Some 88% of worldwide consumers say not trusting a brand is a dealbreaker when it comes to buying a product or using a service, according to Edelman. But building trust isn’t easy. Trust requires protecting consumer data, being thoughtful about third-party platform use and partnerships, and advertising through the right channels. Here are five key stats marketers can use to improve their brands’ consumer trust.
Key stat: Protecting customer data is the No. 1 most important factor when it comes to earning trust of consumers worldwide, according to PwC data.
What it means: Brands already know they need security measures in place to avoid hacks and data breaches. But they also need to make sure that when using consumer data for segmentation and personalization, they’re not doing it in a way that creeps consumers out. Use data to target ads that are helpful to consumers but don’t make them feel like you’re following them everywhere.
Key stat: Of major tech companies, Amazon is the only company more than half of US adults trust with both personal data (59%) and financial data (54%), according to data from All About Cookies.
What it means: Consumers are likely to trust ads served to them on Amazon. Other platforms that rank high in consumer trust include Google, Netflix, and Microsoft. TikTok and X ranked at the bottom of All About Cookies’ consumer trust survey.
Key stat: 61.9% of US consumers trust video ads at least some of the time, putting the format ahead of sponsored content (57.0%), affiliate ads (55.1%), targeted ads (54.5%), and banner ads (50.7%), according to EMARKETER data.
What it means: The majority of consumers trust all of these ad formats at least some of the time, meaning advertisers should use a healthy mix. Combining multiple formats, such creating sponsored video content with influencers, can help build consumer trust.
Key stat: More than half of US consumers (52%) don’t trust social media platforms, according to a survey from AfterShip and Ipsos.
What it means: Marketers should still be reaching consumers on social media platforms, where US consumers spend 17.9% of their time spent with digital media, per our forecast. But consumers may be suspicious of ads served to them via social media. Creating a strong organic brand presence on social media or encouraging user-generated content can help consumers feel more comfortable engaging with a brand on social media.
Key stat: 36% of consumers don’t trust AI-generated search results at all, according to data from EMARKETER and CivicScience.
What it means: Organizations creating their own AI-generated search engines like Google and Amazon must deliver accurate results or else they risk losing consumer trust. Brands considering investing in ads within AI-generated search results should also consider consumer distrust. That said, 44% of consumers trust AI-generated search results at least a little. As AI-generated search progresses, consumer comfort with the tech will too.
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