How can communications signal trust?

I am interested in the way that nonprofits evolve over time, the phases they go through along that evolution, their attitudes toward communications, and how those attitudes influence their advancement. In an effort to deepen my understanding and to recognize and connect patterns, I have an ongoing practice of studying the communications of individual nonprofits.

This is how I do it: When someone tells me about a nonprofit, I add it to a list. Once a week I dig deep into one nonprofit from the list, reviewing any publicly available materials associated with the organization. This typically includes their web and social presence and can extend to impact reports, sub-brand programs, email newsletters, campaigns or initiatives, press, events, and anything that comes up in an internet search.

Through this research process, a pattern I have recognized is that some nonprofits immediately feel trustworthy. There is something about these organizations that demonstrates they know what they’re doing, in a way that comes across almost subconsciously. Conversely, other organizations lack that trustworthy quality.

I have observed this pattern enough to confidently say that it goes beyond vibes. These are some of the specific markers I have observed that make an organization feel trustworthy from the first encounter:

• Information availability
  Does a nonprofit’s materials answer basic questions like who they serve, how they do it, and how to support them?

• Information clarity
  A day after researching a new nonprofit, If I had to describe that organization in a single sentence, could I do it?

• Information transparency
  Are they clear about their leadership and sources of funding/support?

• Visual cohesion
  Do all of the visual communications feel like they come from the same organization? Are the colors, fonts, and logos consistent?

• Visual accessibility
  Are their materials easy to read, across media formats, and are they accessible by screen readers?

• Technical quality
  Are photos and publications high-resolution, and do they render properly?

• Visual specificity
  Do the communications feel unique to the organization, or could they belong to anyone?

No single marker from this list indicates whether an organization is trustworthy. However, when viewed holistically, they can provide an idea of how quickly someone understands (and trusts) an organization. They also provide a useful diagnostic tool. When one or more of these markers is missing, it can offer insight into which areas of the organization’s communications could be strengthened.

As I continue this research, I expect this framework to evolve alongside it. Each nonprofit I study adds another data point, and raises new questions about effective nonprofit communication, how to build trust with stakeholders, and the role that communications play in organizational advancement.