Recommendations by personal acquaintances and opinions posted by consumers online are the most trusted forms of advertising globally, according to the latest twice-yearly Nielsen Global Online Consumer Survey of over 25,000 internet consumers from 50 countries.
The Nielsen survey, the largest of its kind, shows that 9 in every 10 internet consumers worldwide trust recommendations from people they know, whilst 7 in every 10 trust consumer opinions posted online.
However, in this new age of consumer control, advertisers will be encouraged by the fact that brand websites - the most trusted form of advertiser-led advertising - are trusted by as many people (70%) as consumer opinions posted online. (Nielsen, July 2009)
