Transparency is important to any organization that wants to foster trust and loyalty in both their customers and employees.

In the modern era of the internet and social media, if a brand wants to survive, it must embrace transparency because customers now demand it.

How can a brand be transparent though? Does social media marketing play a role in that?

First, social media marketing can and should play a role in a brand’s effort to be transparent. That starts with the simple answer, be honest.

That can be easier said then done. Being honest means opening up your philosophies, strategies and practice to public scrutiny and that’s a scary thing sometimes.

You can never make everyone happy, and we all know that social media opens you up to complaints.

Still, transparency is necessary in order to build a relationship and that’s essential to fostering brand loyalty.

Conversations are the foundation of any relationship, and social media is a great way to have a ongoing conversation with a large audience.

Being honest starts with showing who you are and why you do what you do. Customers really do care about that and so do employees. So be brave and put yourself and your brand out there.