by Zara Carbonell-NearCo-founder and CEO – ACTION
AI-powered tools are reshaping the world of startupsgiving founders force multipliers that allow them to shorten timelines, increase budgets, and operate efficiently with a smaller team. Some even say that AI has become a solid tool co-founder of startups.
But AI also creates new obstacles that startups must overcome, particularly when it comes to marketing. Connecting with potential customers in today’s marketplace often means getting past a new gatekeeper: AI search.
A recent study of Capital One Shopping found that the majority of consumers are opting for AI over traditional search, meaning strategies to gain consumer trust and influence purchasing decisions need to be re-evaluated.
To make the kinds of connections that build consumer trust, startups need to make sure they appear where shoppers are looking for information. And in today’s search landscape, that means showing up on social media, being consistent, and engaging in meaningful conversations.
How AI is reshaping social media engagement
Search has always been a popular feature on social media. Studies from a few years ago showed that younger consumers were turning to Instagram and TikTok before Google, especially when looking for information on local businesses.
With AI, social media has become an even more valuable research tool, providing contextual understanding rather than forcing researchers to work within the confines of keywords and fragmented phrases. It has become a tool that can be used to easily search for recommendations on the best hiking shoes for those on a budget or to find a travel itinerary for pet-friendly vacation ideas.
While yesterday’s social media users looked for inspiration, today’s users seek the truth and turn to social media for insight into what people really think about brands and the value their products provide. Brands that develop a deep understanding of how today’s consumers engage will be able to craft marketing strategies that maximize the impact of social media.
How Brands Can Gain Trust in the Social Media Mix
To begin building an effective social media marketing strategy, brands must accept that reach has become a mere vanity metric. Consumers won’t trust your brand just because it appears in their feed.
If you want to influence consumer behavior, you need to reach agreement, not just awareness. What you communicate about your brand must be consistent with what others say about it. Happy customers are some of the most powerful influencers on social media. If your posts match theirs, consumers see the kind of consistency needed to build trust.
Most consumers scrolling through social media are looking for alignment, not argument. They absorb the sentiments associated with posts as they scroll, meaning consumer trust is instinctively boosted or undermined. Essentially, social media is the gut feeling of the new age.
For a wellness brand, for example, that means showing social media users the kind of life they can unlock by trusting the brand. Offering free advice on how to live a healthier lifestyle, rather than just promoting the products you have developed to support that lifestyle, earns trust.
Consumers are looking for brands that will work with them to help them achieve their goals. When you answer their questions, address their concerns, and celebrate their wins, you show that you’re the kind of brand they want.
Succeeding in the Age of Content and Interest Marketing
Startups also need marketing strategies that recognize why solid content isn’t enough. You are evolving in the era of content and interest marketing. If your content doesn’t match consumers’ interests, it won’t attract the attention of social media algorithms.
To ensure you remain easy to find, stay focused on the people you’re trying to convert. Developing a deep understanding of your target market will help you identify the stories that will resonate with them. Sharing these stories will give you a ground spot in your target audience’s algorithm.
Overall, brands need to commit to doing more than just making a pitch. They must invest in strategies that take consumers on a journey. Convince them that you have something valuable to offer and they will become your subscribers.
Demonstrating strong consistency between what you offer and what you deliver requires gaining the trust of a community of users. But when you can show it, your subscribers will more easily become customers.
Zara Carbonell-Near is co-founder and general manager of social media at ACTION marketing agency and leads the agency’s brand storytelling and social media strategy. A published author with over 10 years of experience in technology and brand communications, Zara focuses on translating complex ideas into relevant stories that build authentic relationships between brands and their audiences.
