Is the Perception of Credibility More Important Than Actual Credibility?
While taking classes for my undergrad, I worked at a drugstore called Walgreens. I worked the photo counter. People were understandably very protective of their pictures. They wanted the pictures developed within an hour, but also with care.
One day I came across some buttons in the back that we gave out to new cashiers and such. The buttons read, “In Training.” We gave the buttons to new cashiers so customers would understand if a cashier made a mistake or was slower than usual.
I had been working as a photo specialist for a little over two years and knew my job very well. I knew how to operate almost any camera people brought in and was exposed to all shapes and sizes of disposable cameras. If someone’s film was jammed in their camera, that person brought it to me to save it. I could perform minor repairs on our photo machine, man the cashier, operate our picture scanner, and field just about every photography question (since I was a photographer on the side).
But the day I came across these buttons, I decided to do an experiment. I pinned one of those “In Training” buttons onto my blue photo smock and walked confidently back to my counter to resume my work as a photo specialist. I took the button off within an hour.
People were surprisingly rude when they saw this “In Training” button. People saw the button and walked out of the store, fearing for their film. I wasn’t asked any camera questions. And customers who just wanted to check out a small item were less than polite to what was perceived a trainee.
I never called my manager for help. I never hesitated in my service. I was an experienced cashier and photo specialist. But all these people could see was my “In Training” button. My perceived credibility from the customers was zero, even though my actual credibility was very high.
A Question to the Readers
When it comes to a blogger, what is the “In Training” button that damages a blogger’s credibility even though the credibility may actually be pretty high?
inspirationbit says...
oh, there are several “In Training” buttons for bloggers:
- low RSS feed count
- low high Technorati rank
- low Technorati Authority number
- no/or very few comments on the blog
- low page rank
Ronald Huereca says...
Wow inspirationbit,
Those are some good “In Training” buttons. Perhaps another one would be: if you are interested, click HERE.
One of the reasons I don’t show our feed count here is because the site is still growing and the feed count is fairly low. It’s better than some though.
Thank you for weighing in.
Bes says...
Also, a feed count is probably a marketing method to lure in more people. For now, we are trying to focus on pure quality content and message; hopefully, soon, we can focus on a lot of other things also. Nice message Ronald.
That is a nice list of “in training” buttons, Vivien. I am thinking of a few more buttons:
- Changing opinions simply because a prominent blogger said so
- Adopting things simply because a prominent blogger said so
- Doing things to impress prominent bloggers
- Defending a prominent blogger simply because the prominent blogger is a prominent blogger [such people, who are defending, are in training when it comes to maturity and not being influenced by someone else]
Before I forget, I wanted to share something. If you worked at Walgreens and I needed my photos developed, I would not have allowed you to touch my camera even if you wore a badge saying “World Class Expert.” Maybe I know the real Ronald? :O
Ronald Huereca says...
LOL Bes. I wouldn’t have blamed you. However, when I worked at Walgreens, I always developed my own film.
I would add that poor spelling and grammar also damages credibility. Perhaps using excessive marketese, acronmese, and legalese also. Perhaps also making up your own words
Inspirationbit, Bes… You have thought of enough points for perhaps a follow-up post. Thank you.
Simonne says...
I guess that “in training” buttons are custom, according to each reader. If I find a blog telling me about how to get more traffic, while its traffic is much lower than mine, I guess I’ve just hit an “in training” button. But if I’ve just stepped into blogging and I find the same advice, on the same blog, for me this can be a target: to get at least as many readers as that blogger.
What I would see as a drawback, is poor spelling and grammar. Yet, this applies mostly for blogs written in my native language. As of English, even if I spot the mistakes, I don’t care too much about them; however, I imagine that English native speakers have the same feelings about them as my feelings towards Romanian blogs.
inspirationbit says...
the “In Training” buttons I mentioned above can be applied to both amateurs and credible bloggers who just didn’t get the wide recognition they deserve. I think we shouldn’t judge bloggers by those “In Training buttons” alone on my list.
I agree with what Simonne said - if a blogger/blog is preaching about something that hasn’t been implemented in practice on that same blog, then the credibility of that blog sinks really low.