Textmetrics has the ability to help writers improve the credibility of their writing, in part by helping them recognize if they are using excessive adjectives and adverbs. How is credibility developed and what else has an effect on the credibility of content? Let’s explore.
Credibility is an essential asset for business. Without it, everything a person or company says can be questioned and their ability to attract partners, investors, and talented employees is severely hindered. Credibility is what allows others to trust and believe in what businesses communicate.
Trustworthiness and Expertise
Credibility is judged based on perceptions of the source’s trustworthiness and expertise. Trustworthiness refers to the communicator’s honesty, benevolence and integrity, while expertise refers to their knowledge and competence on the topic. Expertise can be demonstrated by sharing relevant personal experiences, stories, and insights related to the topic and highlighting pertinent qualifications, certifications, or achievements. The content creator can showcase their depth of understanding by explaining concepts clearly and succinctly.
Cognitive Heuristics
People often use mental shortcuts or “heuristics” to quickly assess the credibility of information, rather than doing a deep analysis. Common heuristics include:
- Reputation: Recognizing the source as reputable or authoritative
- Endorsement: Believing information is credible if others believe it too
- Consistency: Seeing the same information across multiple sources
- Expectancy violation: Dismissing information that contradicts one’s own beliefs
- Persuasive intent: Perceiving an attempt to persuade or sell as less credible
Prominence and Interpretation
The Prominence-Interpretation theory, developed by B.J. Fogg of Stanford University in 2002, states that credibility assessment involves both noticing certain elements (prominence) and then interpreting them (interpretation). If either component is missing, credibility cannot be properly evaluated.
Consistency and Transparency
Maintaining a consistent, transparent message and staying true to an outlined plan or strategy is crucial for building and preserving credibility over time. Follow through on commitments, deliver quality work, and, difficult though it may be at times, admit mistakes.
Credibility is a complex, multifaceted construct that is essential for success, but can be fragile and easily damaged through inconsistent messaging, lack of transparency, or perceived ulterior motives. Maintaining credibility requires careful attention to both cognitive biases and substantive factors.
Here are some suggestions for content creators to further enhance their credibility with their audience:
- Provide Credible Evidence and Sources
- Cite data, statistics, research findings, and quotes from reputable authorities
- Link to credible external sources like industry reports, academic journals, and respected publications
- Avoid relying solely on your own claims, back them up with verifiable information
- Maintain Honesty and Transparency
- Be upfront about your intentions and avoid exaggerating or manipulating facts
- Admit mistakes or limitations in your knowledge, don’t try to hide them
- Maintain a consistent, authentic voice and avoid contradictions
- Focus on Quality and Professionalism
- Ensure your writing is well-organized, free of spelling/grammar errors, and easy to read
- Use headings, subheadings, and other formatting to structure your content logically
- Deliver value to your audience by addressing their needs and pain points
- If Establishing a Blog, Publish Content Consistently
- Establish yourself as a reliable, go-to source by publishing new content regularly
- Demonstrate a commitment and expertise through a robust body of work
- Leverage guest posting opportunities on reputable industry sites
- Build Rapport and Trust
- Engage with the audience on a personal level through relatable stories and examples
- Show empathy and understanding for the audience’s challenges and perspectives
- Develop a reputation for being helpful, insightful, and trustworthy
And in a work environment, here are a few additional ideas for building credibility:
Make Well-Informed Decisions
- Base decisions on research, data, and feedback from others
- Envision the desired outcome and consider the pros and cons
- Evaluate the results of your decisions and learn from mistakes
Encourage Collaboration and Transparency
- Involve your team in decision-making and problem-solving
- Create an open, judgment-free work environment
- Share information and resources freely with others
Sources:
“Credibility: Your Most Important Asset”; Nature / Bioentrepreneur; September 3, 2009; Douglass MacDougall and Jennifer Conrad; https://www.nature.com/articles/bioe.2009.8
