Customer Trust in Digital vs Traditional Communication Channels (2024)

Darja Sayenko

Communication is key

Communication is a key element of all types of businesses as it impacts relationship outcomes. Trust is confidence of one party to rely on another party. In marketing concept, trust is the basis for loyalty. As relationships based on trust are so highly valued, parties desire to commit themselves to such relationships

With rapidly increasing number of social network users worldwide, businesses struggle to decide if they need to rely entirely to digital platforms or traditional way of marketing can still bring advantage.

Traditional vs Digital

To make it clear, traditional marketing is a one-way communication channel such as newspapers, magazines, TV and radio. While digital marketing includes two-way communication channel involving Websites and social networking platforms. Owing to the growth of the social network sites, the word-of-mouth influences consumer behaviour. Digital marketing has longer carryover effects and higher response elasticities than traditional marketing.

In traditional media, consumers detest the privacy invasion. In electronic media, consumers state they need to control and protect their data and most of the reasons that consumers do not trust the Web providers are because of the ‘relationship exchanges’ which involves money and personal information.

It seems that marketing communications channels such as television, radio, newspapers and direct mail are losing their efficacy. Although digital channels are important marketing communication tools and the use is increasing, firms have not yet used it to its full potential.

So, how to communicate? Which channel to trust?

Clearly different consumers have different levels of trust in different channels. Working professionals focus on speed and efficiency, which is associated with the e‐mail and internet channels. Homemakers value a feeling of being in control thus, digital communication is less applicable to them. However, such disadvantages of digital marketing as viruses, invasion of privacy, spam and disruptive advertising messages are the main reasons of lack of trust among all consumers.

What is the answer?

Synergy between traditional and digital marketing communication channels have positive effect on businesses due to consistent message that creates a great persuasion effect on customer.