Performance Blog

Who You Gonna Trust?

by Sean McMahon | May 1, 2009

jack-nicholson_joker2When considering the validity of any information, it always prudent to consider the source.  In a survey released today from TNS Media Intelligence, people today trust information they receive from Internet news sources at the same level as from television news reports and conversations with friends.  The online research firm, eMarketer, reported this impressive fact today in an article titled, ‘Does Anyone Trust the Media’.

As shown in the eMarketer chart below, almost an equal number of individuals across the globe trust information from online news sources (40%) as individuals who trust content from television news ( 41%) and newspapers (39%).

Most Trusted* Media According to Internet Users in Select Countries in Canada and the US, 2008 (% of respondents)

Another interesting fact from this survey is that people tend to trust information from online expert reviews and industry Web sites more than from company Web sites and user forums and reviews.  This is an important fact to take into consideration when designing and implementing advanced search marketing campaigns, such as Social Media Marketing and external Link Building strategies.

[poll id="1"]

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