Brand trust: what it is, why it’s important & how to measure it

Today’s consumers are more informed than ever, seeking brands that align with their values, fulfill their promises, and provide consistent, high-quality experiences. They want to feel confident in the brands they support. In fact, 81% of consumers need to trust a brand to consider buying from it.

Whether you're a startup or an established company, understanding brand trust is key to sustainable growth. We'll explore how brand trust works, how to measure it, and why it’s important for boosting credibility among consumers.

Brand trust is the confidence customers have in a company’s ability to deliver on its promises. Your brand builds trust through transparency, honesty, and consistently exceeding customer expectations. When customers trust a brand, they feel secure in their purchase decision and are more likely to become repeat buyers who recommend you to others.

Brand trust is closely linked to brand reputation and credibility. A brand’s reputation is shaped by how well it delivers on promises and meets customer expectations over time. When a brand consistently behaves in ways that align with its values and customer expectations, it strengthens its credibility.

Nearly 47% of US consumers say they trust brands more when they are transparent and act ethically. This makes building trust essential for customer loyalty and establishing long-term, positive relationships with the audience.

In a crowded marketplace, trust sets a brand apart and encourages brand loyalty, even with alternatives available. Building trust creates a sense of reliability that keeps customers returning, knowing they can count on your brand’s quality and integrity.

Here are some key benefits of building brand trust:

Customers are more likely to remain loyal to a brand that consistently meets their expectations and aligns with their values. Trust acts as the glue that keeps customers engaged, reducing the likelihood of them switching to your competitors even if they encounter lower prices or similar offers elsewhere.

Loyalty driven by trust often extends beyond just repeat purchases. Long-time customers become active participants in a brand's community, engaging with content, advocating for the brand, and even defending it against negative press or criticism. 

Customers who trust a brand are more likely to continue purchasing from it over an extended period. This trust-driven retention increases a company's overall revenue from a single customer, leading to higher customer lifetime value (CLV).

Beyond direct purchases, trusted brands often see increased cross-selling and upselling opportunities. Customers who have confidence in a company are more open to exploring new products or services, further boosting their overall contribution to the brand’s revenue. 

Customers who trust a brand are more likely to recommend it to friends, family, and colleagues. This organic promotion is one of the most valuable marketing tools a company can have, as people trust recommendations from peers more than traditional advertising.

Word-of-mouth marketing powered by trust brings in new customers and enhances a brand’s reputation. A strong reputation backed by genuine testimonials helps potential customers feel more comfortable about purchasing. 

Brands that have earned customer trust can charge premium prices without losing business. When customers believe in the quality, reliability, and ethical values of a company, they are less likely to make decisions based solely on price.

This reduced price sensitivity is particularly valuable in highly competitive markets. Rather than engaging in price wars, trusted brands can focus on delivering value, innovation, and superior customer experiences, ensuring profitability without eroding brand equity. 

In crowded marketplaces, trust is often the deciding factor between choosing one brand over another. Companies that have built strong relationships with their customers can differentiate themselves not just through their products, but through the authenticity they bring to every interaction.

A brand with high trust also benefits from greater customer patience and forgiveness. If mistakes occur, consumers are more willing to give the company a second chance, whereas brands with weak trust may struggle to recover from even minor missteps. 

Brands that have cultivated trust can introduce new products with far less friction. Customers who already believe in the brand’s quality and values are more open to trying new products, leading to faster adoption and greater initial sales momentum.

Additionally, trusted brands often receive valuable early feedback from their loyal customers, allowing them to refine products and ensure successful launches. This ongoing dialogue between the brand and its audience fosters a cycle of continuous improvement and innovation. 

When a company faces a crisis—whether it’s a product recall, a public relations issue, or a service failure—brand trust plays a crucial role in damage control. Brands that have built strong trust are more likely to receive the benefit of the doubt from their customers and the public.

A well-trusted brand can communicate transparently during a crisis, admit faults, and take swift corrective actions without suffering long-term reputational damage. In contrast, brands without a foundation of trust may struggle to recover from similar setbacks. 

Brand trust isn’t just about customers—it also influences how potential employees perceive a company. Businesses with a trustworthy reputation attract top talent, as job seekers prefer to work for organizations that align with their values and offer a stable, ethical work environment.

In turn, having a workforce that believes in the company’s mission strengthens the brand further. Employees who trust their employer are more engaged, motivated, and likely to act as brand ambassadors, enhancing both customer and industry perception. Trustworthy brands attract top talent, improving recruitment and retention efforts.

Brand equity—the value of a brand beyond its physical products—grows significantly when built on a foundation of trust. High brand equity leads to greater customer retention, stronger financial performance, and increased market influence.

Additionally, brands with strong equity can extend their reach into new markets with ease. Whether expanding into different product categories or global markets, a trusted brand carries recognition and credibility that make scaling far more seamless. 

Trust ensures long-term stability for businesses, allowing them to weather economic downturns, industry shifts, and changes in consumer behavior. 

Moreover, trust-based sustainable growth leads to more ethical and responsible business practices. As consumer expectations evolve, brands prioritizing trust-driven relationships will be better equipped to adapt and thrive.

You can’t measure brand trust with a single number—it’s built from multiple factors, including customer sentiment, engagement, and long-term customer satisfaction. 

Companies should adopt a multi-faceted approach to understanding brand trust, including feedback, behavioral data, and market perception. Relying on one method can be misleading. 

Regularly tracking trust metrics helps brands identify warning signs, reinforce positive trends, and adapt to changing customer expectations. Use these methods to track brand trust over time: 

Surveys directly measure brand trust, giving businesses valuable insights into how customers perceive their reliability, credibility, and overall experience. By leveraging structured questions and trust-focused metrics, brands can gather data that helps them understand where they stand and how to improve. 

Beyond numerical scores, surveys also provide context to customers’ sentiments. Use open-ended questions to encourage customers to share specific experiences, frustrations, or positive moments that shape their trust in a brand. 

One of the most widely used methods for measuring trust is the Net Promoter Score® (NPS), which assesses the likelihood of your customers recommending your brand to others. Tracking NPS over time provides a clear picture of customer relationships and highlights areas where trust grows or declines.

Customer satisfaction surveys help brands assess how well they meet customer expectations and deliver positive experiences. Use these surveys to ask direct questions about product quality, customer service, and support interactions. 

Social listening is an increasingly valuable tool in understanding how consumers perceive your brand, as it enables businesses to track real-time conversations about their products or services across multiple social media platforms. 

You can also use social listening to identify emerging trends and shifts in consumer expectations that impact trust. For instance, if a company sees growing audience concerns about sustainability, it can proactively address them before they harm brand trust. This engagement fosters a sense of responsiveness and reinforces trust with consumers.

Customer retention and engagement metrics can provide a comprehensive picture of brand trust over time. Tracking repeat purchases, the frequency of interactions with your brand, and customer churn rates are key indicators of how well you are maintaining trust with your audience. 

Additionally, analyzing the length of the customer lifecycle—how long customers continue to engage with your brand before they stop—can offer valuable insights into trust retention. A decline in long-term engagement could signal that trust is beginning to erode, prompting brands to reevaluate their offerings or communication strategies. 

Customer feedback directly highlights how consumers feel about a brand. Positive reviews serve as social proof, demonstrating that others have had good experiences with your brand, which can encourage new customers to engage. 

Negative reviews, while difficult to read, also offer an opportunity to improve. Respond to complaints and address concerns transparently to show that you value customer input, which can strengthen trust.

Review aggregators and rating systems can also help track brand trust at scale, allowing companies to spot patterns and determine which aspects of their product or service are most trusted. Additionally, regular analysis of reviews can highlight areas where customer expectations are evolving. Brands that stay attuned to shifts in customer feedback are better equipped to pivot quickly and maintain their trustworthiness.

Providing a consistently excellent product or service is the cornerstone of building brand trust. When customers know they can count on your brand to meet or exceed their expectations every time, it encourages them to engage. Just consider Patagonia’s Ironclad Guarantee—a reassuring promise that the brand will do right by its customers and deliver quality products. 

Additionally, continuously improving your offerings based on customer feedback shows that you’re invested in meeting their needs. Brands that listen to their customers and act on suggestions are seen as committed to their audience's success. This creates an ongoing dialogue, where customers feel heard and valued, further strengthening their trust.

Being open about business practices, pricing, sourcing, and even challenges you face allows consumers to see your brand as reliable and honest. Customers appreciate when brands admit mistakes and offer genuine solutions, rather than hiding or ignoring issues. This level of honesty establishes credibility and fosters a deep connection with the audience, showing that the brand is dependable and responsible.  

Transparency also indicates that brands care about the long-term impact of their actions. This level of openness not only improves trust with customers but can also attract a loyal base of supporters who value ethical practices. Fairphone, for example, is a smartphone manufacturer focused on ethically and environmentally sustainable products; in keeping with its mission, the company is transparent about everything from its supply chain and materials to factory conditions.

A positive customer experience is vital in fostering brand trust. Every interaction a customer has with your brand—whether it’s purchasing, receiving customer support, or engaging on social media—shapes their perception of your company. Ensuring these touchpoints are seamless, personalized, and consistent contributes to a sense of reliability and trust.

Going above and beyond to provide exceptional customer service in difficult situations can leave a lasting impression on customer satisfaction. Handling complaints with empathy and offering swift resolutions not only repairs the immediate issue but can turn a potentially negative situation into an opportunity to demonstrate your brand's commitment to customer satisfaction. 

Customers want to support companies whose values align with their own, and ethical actions demonstrate a long-term commitment to both the community and the planet. When brands show a commitment to ethical behavior and make decisions that positively impact society, they gain credibility with their audience. 

When CVS became the first American pharmacy to stop selling tobacco products, it emphasized its values and priorities—and helped establish the brand as a resource to help people quit smoking.

Whether it’s through choosing people over profit, supporting charitable causes, ensuring fair labor practices, or reducing environmental impact, companies that take actionable steps toward social responsibility show they are committed to making a difference, building a stronger, more trustworthy brand that resonates with conscious consumers.   

Building brand trust is not a one-time effort but a continuous process. Regularly tracking your brand health improves your brand’s performance, customer satisfaction, and overall perception. 

As customer preferences shift, brands that are able to evolve—while staying true to their core values—will continue to build and retain trust. By staying agile and open to change, companies not only strengthen trust but also position themselves for long-term success.

Brands that connect with their audience on a personal level—whether through social media, email newsletters, or face-to-face interactions—demonstrate that they value their customers beyond just making sales. 

Building trust means showing up in meaningful ways and creating real connections with the people who support your brand. In fact, when LEGO took time to listen to its loyal customers, it was able to completely revitalize its brand and business.

If a brand can engage in two-way conversations and genuinely listen to its audience, it strengthens its trustworthiness. Through consistent, open dialogue, brands can build long-lasting, trusting relationships with their audience.

When brands position themselves as thought leaders by sharing their expertise, they not only showcase their industry knowledge but also demonstrate a commitment to helping their audience succeed. This value-driven approach can come in the form of blogs, webinars, tutorials, and social media posts that provide relevant insights and solutions to your audience’s challenges.

Building and maintaining a strong brand reputation is an ongoing effort, but the payoff in increased customer trust and loyalty is invaluable. 

As your reputation for delivering great products, excellent customer service, and acting ethically grows, it creates a feedback loop. The more people trust your brand, the more word-of-mouth referrals you receive, which in turn helps to further strengthen your reputation. 

Related reading: What is brand image, and how do you measure it?

A brand that encourages customer participation and fosters a sense of belonging cultivates loyalty and long-term relationships. This community-driven approach helps create advocates who actively support and defend your brand.

Community engagement also provides a valuable feedback loop for brands. By fostering communication between your customers, you can gain insights into their needs and preferences. This continuous exchange allows you to make data-driven improvements to your products or services, ensuring that you stay in tune with your audience’s desires.

When a brand’s messaging, values, and actions align across all touchpoints—whether it’s advertising, customer service, or social media—customers feel confident that the brand is reliable. Inconsistencies or mixed signals, on the other hand, can confuse customers.

By staying true to these core values over time, your audience will rely on your brand’s messaging. Brands that are unwavering in their messaging and values earn the long-term trust of their customers, creating a solid foundation for growth.

Measuring and maintaining brand trust is essential for long-term success. With Brand Tracking Templates, brands can regularly assess trust levels and boost customer satisfaction.

Start tracking brand trust today with brand health tracking solutions to build a strong, loyal customer base for the future.

Net Promoter, Net Promoter Score, and NPS are trademarks of Satmetrix Systems, Inc., Bain & Company, Inc., and Fred Reichheld.