The Trust-Building Content Mix

19 Feb

Most people don’t book the very first time they see you. Instead, they watch. They lurk. They quietly collect evidence that you’re real, competent, consistent, and safe to engage with.

That evidence doesn’t come from one “perfect” post. It comes from a mix.

In usability research, trust is shaped by durable factors like design quality, up-front disclosure, comprehensive or current content, and connection to the wider web. Even though that research is about websites, the same human behaviour shows up on social media. People look for clarity, proof, and cues that a real person exists behind the brand.

So, if you want to develop trust faster online, you need to think like your content is a small, repeated promise. The mix of content is what makes it believable to audiences.

5 Trust-Building Content Types

Here’s one of the frameworks I use when I’m planning content that’s meant to convert audience’s calmly:

Education
Empathy
Proof
Service clarity
Personality

You don’t need all five in every single one of your posts. But across a week or month, you should have all five showing up regularly. This is because each one answers a different trust question your audience is carrying.

Education Content

Answers: “Do you know what you’re talking about?”

Education builds credibility by being useful. It reduces uncertainty and gives people a language for their problem(s). It also aligns with what Google calls “helpful, reliable, people-first content.” Education also demonstrates the broader idea that content should demonstrate experience and/or expertise for trust signals.

Examples:

Physiotherapist: “What’s the difference between soreness and pain you should get checked?”
Dietitian: “Three signs you’re under-fuelling (without counting anything)”
Counsellor: “What does ‘nervous system regulation’ actually mean in daily life?”
OT: “What sensory overload can look like (and a simple support plan)”
Remedial Massage: “Why headaches can be related to jaw/neck tension”
NDIS Provider: “Plan managed vs self-managed”

Quick Format Ideas:

Carousel: What it is (then) why it happens (then) what to try (then) when to seek support
Reel: One myth + one truth + one gentle action step
Stories: one FAQ box + short, calm answer

Empathy Content

Answers: “Do you understand me?”

Empathy content makes people feel understood without making them feel analysed. It’s not specifically (or necessarily) about oversharing. Rather, it’s about naming the emotional reality of the problem.

Examples:

“If you’ve been putting off booking because you’re tired of explaining yourself… that makes sense”
“If you’re worried you’ll be judged for your body, your choices, or your symptoms; this is what our approach looks like.”
“If you’ve had a bad experience with healthcare before, it’s normal to feel hesitant.”
“If phone calls spike your anxiety, you can book online or email instead.”

This is also where your brand can feel “human-first,” not “sales-first.” Standford’s web credibility guidance explicitly calls out the value of showing there are real people behind your organisation. Empathy is one of the quickest ways to signal that. Empathy can be especially powerful in mental health, chronic illness, disability, and trauma-informed spaces because many people arrive already bracing themselves.

Proof Content

Answers: “Has this worked for someone like me?”

Proof is not bragging. Proof is reducing risk.

Social proof is a documented phenomenon. When people feel uncertain, they look to the behaviour and experiences of others to guide their own choices. That’s why testimonials, case studies, results, behind the scenes, and even showing your process can be so powerful.

Examples:

De-identified client journey snapshots (focus on process and experience)
- “What we worked on in the first 3 sessions”
- “What changed for them over 6 weeks (in their own words)”
Testimonials about how it felt to work with you
- “I felt listened to.”
- “It was clear what to do next.”
- “I wasn’t rushed.”
Process proof
- Showing your intake flow, your assessment approach, what a session includes, what clients can expect to receive after.
Behind the scenes proof
- Your notes template (blank)
- Your resources shelf
- Your studio setup
- How you prepare a program plan

A strong proof post doesn’t just say “I’m great.” It shows your method and your care.

Pro Tip: Proof works best when it’s specific and relatable. “Amazing service!” is nice. “I finally knew what to post and bookings felt easy” is persuasive for prospective clients and customers.

Service Clarity Content

Answers: “If I reach out, what happens next and what will it cost me in time/energy/money?”

This is the content most businesses under-post and then wonder why people say “Love this!” and never enquire.

Nielsen Norman Group’s trustworthy design research highlights “up-front disclosure” as a key credibility factor. Service clarity is up-front disclosure in content form.

Examples:

Here’s how to work with me (3 options)
Pricing, explained simply
What happens on a discovery call
Who this is for/who it’s not for
What you’ll walk away with

Include micro-steps. Make it crazy, CRAZY easy to take action:

Go to my profile – tap the link – choose ‘Discovery Call’ – pick a time

If your audiences needs to invent the instructions for themselves, they’ll usually choose the classic alternative: doing nothing!

Personality Content

Answers: “Do I like you? Do I feel comfortable with you?”

People choose people. Personality content is what makes your brand feel like it has a pulse.

This doesn’t have to be “here’s my breakfast” (unless your breakfast is truly delicious). It can be:

Your opinions (kindly delivered)
Your standards (“I don’t do urgency culture. Ever.”)
Your humour
Your behind the scenes rituals
Your values in practice

Standford’s credibility guidelines also points out that sites feel more credible when they show a real organisation and the real people behind it, and when it’s easy to contact them. Personality content supports the “real people” part especially when paired with service clarity.

The Simple Mix

It can be really challenging getting the right balance when it comes to mixing up your content online.

If you want a starting point (numerically based), you could always try this weekly balance (as a really rough guide, none of us are perfect!):

Education (35%)
Empathy (20%)
Proof (20%)
Service Clarity (15%)
Personality (10%)

Not because there actually is some magic scientific ratio (trust me, there isn’t). This mix simply reflects how people can build confidence. They need usefulness (education), emotional safety (empathy), evidence (proof), clear next steps (service clarity), and comfort (personality).

If you’re selling something higher investment (therapy, coaching, health services, etc.), increase your proof and clarity. If your audience is anxious or overwhelmed, increase empathy and clarity.

Why Your Trust-Building Might Feel Slow

If trust feels like it’s building at a glacial pace, it’s usually one of these gaps:

You’re educating without proving. People learn from you, but don’t feel confident you can do it for them
You’re empathising without clarifying. People feel seen, but don’t know what to book or how
You’re proving without personality. You look impressive, but intimidating.
You’re showing personality without substance. People like you, but don’t know what you actually do.
You’re posting offers without trust layers. It feels abrupt (like a proposal on a first date).

Additional tip: Make it easy to contact you. Clear contact options and transparency are established credibility boosters in UX research.

Trust builds faster when your content mix covers the five content needs: education, empathy, proof, service clarity, and personality. Research on trust and credibility consistently points to clarity, up-front disclosure, comprehensive and current information, and real-world connection as factors that shape whether people feel confident engaging.

If your content has been feeling like it’s doing “a lot” but not converting, it’s rarely because you’re bad at marketing. Typically, it’s because you’re missing one or two trust layers (often proof or service clarity).

If you want help building a trust-first content strategy and help making your socials feel calm and coherent, book a discovery call with me.

You can also explore my services to see various other ways we can work together. Visit my store if you want to secure your spot in The Brand Audit or The Social Media Manager.