The Platform Landscape
Trends In Discovery
Social Currency & Influence
The Role Of Brands
Implications For Marketers
Across industries, marketers are constantly vying to identify the most powerful strategies for engaging consumers, and each year, this task grows a bit more complex as platforms and their offerings reshape and expand. As marketers respond to pressure from CFOs, board members, and other stakeholders to justify investment in emerging channels, it’s imperative that they know which signals point to effectiveness in reaching new audiences, building authentic connections, and driving strong performance.
To better understand which channels and platforms present the greatest opportunities in 2026 and beyond, GALE surveyed more than 1,200 U.S. consumers to evaluate their relationships with traditional and emerging media.
The findings highlight a few key factors for brands to consider: platform momentum, ability to capture and hold attention, and inherent capacity to provide trust. A clear standout was community-centric spaces where brands can build real connections, with authority, rather than chase massively scaled but empty impressions. Nearly 70% of respondents prefer using online platforms that feel like a community—and social currency is central to shaping that type of environment.
Key findings in the survey include:
~70%
pay more attention to a brand when an online community speaks positively about it.
72%
are more likely to trust information on platforms where they can actively participate in the conversation.
~70%
are more interested in a brand when they see friends engage with that brand’s posts online.
Below, we explore what these findings mean in practice—exploring how, where, and with whom brands should show up in the year ahead. We identify the platforms that most effectively cultivate community and, in turn, offer brands a strong opportunity to earn a higher return on attention, trust, and loyalty.
The
Platform
Landscape
Consumer usage of digital media platforms is only intensifying: 61% of respondents agreed that online platforms play a bigger role in their life now than they did a year ago. That trend wasn’t limited to particular platforms; rather, it was seen across every digital platform in the survey.
Forty to seventy percent of respondents reported using them more often than a year ago, with most hovering around 50%. Even legacy platforms showed momentum: among Facebook users, for example, 50% say they use it more than they did a year ago.Among the top platforms showing increased usage were AI search, sports betting platforms, and TikTok—each delivering something distinctly new and useful as consumers rewrite their digital habits. Respondents pointed to AI search’s in‑depth, tailored answers and intuitive user experience as the primary drivers of increased usage. Sports betting platforms were also praised for their ease of use, as well for enhancing the live sports viewing experience, which has long been a stronghold for consumer attention and media spend. When it came to TikTok, respondents cited the breadth of content and the platform’s peer-to-peer influence.
The survey also showed an expected theme across platform usage: consumer preference is highly fragmented by generation. TikTok, Instagram, Discord, Roblox, and Twitch all skew younger, showing a 20-30 percentage point usage gap between Gen Z and Gen X. Facebook and traditional media like cable television skew older, with the reverse gaps of roughly 15-20 points.
say they’re more likely to trust information on a platform they perceive as not yet “mainstream.”
Across generations, with the proliferation of AI-generated content, platforms that demonstrate authority and trustworthiness have a premium—and some emergent environments may have an edge. Half of all respondents say they’re more likely to trust information on a platform they perceive as not yet “mainstream,” with Millennials and Gen Z especially aligned. Only 14% overall disagreed. This indicates a growing opportunity for emerging platforms to position themselves as high-authority, high-trust environments–especially among younger audiences.
Trends
In Discovery
With the emergence of social search and LLMs using queries from Google, both brand and product discoverability are fundamentally changing–and shifting towards platforms that “crowdsource” input.
One such platform is TikTok, which continues to build its reputation as a leading discovery engine for Gen Z. When asked to select which platforms they use to find new things–from discovering new products or restaurants to finding health and wellness tips–Gen Z selected TikTok most often. TikTok also leads on perceived usefulness: among the variety of tasks, between one-quarter and one-third of Gen Z selected TikTok as the most helpful platform in each case.
As for major LLMs–ChatGPT and Copilot, for example–they’ve become such a relied-upon search alternative that 52% of respondents reported using them daily, with nearly 70% stating they use them more often than a year ago. With the rollout of OpenAI’s Atlas and other AI browsers, adoption will only continue to grow. While the rise in usage of AI for search is multi-generational, Millennial respondents, in particular, appear to be embracing the power of AI for discovery and decision-making, likely influenced by workplace adoption, in addition to their personal use.
Use AI Search Platforms Daily:
Gen Z
48%
Millennials
57%
Gen X
50%
Trust in AI search platforms is rising, likely driven by recent focus on and improvements in accuracy. But that confidence doesn’t automatically carry over to AI-enabled features embedded in non-AI channels, such as AI content summaries on websites, social platforms, and apps. While 53% of users value these features for the efficiency they provide, fewer than half say they make the channel more trustworthy—signaling a credibility gap. In other words, people increasingly trust AI platforms built for search and synthesis, but remain more skeptical when AI is layered onto other experiences. In those non-AI environments, users still prefer to “crowdsource” truth from human voices, firsthand accounts, and lived experience rather than machine-generated summaries.
Social
Currency& Influence
When it comes to discovery, one thing that hasn’t changed in the digital era, however, is the importance of “word of mouth” – which extends well beyond in-person interactions. Nearly 70% agreed they are more interested in a brand if they see friends engage with that brand’s post online, and nearly 70% agreed that they pay more attention when an online community talks positively about it.
Seventy-two percent are more likely to trust information on platforms where consumers can participate in the conversation, and 55% take “top comment” consensus seriously. These findings reflect that consumers value spaces where they can see people like them express opinions, and where their voices are heard. Spaces rich in social currency—where their peers validate decision-making in communities they identify with—are where brands need to be. For the survey respondents, their peers–specifically friends and family–were especially trusted. In fact, 80% of respondents said they would be more interested in a brand if they heard their friends talking positively about it. Across categories—electronics, finance, hospitality, food/beverage, health/wellness, and more—customer reviews and friends/family are considered the most influential sources of brand and product endorsements. They outrank subject-matter experts, journalists, AI assistants, creators, and celebrities. Journalists ranked lowest across the board, only slightly ahead of AI assistants in travel and hospitality.
While influencers and creators did not top the influence list, they remain powerful drivers of perception, purchase, and loyalty within their communities. Context matters: a nameless creator might not have a theoretical influence, but one that an individual feels personally connected to—and that is part of or fostering a community they love—can be highly persuasive. Additionally, 72% say a response from a verified expert on an online platform increases their confidence in the content they see. Brands should not underestimate their ability to play that expert role—and should also consider partnering with credible creators and other partners recognized in their industries.
The RoleOf Brands
Amidst the many changes to the digital media landscape, the role of brand is still important and plays a major role in consumers’ purchasing decisions and loyalty. In fact, “the brand itself” emerged as the third-most influential voice for endorsements, challenging the notion that brand content is inherently viewed as self-serving.
This likely reflects the recent embrace of more human brand voices, authentic partnerships, and audience-centric approaches. It might also signal consumer fatigue with information overload and variable quality of AI-generated content. Either way, it presents a strong opportunity for brands to utilize their own channels—whether website, organic and paid social, and original IP—as clear sources of truth for their products and offerings.
As brands assert their role as trusted sources of truth, consumers want engagement from them across an ecosystem of touchpoints, online and physical, and are receptive to hearing from brands in many different contexts. More than half of respondents want brands to connect with them via social media, influencers, and events, and more—rather than rely solely on product quality. When brands engage directly on online platforms, they’re perceived as more credible and trustworthy, and 71% say seeing this behavior increases their interest in a brand’s products. Still, other forums desired for interaction included advertising in physical locations, integrating in TV or streaming platforms, and collaborating with influencers or celebrities.
When brands engage with consumers like me on online platforms.
68%
I believe they’re more credible
66%
I believe they’re more trustworthy
70%
I’m more interested in their products
This variety of formats makes one thing clear: there is no one-size-fits-all approach to engaging consumers. Effective brand-consumer engagement requires an ecosystem strategy that spans both in-person and online touchpoints across paid, owned and earned, to consistently deliver what consumers are craving. Impact comes from tailoring the mix to your brand’s identity, voice, and values—and adapting it thoughtfully across generations.
Implications For Marketers
It’s clear that platforms enabling participation, peer influence, and real human voices are of high value, and that brands that lean into community-based engagement earn greater attention, credibility, and long-term value. To capitalize on this, marketers need a strategy that doesn’t just lean on “showing up” in more places, but uses those touchpoints to earn true brand loyalty.
Moving forward, brands should consider:
Lead with authenticity and community to stand apart. In an environment defined by AI, instability, and rising anxiety, people are gravitating toward content and spaces that feel real, human, and community-driven.
Turn community into a performance multiplier. When friends engage with a brand and online communities speak positively, consumers become more curious, stay more engaged, and place more trust in what you say.
Prioritize a digital approach to the age-old strategy: word of mouth. LLMs, AI search, and platforms like TikTok are now core discovery tools, yet reviews and friends/family remain the most influential brand and product endorsements.
Design a connected system of community-led touchpoints—not a single “hero” channel. Consumers are open to hearing from brands across a wide ecosystem: social, creators, events, games, and AI-powered experiences, especially when these touchpoints feel authentic and community-grounded.
GALE is a Business Agency.
We bring business strategy to brand storytelling to drive enterprise value.
More from GALE
The Platform Landscape
Trends In Discovery
Social Currency & Influence
The Role Of Brands
Implications For Marketers
Across industries, marketers are constantly vying to identify the most powerful strategies for engaging consumers, and each year, this task grows a bit more complex as platforms and their offerings reshape and expand. As marketers respond to pressure from CFOs, board members, and other stakeholders to justify investment in emerging channels, it’s imperative that they know which signals point to effectiveness in reaching new audiences, building authentic connections, and driving strong performance.
To better understand which channels and platforms present the greatest opportunities in 2026 and beyond, GALE surveyed more than 1,200 U.S. consumers to evaluate their relationships with traditional and emerging media.
The findings highlight a few key factors for brands to consider: platform momentum, ability to capture and hold attention, and inherent capacity to provide trust. A clear standout was community-centric spaces where brands can build real connections, with authority, rather than chase massively scaled but empty impressions. Nearly 70% of respondents prefer using online platforms that feel like a community—and social currency is central to shaping that type of environment.
Key findings in the survey include:
~70%
pay more attention to a brand when an online community speaks positively about it.
72%
are more likely to trust information on platforms where they can actively participate in the conversation.
~70%
are more interested in a brand when they see friends engage with that brand’s posts online.
Below, we explore what these findings mean in practice—exploring how, where, and with whom brands should show up in the year ahead. We identify the platforms that most effectively cultivate community and, in turn, offer brands a strong opportunity to earn a higher return on attention, trust, and loyalty.
The
Platform
Landscape
Consumer usage of digital media platforms is only intensifying: 61% of respondents agreed that online platforms play a bigger role in their life now than they did a year ago. That trend wasn’t limited to particular platforms; rather, it was seen across every digital platform in the survey.
Forty to seventy percent of respondents reported using them more often than a year ago, with most hovering around 50%. Even legacy platforms showed momentum: among Facebook users, for example, 50% say they use it more than they did a year ago.Among the top platforms showing increased usage were AI search, sports betting platforms, and TikTok—each delivering something distinctly new and useful as consumers rewrite their digital habits. Respondents pointed to AI search’s in‑depth, tailored answers and intuitive user experience as the primary drivers of increased usage. Sports betting platforms were also praised for their ease of use, as well for enhancing the live sports viewing experience, which has long been a stronghold for consumer attention and media spend. When it came to TikTok, respondents cited the breadth of content and the platform’s peer-to-peer influence.
The survey also showed an expected theme across platform usage: consumer preference is highly fragmented by generation. TikTok, Instagram, Discord, Roblox, and Twitch all skew younger, showing a 20-30 percentage point usage gap between Gen Z and Gen X. Facebook and traditional media like cable television skew older, with the reverse gaps of roughly 15-20 points.
say they’re more likely to trust information on a platform they perceive as not yet “mainstream.”
Across generations, with the proliferation of AI-generated content, platforms that demonstrate authority and trustworthiness have a premium—and some emergent environments may have an edge. Half of all respondents say they’re more likely to trust information on a platform they perceive as not yet “mainstream,” with Millennials and Gen Z especially aligned. Only 14% overall disagreed. This indicates a growing opportunity for emerging platforms to position themselves as high-authority, high-trust environments–especially among younger audiences.
Trends
In Discovery
With the emergence of social search and LLMs using queries from Google, both brand and product discoverability are fundamentally changing–and shifting towards platforms that “crowdsource” input.
One such platform is TikTok, which continues to build its reputation as a leading discovery engine for Gen Z. When asked to select which platforms they use to find new things–from discovering new products or restaurants to finding health and wellness tips–Gen Z selected TikTok most often. TikTok also leads on perceived usefulness: among the variety of tasks, between one-quarter and one-third of Gen Z selected TikTok as the most helpful platform in each case.
As for major LLMs–ChatGPT and Copilot, for example–they’ve become such a relied-upon search alternative that 52% of respondents reported using them daily, with nearly 70% stating they use them more often than a year ago. With the rollout of OpenAI’s Atlas and other AI browsers, adoption will only continue to grow. While the rise in usage of AI for search is multi-generational, Millennial respondents, in particular, appear to be embracing the power of AI for discovery and decision-making, likely influenced by workplace adoption, in addition to their personal use.
Use AI Search Platforms Daily:
Gen Z
48%
Millennials
57%
Gen X
50%
Trust in AI search platforms is rising, likely driven by recent focus on and improvements in accuracy. But that confidence doesn’t automatically carry over to AI-enabled features embedded in non-AI channels, such as AI content summaries on websites, social platforms, and apps. While 53% of users value these features for the efficiency they provide, fewer than half say they make the channel more trustworthy—signaling a credibility gap. In other words, people increasingly trust AI platforms built for search and synthesis, but remain more skeptical when AI is layered onto other experiences. In those non-AI environments, users still prefer to “crowdsource” truth from human voices, firsthand accounts, and lived experience rather than machine-generated summaries.
Social
Currency& Influence
When it comes to discovery, one thing that hasn’t changed in the digital era, however, is the importance of “word of mouth” – which extends well beyond in-person interactions. Nearly 70% agreed they are more interested in a brand if they see friends engage with that brand’s post online, and nearly 70% agreed that they pay more attention when an online community talks positively about it.
Seventy-two percent are more likely to trust information on platforms where consumers can participate in the conversation, and 55% take “top comment” consensus seriously. These findings reflect that consumers value spaces where they can see people like them express opinions, and where their voices are heard. Spaces rich in social currency—where their peers validate decision-making in communities they identify with—are where brands need to be. For the survey respondents, their peers–specifically friends and family–were especially trusted. In fact, 80% of respondents said they would be more interested in a brand if they heard their friends talking positively about it. Across categories—electronics, finance, hospitality, food/beverage, health/wellness, and more—customer reviews and friends/family are considered the most influential sources of brand and product endorsements. They outrank subject-matter experts, journalists, AI assistants, creators, and celebrities. Journalists ranked lowest across the board, only slightly ahead of AI assistants in travel and hospitality.
While influencers and creators did not top the influence list, they remain powerful drivers of perception, purchase, and loyalty within their communities. Context matters: a nameless creator might not have a theoretical influence, but one that an individual feels personally connected to—and that is part of or fostering a community they love—can be highly persuasive. Additionally, 72% say a response from a verified expert on an online platform increases their confidence in the content they see. Brands should not underestimate their ability to play that expert role—and should also consider partnering with credible creators and other partners recognized in their industries.
The RoleOf Brands
Amidst the many changes to the digital media landscape, the role of brand is still important and plays a major role in consumers’ purchasing decisions and loyalty. In fact, “the brand itself” emerged as the third-most influential voice for endorsements, challenging the notion that brand content is inherently viewed as self-serving.
This likely reflects the recent embrace of more human brand voices, authentic partnerships, and audience-centric approaches. It might also signal consumer fatigue with information overload and variable quality of AI-generated content. Either way, it presents a strong opportunity for brands to utilize their own channels—whether website, organic and paid social, and original IP—as clear sources of truth for their products and offerings.
As brands assert their role as trusted sources of truth, consumers want engagement from them across an ecosystem of touchpoints, online and physical, and are receptive to hearing from brands in many different contexts. More than half of respondents want brands to connect with them via social media, influencers, and events, and more—rather than rely solely on product quality. When brands engage directly on online platforms, they’re perceived as more credible and trustworthy, and 71% say seeing this behavior increases their interest in a brand’s products. Still, other forums desired for interaction included advertising in physical locations, integrating in TV or streaming platforms, and collaborating with influencers or celebrities.
When brands engage with consumers like me on online platforms.
68%
I believe they’re more credible
66%
I believe they’re more trustworthy
70%
I’m more interested in their products
This variety of formats makes one thing clear: there is no one-size-fits-all approach to engaging consumers. Effective brand-consumer engagement requires an ecosystem strategy that spans both in-person and online touchpoints across paid, owned and earned, to consistently deliver what consumers are craving. Impact comes from tailoring the mix to your brand’s identity, voice, and values—and adapting it thoughtfully across generations.
Implications ForMarketers
It’s clear that platforms enabling participation, peer influence, and real human voices are of high value, and that brands that lean into community-based engagement earn greater attention, credibility, and long-term value. To capitalize on this, marketers need a strategy that doesn’t just lean on “showing up” in more places, but uses those touchpoints to earn true brand loyalty.
Moving forward, brands should consider:
Lead with authenticity and community to stand apart. In an environment defined by AI, instability, and rising anxiety, people are gravitating toward content and spaces that feel real, human, and community-driven.
Turn community into a performance multiplier. When friends engage with a brand and online communities speak positively, consumers become more curious, stay more engaged, and place more trust in what you say.
Prioritize a digital approach to the age-old strategy: word of mouth. LLMs, AI search, and platforms like TikTok are now core discovery tools, yet reviews and friends/family remain the most influential brand and product endorsements.
Design a connected system of community-led touchpoints—not a single “hero” channel. Consumers are open to hearing from brands across a wide ecosystem: social, creators, events, games, and AI-powered experiences, especially when these touchpoints feel authentic and community-grounded.
GALE is a Business Agency.
We bring business strategy to brand storytelling to drive enterprise value.
More from GALE
The Platform Landscape
Trends In Discovery
Social Currency & Influence
The Role Of Brands
Implications For Marketers
Across industries, marketers are constantly vying to identify the most powerful strategies for engaging consumers, and each year, this task grows a bit more complex as platforms and their offerings reshape and expand. As marketers respond to pressure from CFOs, board members, and other stakeholders to justify investment in emerging channels, it’s imperative that they know which signals point to effectiveness in reaching new audiences, building authentic connections, and driving strong performance.
To better understand which channels and platforms present the greatest opportunities in 2026 and beyond, GALE surveyed more than 1,200 U.S. consumers to evaluate their relationships with traditional and emerging media.
The findings highlight a few key factors for brands to consider: platform momentum, ability to capture and hold attention, and inherent capacity to provide trust. A clear standout was community-centric spaces where brands can build real connections, with authority, rather than chase massively scaled but empty impressions. Nearly 70% of respondents prefer using online platforms that feel like a community—and social currency is central to shaping that type of environment.
Key findings in the survey include:
~70%
pay more attention to a brand when an online community speaks positively about it.
72%
are more likely to trust information on platforms where they can actively participate in the conversation.
~70%
are more interested in a brand when they see friends engage with that brand’s posts online.
Below, we explore what these findings mean in practice—exploring how, where, and with whom brands should show up in the year ahead. We identify the platforms that most effectively cultivate community and, in turn, offer brands a strong opportunity to earn a higher return on attention, trust, and loyalty.
The
Platform
Landscape
Consumer usage of digital media platforms is only intensifying: 61% of respondents agreed that online platforms play a bigger role in their life now than they did a year ago. That trend wasn’t limited to particular platforms; rather, it was seen across every digital platform in the survey.
Forty to seventy percent of respondents reported using them more often than a year ago, with most hovering around 50%. Even legacy platforms showed momentum: among Facebook users, for example, 50% say they use it more than they did a year ago.Among the top platforms showing increased usage were AI search, sports betting platforms, and TikTok—each delivering something distinctly new and useful as consumers rewrite their digital habits. Respondents pointed to AI search’s in‑depth, tailored answers and intuitive user experience as the primary drivers of increased usage. Sports betting platforms were also praised for their ease of use, as well for enhancing the live sports viewing experience, which has long been a stronghold for consumer attention and media spend. When it came to TikTok, respondents cited the breadth of content and the platform’s peer-to-peer influence.
The survey also showed an expected theme across platform usage: consumer preference is highly fragmented by generation. TikTok, Instagram, Discord, Roblox, and Twitch all skew younger, showing a 20-30 percentage point usage gap between Gen Z and Gen X. Facebook and traditional media like cable television skew older, with the reverse gaps of roughly 15-20 points.
say they’re more likely to trust information on a platform they perceive as not yet “mainstream.”
Across generations, with the proliferation of AI-generated content, platforms that demonstrate authority and trustworthiness have a premium—and some emergent environments may have an edge. Half of all respondents say they’re more likely to trust information on a platform they perceive as not yet “mainstream,” with Millennials and Gen Z especially aligned. Only 14% overall disagreed. This indicates a growing opportunity for emerging platforms to position themselves as high-authority, high-trust environments–especially among younger audiences.
Trends
In Discovery
With the emergence of social search and LLMs using queries from Google, both brand and product discoverability are fundamentally changing–and shifting towards platforms that “crowdsource” input.
One such platform is TikTok, which continues to build its reputation as a leading discovery engine for Gen Z. When asked to select which platforms they use to find new things–from discovering new products or restaurants to finding health and wellness tips–Gen Z selected TikTok most often. TikTok also leads on perceived usefulness: among the variety of tasks, between one-quarter and one-third of Gen Z selected TikTok as the most helpful platform in each case.
As for major LLMs–ChatGPT and Copilot, for example–they’ve become such a relied-upon search alternative that 52% of respondents reported using them daily, with nearly 70% stating they use them more often than a year ago. With the rollout of OpenAI’s Atlas and other AI browsers, adoption will only continue to grow. While the rise in usage of AI for search is multi-generational, Millennial respondents, in particular, appear to be embracing the power of AI for discovery and decision-making, likely influenced by workplace adoption, in addition to their personal use.
Use AI Search Platforms Daily:
Gen Z
48%
Millennials
57%
Gen X
50%
Trust in AI search platforms is rising, likely driven by recent focus on and improvements in accuracy. But that confidence doesn’t automatically carry over to AI-enabled features embedded in non-AI channels, such as AI content summaries on websites, social platforms, and apps. While 53% of users value these features for the efficiency they provide, fewer than half say they make the channel more trustworthy—signaling a credibility gap. In other words, people increasingly trust AI platforms built for search and synthesis, but remain more skeptical when AI is layered onto other experiences. In those non-AI environments, users still prefer to “crowdsource” truth from human voices, firsthand accounts, and lived experience rather than machine-generated summaries.
Social
Currency& Influence
When it comes to discovery, one thing that hasn’t changed in the digital era, however, is the importance of “word of mouth” – which extends well beyond in-person interactions. Nearly 70% agreed they are more interested in a brand if they see friends engage with that brand’s post online, and nearly 70% agreed that they pay more attention when an online community talks positively about it.
Seventy-two percent are more likely to trust information on platforms where consumers can participate in the conversation, and 55% take “top comment” consensus seriously. These findings reflect that consumers value spaces where they can see people like them express opinions, and where their voices are heard. Spaces rich in social currency—where their peers validate decision-making in communities they identify with—are where brands need to be. For the survey respondents, their peers–specifically friends and family–were especially trusted. In fact, 80% of respondents said they would be more interested in a brand if they heard their friends talking positively about it. Across categories—electronics, finance, hospitality, food/beverage, health/wellness, and more—customer reviews and friends/family are considered the most influential sources of brand and product endorsements. They outrank subject-matter experts, journalists, AI assistants, creators, and celebrities. Journalists ranked lowest across the board, only slightly ahead of AI assistants in travel and hospitality.
While influencers and creators did not top the influence list, they remain powerful drivers of perception, purchase, and loyalty within their communities. Context matters: a nameless creator might not have a theoretical influence, but one that an individual feels personally connected to—and that is part of or fostering a community they love—can be highly persuasive. Additionally, 72% say a response from a verified expert on an online platform increases their confidence in the content they see. Brands should not underestimate their ability to play that expert role—and should also consider partnering with credible creators and other partners recognized in their industries.
The RoleOf Brands
Amidst the many changes to the digital media landscape, the role of brand is still important and plays a major role in consumers’ purchasing decisions and loyalty. In fact, “the brand itself” emerged as the third-most influential voice for endorsements, challenging the notion that brand content is inherently viewed as self-serving.
This likely reflects the recent embrace of more human brand voices, authentic partnerships, and audience-centric approaches. It might also signal consumer fatigue with information overload and variable quality of AI-generated content. Either way, it presents a strong opportunity for brands to utilize their own channels—whether website, organic and paid social, and original IP—as clear sources of truth for their products and offerings.
As brands assert their role as trusted sources of truth, consumers want engagement from them across an ecosystem of touchpoints, online and physical, and are receptive to hearing from brands in many different contexts. More than half of respondents want brands to connect with them via social media, influencers, and events, and more—rather than rely solely on product quality. When brands engage directly on online platforms, they’re perceived as more credible and trustworthy, and 71% say seeing this behavior increases their interest in a brand’s products. Still, other forums desired for interaction included advertising in physical locations, integrating in TV or streaming platforms, and collaborating with influencers or celebrities.
When brands engage with consumers like me on online platforms.
68%
I believe they’re more credible
66%
I believe they’re more trustworthy
70%
I’m more interested in their products
This variety of formats makes one thing clear: there is no one-size-fits-all approach to engaging consumers. Effective brand-consumer engagement requires an ecosystem strategy that spans both in-person and online touchpoints across paid, owned and earned, to consistently deliver what consumers are craving. Impact comes from tailoring the mix to your brand’s identity, voice, and values—and adapting it thoughtfully across generations.
Implications For Marketers
It’s clear that platforms enabling participation, peer influence, and real human voices are of high value, and that brands that lean into community-based engagement earn greater attention, credibility, and long-term value. To capitalize on this, marketers need a strategy that doesn’t just lean on “showing up” in more places, but uses those touchpoints to earn true brand loyalty.
Moving forward, brands should consider:
Lead with authenticity and community to stand apart. In an environment defined by AI, instability, and rising anxiety, people are gravitating toward content and spaces that feel real, human, and community-driven.
Turn community into a performance multiplier. When friends engage with a brand and online communities speak positively, consumers become more curious, stay more engaged, and place more trust in what you say.
Prioritize a digital approach to the age-old strategy: word of mouth. LLMs, AI search, and platforms like TikTok are now core discovery tools, yet reviews and friends/family remain the most influential brand and product endorsements.
Design a connected system of community-led touchpoints—not a single “hero” channel. Consumers are open to hearing from brands across a wide ecosystem: social, creators, events, games, and AI-powered experiences, especially when these touchpoints feel authentic and community-grounded.
GALE is a Business Agency.
We bring business strategy to brand storytelling to drive enterprise value.
More from GALE