Building trust in any relationship is the key most fundamental aspect for success. Having a business that provides quality products and services in today’s society is not enough to keep it afloat for the long haul. Building brand trust is important in keeping your customers satisfied and keep your business thriving. It will provide loyalty to your brand, which in turn will drive new business. It will also create public backing of the brand and increase overall marketing receptiveness in the public eye. Being authentic is the second most influential reason to trust a brand next to pricing (PwC’s 2018 Global Consumer Insights). Other reasons include fulfilling brand promises, the impact it has on society and product/customer experiences. So how does one go about navigating this space in today’s society of social media overload? The answer… Sourced content! A published Journal Study conducted in 2019 found that, “there is a positive relationship between the use of UGC, brand trust and purchase intention.” Organic user generated content is the most relatable form of influence in the world. “Consumers are 3x more likely to say that content created by a consumer is authentic compared to content created by a brand (Stackla). This is where brands can take the opportunity to create an increased connection to their audience through emotional relatability and, in turn, increase brand trust with their consumers. The use of sourced content in advertising is on the rise for this reason as well as many others. In a world where every person with a smart phone can now be a content creator, there is an infinite library of sourced content available daily. I mean, who do you actually know that doesn’t have a smart phone in their pocket right now?!?! For this reason, new content is uploaded perpetually to social platforms. So, let’s recap this. People trust sourced content, otherwise known as user generated content, more than traditional advertising. Real people stimulate real connections. It’s necessary for a business to create trust with their audience in order to remain relevant and successful. Sourced content is also a never-ending tap that keeps on flowing and changing daily. Integrating sourced content into marking strategy therefore, seems like a no brainer to heighten a brands trust with their consumers.