Matthew Forzan: How brands can regain trust in a world full of deepfakes + AI generated content
By Matthew Forzan, Founder and Managing Director of Yogurt Digital.
In a digital world increasingly saturated with manipulated media, deepfakes, and AI-generated content, brand trust has never been more fragile or more vital. Recent studies show that only 36% of Australians are willing to trust AI, while 78% are concerned about its potential for negative outcomes. We also know that 37% have personally experienced or witnessed harmful consequences from AI, including misinformation, manipulation, inaccuracies, and breaches of privacy.
More than half of consumers also report a growing sense of disconnection and loss of human interaction due to the prevalence AI. As generative technology evolves at a rapid pace and the internet floods with polished yet impersonal content, consumers are becoming increasingly sceptical and more discerning than ever about who and what they choose to trust.
I’ve been in the industry for a while now, and we’ve seen several shifts over the past two decades – from the introduction of Google’s AI overviews and people wondering whether SEO is dead – the one thing that remains constant is the need to build real connection and trust with your audience. Now more than ever, creating and fostering authentic connection is invaluable – whether it’s through behaviour-driven email sequences that respond to customer intent, social campaigns that spark meaningful conversation, or storytelling content that resonates on a deeply emotional level.
The truth is, no matter the technology, trust is still the most valuable currency in marketing.
The tools are changing, but the fundamentals are not – people trust people. Consumers want real connections consistently from a brand in the era of AI. it’s important to note though that, AI isn’t the enemy and can be a powerful tool to collaborate with, but it’s never going to be a substitute for real human connection.
Here are four ways brands can rebuild and protect trust in an AI-saturated landscape:
- 1. Create trust-first content that doesn’t feel like advertising
Consumers trust social media the least when it comes to buying decisions, yet this is where they interact with people they trust most. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the power of digital marketing has altered the ways consumers engage with brands and media. As a result, we need to be making trust-first content that is focused on helping, educating, entertaining and informing.
Do this in a way that puts your audience first, by creating content that your audience will find meaningful, rather than just because the algorithm will like it.
- 2. Leverage social proof and community to speak louder than any campaign
Social proof is an effective method to boost brand trust and engagement as consumers base thoughts and actions based on other people. Word of mouth has gone digital – now driven by peer reviews, user-generated content, and brand mentions across social platforms. Real people advocating for your band speaks louder than an advertisement, especially in an era where AI is becoming more prevalent.
Let your audience help you build trust, and then reward them for it.
- 3. Humanise your digital presence through voice, tone and interaction style
I’ve seen some brands jump too high on the AI bandwagon resulting in them sounding like a robot, because they’re relying too heavily on it when interacting with their audience. Whether you’re replying to a comment, writing an email, or updating your socials, your brand should sound like someone your audience would want to have a coffee with. Consumers want to interact with brands who appear as trustworthy, real and even relatable.
Fun fact: writing like a human engages humans!
- 4. Combat scepticism with clarity, not complexity
AI can be a powerful tool to make yourself “sound smarter”, however this doesn’t necessarily foster trust. The instinct to over-explain or fluff something to sound more appealing to consumers can become distrusting to the audience. Clarity is far more powerful than complexity and we know it’s getting more difficult to distinguish between AI and human written copy. By saying what you mean, showing up consistently and being present in multiple sources across the internet – you will earn your brand more attention and show that you are trusted by multiple platforms.
At Yoghurt Digital, we understand the importance of establishing a memorable and authentic identity, but we also know that AI is here to stay.
While AI has been shown to help us work faster, think smarter and be more efficient – it can’t replace empathy, integrity or real human experience. These are the things that turn followers into loyal fans and help brands to stand out.
In this new era, the brands that will thrive aren’t the ones with the most AI tools. They’re the ones that use them wisely, while thinking on what really matters – integrity, consistency and providing real value to consumers.
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