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The Trust Equation and it's role in digital marketing and experiences...

Emerging tech and AI1 min readSam Page

I recently attended an event where Dr Tharaka Gunarathne spoke about The Trust Equation by Charles Green - a simple yet powerful model for understanding trust. It goes like this:

Trust = (Credibility + Reliability + Intimacy) / Self-Orientation

Not only is this very useful for professional relationship building (have a Google or ask ChatGPT), but trust is also increasingly important in digital experience (DX). It's becoming harder to gain and easier to lose as technology changes at increasing pace.

So here are some quick thoughts on how you can use this equation in your digital experiences to build greater trust:

Credibility - showcase experience and proof points such as reviews.
Reliability - create a fast and consistent experience across all touch points.
Intimacy - foster meaningful and personalised moments that resonate emotionally.

Self-Orientation - put the user needs first and deliver true value through DX i.e. make sure they don't feel forced into something that doesn't deliver value for them.

With AI, data privacy concerns, and rising expectations, digital trust is more important than ever. The brands that get this right will stand out.

👉 What’s one digital experience that either built or broke your trust in a brand?

First published on LinkedIn.

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---
title: "The Trust Equation and it's role in digital marketing and experiences..."
url: https://sam-page.com/thinking/the-trust-equation-and-its-role-in-digital-marketing-and-experiences
date: 2025-02-14
author: Sam Page
type: Post or article
categories: [Emerging tech and AI, Marketing]
reading_time: 1 min
summary: "I recently attended an event where Dr Tharaka Gunarathne spoke about The Trust Equation by Charles Green - a simple yet powerful model for understanding trust. It goes like this:"
first_published: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn%3Ali%3Ashare%3A7296098850698592256
---

# The Trust Equation and it's role in digital marketing and experiences...

I recently attended an event where Dr Tharaka Gunarathne spoke about The Trust Equation by Charles Green - a simple yet powerful model for understanding trust. It goes like this:

![](https://sam-page.com/img/thinking/the-trust-equation-and-its-role-in-digital-marketing-and-experiences-li1.webp)

Trust = (Credibility + Reliability + Intimacy) / Self-Orientation

Not only is this very useful for professional relationship building (have a Google or ask ChatGPT), but trust is also increasingly important in digital experience (DX). It's becoming harder to gain and easier to lose as technology changes at increasing pace.

So here are some quick thoughts on how you can use this equation in your digital experiences to build greater trust:

Credibility - showcase experience and proof points such as reviews.  
Reliability - create a fast and consistent experience across all touch points.  
Intimacy - foster meaningful and personalised moments that resonate emotionally.

Self-Orientation - put the user needs first and deliver true value through DX i.e. make sure they don't feel forced into something that doesn't deliver value for them.

With AI, data privacy concerns, and rising expectations, digital trust is more important than ever. The brands that get this right will stand out.

👉  What’s one digital experience that either built or broke your trust in a brand?