Before the Internet, people relied solely on the advertising they saw to give them all the information they needed before buying a product or service. But now, people can research your business online and find out immediately whether or not you are lying in your advertisements. Even withholding the truth (whether intentional or not) is considered a lie by the average consumer. Especially after all the recent reports of fake news, consumers are feeling especially upset with the idea of being lied to by a business. That is why it is so important that you are transparent in your marketing. Don’t try to hide anything ugly. Just tell it like it is, and make sure you are offering the best. Here are some ways you can boost your transparency this year.

Get the right data and do something with it

First of all, you need to know what you are currently doing in order to figure out what to do next. Find ways to collect data on your audience through social media and outside partners. You can’t be transparent with your customers if you don’t even know what is going on yourself. Plus, it is very valuable to have that information on hand when trying to figure out what exactly to do with your marketing. This data can be used to determine what you need to focus on sharing with your customers and what information is most important to tham.

Update your website

Make sure your website has as much information about your business as possible. If you have any gimmicks to get people to buy your products, make sure they are clearly explained. If there are any contests, make sure it is clear how to enter and what the prize is. Having a blog is necessary to any website, but it is also a powerful tool to use in being transparent. It gives you a place to post any problems that may be occurring and how to solve them. It is also a place where you can continue to post more information as you get more data on what your customers want to hear.

Tell them the truth

You may be scared to tell the truth when something goes wrong or a product starts having problems. But it is much better to tell your customers what is really going on then to let them find out from some other customer on the internet who has made a video about it. Of course, you want to be mindful of each individual circumstance, but it is much better to be honest about any problems or issues you have than to try and hide it.

Highlight the good too

Transparency isn’t just about posting the bad stuff or making sure your customers are informed of problems. It is also about posting good things. Use your blog and social media to highlight positive things in your company. If you have any charities you donate to, make sure the information on that is easily available. Use text marketing to contact your customers and let them know when there is new information available. Get on social media and repost positive reviews or how-to videos. The important thing to remember is customers crave information. So give it to them. Be clear and transparent, and you’ll start seeing a lot of marketing success this year.