CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--During the pandemic, consumers are looking to digital platforms for nearly every aspect of their lives. At the same time, trust in digital platforms is declining, according to a new study by the Intent Lab, a research partnership between Performics and Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Media and Integrated Marketing Communications.
The Intent Lab has been tracking consumers’ satisfaction with their digital experiences since Q2 2016, and trust is at the core. Consumer trust in digital experiences reached its lowest point in October 2018. Since October 2018, trust rose, but has now fallen again over the past 6 months.
Social media, ecommerce, gaming and video/audio streaming platforms are experiencing a surge in usage, but consumers don’t always trust information from these platforms. Consumers rate Amazon as the most trusted platform, with Google and Apple following. Consumers most trust information from video platforms (53%), commerce (45%) and gaming (44%), with social media far behind (25%).
“In crisis, trust can make it or break it for brands,” says Esteban Ribero, Performics SVP of Planning and Insights. “Over time, the Intent Lab has identified factors that make consumers trust or distrust brands, like protection of personal information, familiarity, adequacy of privacy practices, utility, quality of services or products, honesty, customer service and prevalence of misinformation.”
Control and transparency are key to boosting consumer trust in digital experiences, and respondents want the government to take action. The Intent Lab study found that people want more control over their information online:
- 80% of consumers say they would like more control over their personal data online. But 1 in 5 said they would provide brands with personal information in exchange for a 50%+ discount.
- 71% would like to see the government reform how companies treat their data. 3 in 4 Gen X and Baby Boomers said they’d like to see the government reform how companies treat consumer data (vs. 64% of Millennials).
Ribero added, “The pandemic has accelerated consumer adoption and use of digital, whether it’s online commerce, apps, social media or streaming everything from movies to fitness classes. As consumer reliance on these platforms increases, trust is the most critical factor in maintaining and growing this level of adoption. Most importantly, our study proves that brands must obtain permission to use consumer data and be transparent in how they use that data.”
Download the full Intent Lab, Digital Satisfaction Index Brand Trust Spotlight for more insights.
The study was fielded in March 2020 in the U.S. (1500 participants).
About Performics
As the original performance marketing agency, Performics is the premier revenue growth driver for many of the world’s most admired brands. Across an expansive global network operating in 57 countries, Performics leverages data, technology and talent to create and convert consumer demand wherever it is expressed—search, social, display, commerce and offline channels. Performics is built for the relentless pursuit of results. Headquartered in Chicago, Performics is a Publicis Media company and the performance marketing engine of Publicis Groupe. Demand Performance. To learn more, visit https://www.performics.com.
