Traditional media opinions still #1

According to a recent survey conducted by the Canadian Council of Public Relations Firms (CCPRF), traditional earned media opinions are still by far the most influential in shaping Canadians’ purchasing decisions. More than 40 per cent of those polled reported caring more about an editor’s opinion, compared to only four per cent who felt a celebrity’s endorsement or opinion carried more weight.

The survey also found that almost four in 10 Canadians (38 per cent) aged 18-34 consider blogs to be one of their top research sources for purchasing, compared to less than half that (16 per cent) of Canadians aged 55 or older. Interestingly, the same group of 18-34 year olds viewed company websites as credible news source, which was significantly different than the 35-54 year old group (23 per cent versus 10 per cent).

Survey highlights:
– Facebook trumps Twitter (21 per cent versus 15 per cent), but blogs trump Facebook (29 per cent versus 21 per cent)
– Company websites, however, trump blogs by more than a 2:1 ratio (68 per cent versus 29 per cent)
– Ultimately, traditional media sources – newspapers (86 per cent), TV (83 per cent), radio (78 per cent), and magazines (73 per cent) – still outrank all of the above as the go-to source for information

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