On Oct. 23, I had the honor of speaking to my friend and colleague Deirdre Breakenridge’s PR and Social Media class at New York University. My talk was titled, “Building Social Relationships.” While I discussed engagement, listening to your social audience, and being effective, I kept coming back to one word: Trust.

In social media, public relations, advertising, and even in the media, you need to have a level of trust to succeed. If your audience doesn’t trust the message, information in a release, or a report about a seemingly important news topic, you’ll be talking to the wall.

So, how exactly to you get social media followers to trust you? It’s not as simple as you think. This isn’t a matter of just following and having blind faith. You need to look at brands and individuals with a critical eye. Your personal brand depends on it.

Here are a few tips on how to build your social trust.

Prove it : In the legal world, lawyers attempt to prove their client’s innocence of an alleged wrongdoing. In social media, though, we need to prove to current and potential followers that we are worth their time. Make sure your message in clear, concise, and transparent. Gain someone’s trust by being you!

: In the legal world, lawyers attempt to prove their client’s innocence of an alleged wrongdoing. In social media, though, we need to prove to current and potential followers that we are worth their time. Make sure your message in clear, concise, and transparent. Gain someone’s trust by being you! Establish Your Voice : Don’t be part of the “noise” on social networks. Set the tone by showing social followers that you are different from others. Bring positive, effective, and worthwhile messages to social media. Make sure you aren’t just tweeting to tweet. Have a purpose.

: Don’t be part of the “noise” on social networks. Set the tone by showing social followers that you are different from others. Bring positive, effective, and worthwhile messages to social media. Make sure you aren’t just tweeting to tweet. Have a purpose. Get to Know Your Audience : You don’t need a meet and greet, but when someone first follows you, reach out and say, “thanks.” Take it one step further and start a conversation. From personal experience, I would not be where I am today, unless I developed a relationship with now trusted colleagues on social networks.

: You don’t need a meet and greet, but when someone first follows you, reach out and say, “thanks.” Take it one step further and start a conversation. From personal experience, I would not be where I am today, unless I developed a relationship with now trusted colleagues on social networks. Understand the Power of Social: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc. are more than just social networks. They are powerful tools to spread your message. Respect these networks and don’t take advantage. There is so much good that can be done with social media. If you are unsure of a post, hold off. It’s better to be last and right with a post, than first and wrong.

How are you building trust on social networks? Use the hashtag #CEOofYou on Twitter or leave your comments below.