What is Credibility and Why Does it Matter?

Public relations and communication professionals will tell you that establishing, building and maintaining credibility is one of the most frequently mentioned purposes of a public relations program. I’ve heard about the importance of credibility ever since my first public relations classes at N.C. State (longer ago than I want to admit).

But what is credibility, and why is it so important?

Let’s begin with some definitions:

cred·i·bil·i·ty

/?kred??bil?dē/

noun

1. the quality of being trusted and believed in;
2. the quality of being convincing or believable.

At its heart, public relations is about building and maintaining relationships with key publics. Relationships that stand the test of time are rooted in trust. Trustworthiness and credibility are joined at the hip.

Credibility is key. If you lack credibility, you will have difficulty achieving your public relations goals — or any business goals, for that matter.

Are you viewed credibly by your key publics? Do you have a plan to showcase the experiences, expertise and accomplishments that give you credibility? If not, drop us a line.

Frank Williams is President and Lead Strategist at Pioneer Strategies and Director of Operations and Marketing at Pioneer Specialties.