DATA POINTS: Social media impact a matter of trust

More than half (52 per cent) of all consumers surveyed across 12 regional markets indicated that they use social media as a tool to help make purchase decisions. Those in Vietnam rely on it the most heavily, followed by Thailand and China. Surprisingly, Japanese consumers were found to be the least likely to draw inspiration from social channels: just over a quarter said they do. (Source: Nielsen)

The study also highlights the value of building trust and subsequently word-of-mouth recommendations. In India, 20 per cent of respondents said they trust the opinions of others completely. That figure stands out as an anomaly, but nearly 65 per cent of people regionally said they trust the opinions of peers on social channels, at least to an extent. Not surprisingly given their widespread use of discussion forums, Chinese consumers demonstrate an especially high level of trust in this regard. (Source: Nielsen)

On the other side of the coin, most are still sceptical of advertising — although India proved again to be something of an exception, with more than 10 per cent saying they trust advertising on social networks implicitly. (Source: Nielsen)

Lack of confidence in social-media advertising may stem from the fact that the advertising that appears on social platforms is seen as being out of context. Half of respondents found it somewhat irrelevant, 10 per cent particularly so. The feeling was most pronounced in Japan, where 17 per cent see advertising on social media as highly irrelevant. (Source: Nielsen)

Topping the list of reasons for ‘liking’ brands on social media was the potential to receive discounts, followed by a desire for news updates. (Source: Nielsen)