviews to its larger team so they could address the issue or reach out to the reviewer for more information. Showcasing the company’s commitment to striving for better. 

Customer insights drive action: Staysure, a UK insurance company, leveraged Trustpilot's Review Insights to analyze customer sentiment. By identifying recurring themes like "discount," they unearthed customer concerns about misleading marketing practices. This insight allowed them to address the issue by pitching a plan to the marketing team on how to promote discounts better and make caveats clearer—such as being included in the discount banner and not at the bottom of the webpage alongside other T&Cs. 

Social proof matters:  The average online shopper expects to see at least 112 reviews before trusting a product. Recognizing this, Best Egg, a US loan provider, incorporated reviews into their marketing and website. This social proof, showcasing genuine customer advocacy, increased their click-through rate (CTR) by 1.75%.

Building an authentic brand focusing on transparency and customer satisfaction lays the groundwork for product credibility. Positive reviews become an added bonus, solidifying trust and driving conversions.

Key takeaways

• Brand authenticity and product credibility are two sides of the same coin: Brand authenticity, built on transparency, purpose, and customer focus, fosters trust. This trust allows product credibility, built on delivering on promises and positive reviews, to flourish.

• Customer sentiment shapes brand authenticity:  By actively listening to customer sentiment through reviews and feedback, brands can refine their messaging and practices, strengthening their authenticity.

• Product reviews bridge the gap between brand authenticity and credibility: Genuine customer reviews, both positive and negative, showcase transparency and provide valuable insights for improvement, bolstering both brand authenticity and product credibility.

• Customer reviews are earned through credibility:  Products that deliver on their promises and prioritize quality will naturally garner positive reviews, reinforcing product credibility and brand authenticity in a virtuous cycle.

• Customer focus is key to creating authentic brands: The customer voice is powerful, but you can create a brand built on trust by focusing on what the consumer/customer wants through feedback.