Do users trust ads at all?

You know how they say—trust takes a lifetime to build and an instant to destroy.

Now if you’re a marketer, you know that this saying is even more amplified. Especially if you’re not starting from zero. But worse.

And this may happen if online users look at your campaigns with skepticism. And how likely is that?

Well, we’ve looked at some recent available data to try and reach a verdict.

There is no virtue in marketing

According to the vox populi, the word “ethics” and marketing don’t go well together.

This is one of the more recent reports from the start of the year: 

And while people will gladly trust nurses and teachers—they will rarely trust news reports, businessmen, and finally—advertising practitioners.

What does this tell us? More than half of all people don’t trust advertisers at all. Consequently, they don’t trust their main product—ads. 

In fact, people will trust state officeholders more than advertisers. And the only ones they distrust more are members of Congress and lobbyists. Quite telling, huh?

What does it mean for you: If most people distrust advertisers, it means they also approach ads with skepticism. That’s the battlefield you’re stepping into.

The way out? In a world where people already expect you to be dishonest, the real power move is proving them wrong.

Earn your trust. People trust recommendations and reviews, and might need multiple “touches” to get to know your brand. So try to be more consistent than clever as a single ad is not likely to change anyone’s mind. 

Content, storytelling, and education work better than a hard sell. If people don’t trust traditional advertising, meet them where they are—on social media, in newsletters, through experiences. 

The older you get, the less you trust

You can apply this to everything in life.

Particularly to media:

This is a pretty good report showing how distrust in media increases with age.

As you see, those aged 55+ are super skeptical about everything they see in the media. They trust TV and radio the most, while they’re doubtful of anything online—particularly influencers.

On the other hand, those aged 18-34 are more trustworthy when it comes to all media. This includes podcasts, out-of-home ads, but also influencers or general online content.

What does this mean for you: Younger audiences equals more experimentation as they’re open to various channels—both analogue and digital. 

For older audiences, it’s a different game. They trust traditional media more than  digital—meaning flashy social media campaigns won’t cut it. TV, radio, and even direct mail might work better than another Instagram ad.

What can you do? Meet trust where it lives. 

Use the channels your audience already trusts. If you’re talking to younger consumers, lean into digital-first strategies. For older people, consider traditional media—it still holds weight.

Gen Z trusts influencers a lot

Continuing onto the report above, here’s another stat that backs it up:

Relevant for brands who are considering paying for influencer promotions.

Only 10% say they don’t trust influencers at all, while 33% trust a lot. Half of them say they “trust a little.”

What to do: If you’re aiming to win over Gen Z, it’s almost a home run.  It’s up to you to choose trustworthy influencers and produce good content.

Millennials are a bit more skeptical, but also trust influencers a lot. So the above applies to them as well. 

Boomers, on the other hand, have trust issues when it comes to content creators, with 41% not trusting them at all.

So should you run influencer ads targeted at older audiences? As we said in the above section, it might be better to spend your efforts on more traditional channels.

However, there are still around 37% that have little trust in influencers, while 13% trust a lot—so if you’re confident you can transmit a persuasive message, go for it.

There is less and less confidence in small businesses and big tech

You might’ve felt it too.

And it might have something to do with global trust and institutions fading in the past couple of years. 

But the reports show an interesting trend in the past few years:

And before you ask what’s that got to with ads… Well, a lot.

Compared to just five years ago, public trust for specific institutions has declined. In some areas more than 10%—which has direct implications for advertising and consumer trust.

The small business trust is slipping. It dropped from 75% in 2020 to 68% in 2024. And while high, this trend suggests that people are becoming a bit more skeptical over time.

Combine with tech companies, whose trust fell from 32% to 27%, on which most small businesses advertise—and you’ll understand why this is a bad sign for advertising. 

In a nutshell, consumers will look at small business ads on big platforms with more skepticism than before. Which means ads alone might not be enough anymore.

What can you do: Build credibility over time.

Invest in awareness campaigns through content, social proof, and transparency. If users don’t trust the brand behind the ad, you’ll have a harder time selling, logically. 

Try to make messages more personal and relatable to break through this skepticism. 

Which platforms do users consider trustworthy?

Yes, we’ve saved the best for last.

Here is how online users trust paid ads depending on the platform:

Let’s start with the worst. X has the least level of trust among all listed platforms. This makes a lot of sense, given the controversy on the platform since Elon Musk’s takeover. 

However, things aren’t rosy with Google and Meta Ads, too. Both platforms have considerably lower trust levels—with Google being a bit more trustworthy overall.

On the other hand, LinkedIn Ads are the most trustworthy with 22% users trusting them over other platforms. 

But the surprising trust level comes from TikTok Ads—with almost 19% users thinking they are more trustworthy than others. Interesting.

What can you do: Platforms like LinkedIn benefit from higher credibility, but as a B2B-centric platform, they are notoriously difficult to make a return on spend. But your ads should be better received with a good offer being what makes or breaks the conversion.

On the other hand, X, Meta, or even Google Ads are surrounded with more skepticism. Users will scrutinize your messaging—so work on nurturing, transparency, and social proof.

TikTok is an opportunity. If your audience is there, you might lean into creative, authentic content and your brand might appear more trustworthy among potential consumers.

Trust is a moving target

Users don’t trust ads—or at least, they don’t trust them as much as marketers wish they did. 

But that doesn’t mean you should stop advertising, of course. But it is definitely not a “set-and-forget” thing. Especially since trust isn’t built in a single ad, but over time. 

The brands that win are the ones that invest in relationships, not just impressions. Make sure that’s your perspective—whether you’re advertising for yourself, or for a client.