The advertising landscape is rapidly evolving as social media and technological advancements create new ways to engage with consumers. We watch videos on phones, stream music on laptops and read newspapers on tablets. And sometimes even all at once. It can be difficult to determine where to spend your advertising budget when you need to reach the right audience and get a response in a world full of possibilities.

The Nielsen Global Trust in Advertising Survey polled 30,000 online respondents in 60 countries to gauge consumer trust across 19 paid, earned and proprietary media. The results show which advertising formats are best received by consumers and which offer room for growth. Importantly, consumers around the world weigh in on platforms that deliver the most effective action. Consumers also inform us about what types of messages they value most. It comes as no surprise that this varies by generation.

Who Do We Trust?

The most credible advertising comes straight from the people we know and trust. More than eight-in-10 global respondents (83%) say they completely or somewhat trust the recommendations of friends and family. But trust isn’t confined only to those in our inner circle. In fact, two-thirds (66%) say they trust consumer opinions posted online—the third-most-trusted format.

Owned (brand-managed) online channels are also among the most trusted advertising formats. In fact, branded websites are the second-most trusted format, with 70% of global respondents saying they completely or somewhat trust these sites. In addition, more than half of respondents (56%) trust emails they signed up for.