Consumers wary of social media

7th July 2025 |   Journal Of Sales Transformation

Consumers report that social media is their least trusted source when making buying decisions; at the same time, it’s where they interact with family and friends, who also serve as their most trusted sources. These are among the latest findings in a 9 June article from consultants McKinsey: “State of the Consumer 2025: When disruption becomes permanent”.

When ranking sources of influence for product and brand recommendations, 50% of US consumers cite opinions of friends and family as most trustworthy; 22% rank online reviews, blogs and website first; 9% mail or newspapers; 8% traditional media and social media. Experts, celebrities and influencers are only ranked top by 3% of US consumers.