CorpComms Magazine

Just four per cent of UK consumers trust traditional display advertising by major brands while only nine per cent believe what a company is saying about itself in an advertising campaign, according to a new survey by technology group Alterian.

However, three in ten consumers feel more in control of their relationships with brands that actively engage in social media believing that they 'are genuinely interested' in them.

David Eldridge, chief executive of Alterian, said: 'Consumer trust is at an all-time low. It is not longer adequate to adopt a strategy of mass broadcast and one-way conversations. Brands should be trying to understand communities.'

Half of all consumers now tend to compare products or services before they purchase products and 44 per cent claim that they sometimes do. Four out of ten consumers would seek the advice of family or friends, just over a quarter - 28 per cent - base their purchasing decisions on professional reviews while 19 per cent seek out reviews on websites from people like themselves.

Seven out of ten UK consumers and 81 per cent of active users of social networks said that they would enjoy a more positive experience with a brand if companies took time out to find out more about their needs and interests.

However, just one in ten believe that companies currently take note of what they say. The research concludes that companies should engage in a direct conversation with consumers, in both open and closed feedback loops, after finding that 30 per cent of UK users approve of being contacted by companies that use social media, while two thirds of those who are active in social media would approve of being contacted by this form.

Eldridge added: 'To know and communicate to individuals, to a specific individual, should be the strategic goal of all brands and organisations.'

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