As consumers spend more time online, the level of trust people have in brands has become closely linked to how brands use their personal data.
When it comes to communications that are mutually beneficial, Jebbit’s fifth bi-annual Consumer Data Trust Index found that interactive experiences such as product matches and personality quizzes take the cake, increasing consumer trust by 38.4 percent.
The report asked adult consumers in the US to rate, on a scale of one to 10, their level of trust in brands to use their personal data in exchange for relevant promotions, goods and services.
Over half (62 percent) of consumers said they prefer personalized products and experiences but a brand’s approach can make or break how that experience is received. For example, 54 percent of consumers said their trust in a brand decreases when receiving emails based on data they haven’t knowingly shared.
Interactive experiences are nearly tied with personalized emails (38.9 percent) based on knowingly shared data and are the least likely to decrease trust by far, according to the report. Such experiences provide both transparency about how consumer data is used and immediately deliver value on that data through personalized recommendations, notes Jebbit.
Creating a data collection strategy is critical, as 35 percent of consumers told Jebbit that a brand asking for too much personal information was their top reason to distrust a brand—the number one reason for the third time in a row. Jebbit clients have seen increases of over 30 percent in customer lifetime value by collecting as few as three points from each of their customers.
The second reason consumers distrust a brand when providing personal information is a public data scandal, as noted by 21.1 percent of respondents; the third is experiencing “creepy” advertising, as noted by 18.2 percent. Confusing privacy policies was also a factor, suggesting the importance of making consumer-facing copy about privacy laws straightforward and digestible.
Nearly 32 percent of respondents said that they’re more likely to trust a brand that provides an improved experience based on the data they have about them. Another 42 percent said conversational tools that provide personalized experiences increase their trust in a brand.
Among industries, technology remains the most trusted industry overall. Food, beverage and spirits brands are the lowest-ranked industry.
For the fifth consecutive time, Amazon holds the top spot for most-trusted brand while setting a new high at 7.05. Trailing closely behind Amazon is Adidas, with a consumer trust rating of 7.03. Other brands that made the top five include Netflix in third, Google in fourth and Samsung in fifth.
Earning a trust rating of 5.97 out of 10, Facebook landed 97 on the list of 100 and is the least trustworthy out of the social media brands. Instagram fared slightly better, ranking at 71 with a score of 6.23.
See the full list of rankings here.
