Study Shows Americans Prefer Online Forums Over Mainstream Social Media
Winter Wong — February 7, 2019 — February 7, 2019
With misinformation across online social media sites on the rise, people’s use and perception of mainstream social media sites as reliable sources of information and places to exchange ideas with others has dwindled. To learn more about this shift, we at Tapatalk decided to conduct an anonymous survey of 1,000 Americans who use social media.
We found that many people are frustrated with sites like Facebook and Twitter, and interestingly, today’s users are turning to specialized online forums for news and information, rather than mainstream social media.
Unsurprisingly, the survey found that most people (63%) go online every day to look up information and ask simple questions. While mainstream social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter remain extremely popular, nearly three-quarters (72%) of those surveyed felt the integrity of those sites are diminishing with users being less likely to use them to find reliable information online.
As distrust for mainstream social media grows, many Americans are turning to online forums as a their preferred way to access credible information. In fact, 72% of respondents felt that forums, centralized or independent, were more reliable for trustworthy information, compared to the meager 18% who felt Facebook would be more reliable. The survey also found that only 9% of respondents felt Twitter was reliable for trustworthy information.
It’s also clear that specialized forums have earned a reputation for reliability and trustworthiness as 80% said they trust specialized online-forums more than sites like Facebook. Users aren’t just looking to get reliable information on specialized forums either, the survey found that over half (53%) prefer interacting with other users on independent forums more than centralized sites like Facebook and Twitter.
Even though users are more likely to trust information they find on online forums, they also feel the user experience has room for improvement. Those polled are looking for better navigation capabilities across forums, consistent reputations and easier ways to engage with content experts. Despite forum popularity, users want a reward system in place for content creators or those providing expertise on online forums. An overwhelmingly 90% of respondents said they would be more likely to contribute to an online forum if they were compensated for their contributions. When respondents were asked about the largest hurdle they faced when joining a new forum, most found it difficult to build a new reputation even if they’d already generated one on another forum. In fact, 62% of respondents believe content creators should be able to take their reputation from forum to forum.
At Tapatalk, we plan to address these critical areas of trust through a seamless mobile forum experience using blockchain technology. While forums are already the preferred resource compared to other social media platforms, advancements within these spaces will help to cultivate even stronger content and engagement.
To download the free report, see here.
Digital & Social Articles on Business 2 Community
(8)
