In a recent study done by Insider Intelligence, 1,730 US social media users were surveyed on the factors that most affect their trust in social platforms. Almost half of US adult social media users have purchased through social media in the past year. Those purchases were made either directly on the social platform or by clicking an external link to an immediate purchase opportunity. Which social platforms do users feel most comfortable purchasing on, and how does trust (or lack thereof) relate to their willingness to become a buyer on social media?
Which platform do most users purchase from the most?
Facebook is the most used platform for social commerce (34% of users), Instagram (17% of users), and YouTube (16% of users) follow closely behind. This is due largely because Facebook & Instagram are both extremely popular as social platforms, but also because they have significant shopping capabilities such as Facebook Marketplace and Instagram Shopping. While YouTube doesn’t necessarily have a shopping experience, they do allow users to link their sponsored videos to product pages on their website, which allows them to attribute sales.
In contrast, 52% of users have never purchased on any social media. While social commerce may be warming up to all audiences on social platforms, it’s still not an established buying behavior due to a lack of confidence in social platforms. Users who have “never purchased on social media” stated they would rather interact directly with the retailer, don’t feel comfortable giving a social platform their payment information, are concerned with the legitimacy of products on social media, worry about their privacy on the platform, are not interested in the products being shown to them, or would prefer to engage with non-shopping-related content.
There is strong potential for social commerce to grow in the US with those who have yet to turn it into a habit. Establishing social commerce will take efforts from social platforms, retailers, and advertisers to build digital trust with consumers.
What is Digital Trust?
Digital trust is the confidence people have that a platform will protect their information and provide a safe environment for them to create and engage, including with advertising and sponsored content. When a platform prioritizes user privacy and safety, users are more likely to perceive that environment as trustworthy.
Security, community, and legitimacy are leading factors affecting US social users’ trust in social platforms and users’ desire to make purchases on social media platforms. Ad relevance and experience follow closely behind as factors. Currently, there is low trust among users on any platform. The only platform that contains all three of the major factors is LinkedIn, with Instagram following closely behind for its shopping functionality.
Improving Digital Trust Is Essential for Social Commerce Success
When it comes to social commerce buyers vs non-buyers, the level of trust is on both ends of the trust spectrum. Social commerce buyers feel that their privacy is protected, feel safe interacting and engaging on a given platform, are more likely to visit frequently while increasing time spent on product pages, and are much more attuned to ad relevance in social media than non-buyers. With greater confidence that their privacy is protected and a stronger feeling of being safe interacting and engaging, social buyers also feel more confident purchasing on a given platform.
As important as trust is, it’s not the only factor that drives social users to engage in social commerce. Some users will buy because they’re frequent social users who trust who they follow (like an influencer), or because they are attracted by a great discount.
