Nielsen: Search Ads Gain Trust, But Traditional Ads Still Outrank Digital In Consumer Trust

A new look at consumer trust in advertising from ratings agency Nielsen finds that, despite gains, consumers still put more trust in traditional paid advertising than digital ad formats. The Global Survey of Trust in Advertising compares consumer opinions in 2013 to those of 2007.

With the exception of ads in newspapers, all ad formats saw increases in consumer trust from 2007.

Trust in ads shown in search engine results rose 14 percent from 2007, up from 34 percent to 48 percent. Likewise 48 percent of consumers said they trust online video ads and ads on social networks — neither ad type were included in the 2007 poll. Trust in email rose 7 points since 2007, with 56 percent of respondents saying they trust consumer-consented email messages.

Trust in online banner ads has increased dramatically, rising from 26 percent in 2007 to 42 percent in 2013. Text ads on mobile phones saw an even great increase in consumer trust with 37 percent of consumers responding positively, up  from 18 percent in 2007.

Ads on TV and radio and in magazines and newspapers all had higher consumer trust than ad digital formats. While not ads in the traditional sense, branded websites and online consumer opinions topped the list just behind word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family.

“While TV remains the front-running format for the delivery of marketing messages based on ad spend, consumers globally are also looking to online media to get information about brands,” said Randall Beard, global head, Advertiser Solutions at Nielsen. “On the flipside, earned advertising channels have empowered consumers to advocate for their favorite brands, something that shouldn’t go unnoticed by brand advertisers.”

For the study, the firm polled more than 29,000 consumers with online access  in 58 countries.

Here’s a look at the full set of results: