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Filipinos most trusting of online opinion - Nielsen


Filipino web users are among the most trusting in terms of their interactions with brands online and the information they find on the Internet, according to a recent study by market research firm Nielsen. The study, a pre-release from the company's first Southeast Asia Digital Consumer Report, found that at least 75 percent of online Filipinos have already "liked" or followed a brand in social media, the second highest in the region. Trust in consumer-generated media — or what marketers call "word-of-mouth advertising" — is high and alive on the web, as 61 percent of connected Filipinos said they value opinion posted online, the highest in Southeast Asia and seven points above the regional average. Of the different sources of information, however, product review sites and discussion forums offer the most valuable insights, second only to opinion from family and friends, the study added. In contrast, television and news sources were ranked only 4th and 6th, respectively, in terms of most trusted sources in purchase decision-making, signaling a shift in preferred medium for sourcing recommendations. "Filipinos are increasingly looking to their fellow Internet users for opinions and information about products, services and brands, and engagement with online word of mouth communication is going to increase in coming years," said Jay Bautista, managing director of Nielsen’s media business in the Philippines. Evolving Internet use But social media is changing the way Filipinos communicate as well, the report noted. Of Filipino consumers with Internet access, at least two-thirds have accessed social networking sites, while only 40 percent use email. Filipinos who access the Internet regularly also do it on their mobile phones, with 24 percent surfing the mobile web on a daily basis, and predicted to increase to 56 percent in the next year. But among all Internet access points, most access the Internet in their homes, especially those aged 30 years and above. Young Internet users aged 15 to 19, meanwhile, cite Internet cafés as their main point of Internet access, with 74 percent accessing the net through these channels. Young demographic The report also noted that today, at least one in three Filipino consumers have Internet access, at least 5 percentage points below the regional average of 38 percent. But of the five main markets in the Southeast Asian region, the Philippines ranked third in terms of Internet penetration, next only to Malaysia (38 percent) and Singapore (67 percent). Thailand and Indonesia trail the Philippines in terms of Internet penetration, with 31 percent and 21 percent each, respectively. Nielsen's study said there is still a big headroom for growth in the Philippines, as only 24 percent of people in their 30s, 13 percent of those in their 40s, and a paltry 4 percent of people in their 50s access the Internet. In the Philippines, millenials and young professionals lead the charge in Internet use, with 65 percent of people aged 15 to 19 and 48 percent of those aged 20 and above accessing the Internet on a regular basis. — RSJ, GMA News

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