Briefing: Trust in digital connections

A new edition of the Trust Barometer from Edelman has found that online search engines are the most trusted source of general news and information, whilst friends and family are the most trusted content creators online.

The digital age has changed the way we communicate and pass on information. Interaction between consumers and businesses is becoming increasingly digital.

In this briefing hospitality experts discuss using digital channels:

Edelman’s Trust Barometer shows that when looking for general news and information, the level of trust in online search engines is at 64%, trust in traditional media is 62%, and trust in social media is at 48%.

Executives and CEOs have and increasing online presence, which can help them with business connections, and also means they are more visible to their customers. Research from Weber Shandwick has found that 80% of CEOs are now engaged online and via social media, a rate which has more than doubled since 2010. 68% of CEOs are engaging through their company pages and a record high of 28% participate in social networks.

A good online presence is vital to engage customers. The Australian Digital experience report from SAP shows that 47% of people are unsatisfied with their digital experience (based on 7,000 digital interactions with 34 of the largest and best-known brands in Australia). And of those unsatisfied, just 17% would remain loyal to the brand.

As well as finding information and communicating online, consumers today are also making payments electronically. According to Trust Barometer there is 62% trust in the development of electronic payments, despite only 54% trust in financial services as an industry.

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Video clips produced by ybc.tv for the Hospitality Channel, including interview from industry conferences such as the IHIF conference as well as specific Hospitality Channel shoots.