Chapter 3

Trust the process: How branded messages drive consumer confidence

Background

While engaging customers through their preferred channels is important, it's not a guaranteed way to earn their trust.  Consumers are cautious about spam and unwanted communications. They’re less likely to engage if they can’t identify a sender/caller or verify the authenticity of a message right away. 

Fortunately, modern communication tools now make it possible for businesses to show up across channels with their brand logo—and often a checkmark—verifying that they are who they say they are. This gives customers immediate peace of mind, which can lead to better engagement rates. Here are a few examples of branded communications to consider:
 

  • Branded calling displays a company's name and logo on incoming phone calls, reassuring customers that the call is legitimate.

  • Branded messaging with RCS allows businesses to send text messages with verified branding, including their name, logo, and a tagline—making messages instantly recognizable.

  • Branded email with Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI), businesses can increase brand recognition by attaching their logo to every email sent to a customer’s inbox.

  • Verification badges or symbols next to a brand’s name that confirm its authenticity. For example, a blue checkmark on Facebook Messenger, a green checkmark on WhatsApp, or a checkmark that appears with a brand’s messages when they use RCS serve as visual indicators that the brand is legitimate and trustworthy.
     

These elements of trusted communications reduce the risk of fraud and build consumer confidence in communications from businesses. As a result, customers are more likely to engage with and respond to branded communications—and we have the data to prove it.

of consumers did not purchase from a brand in the past year due to lack of trust.

of consumers say they would trust brands significantly more if a message or social channel displayed a logo or check mark.

Global consumers on whether receiving branded texts would make them trust the message

62% of consumers are very likely to open an email from a trusted brand.

Check marks the spot

 The power of verified and branded communications

Businesses are already riding the wave of branded communications. In the past year, 56% of consumers received branded text messages, and of those consumers, 75% said it increased their trust in the communication. This figure was even higher among Latin American consumers, reaching an impressive 88%. Additionally, 88% of consumers who received a communication with a verification badge reported increased trust, with that number rising to 90% in the Asian-Pacific and 95% in Latin America.

If you're not already using branded communications, it's time to consider it. After all, they can drive ROI and boost conversion. In fact, 42% of consumers made repeat purchases from brands that used trustworthy communication methods—a figure that jumps to 53% in Latin America. 

Investing in trust doesn't just keep customers coming back. It helps attract new ones too, with one in four consumers making a first-time purchase from a brand they trust.

The power of verified and branded communications

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