An X and Y Gen Look at Trust
The trend to trust brands and ideas based on a group of people like ourselves (neighbors, friends, business associates) is rapidly changing. With much of the rise of social media steered by the X and Y generations, people are trusting people who mainly share interests, those far beyond our local social circles. Brands that are making the greatest impact, especially with these generations, are developing blogs and web sites based on interests. Search engines such as Google are connecting passionate groups of information seekers with the information providers trying to reach them. Getting your online presence up to today’s standards is essential as this is where a long trail of people who are passionate about their interests are getting information to make decisions about brands. It is not surprising that the basis for trusting brands is the way it is with many Gen X consumers, looking at these characteristics:
- Expect high impact internet marketing techniques
- High percentage of entrepreneurs
- Value of purchases more important than brand
- Want instant gratification
- Skeptical, especially of advertising
- Want balance between life and work
Combine the Gen X buying power with the highly social Y Gen, and you have the form of branding many Boomers swear by—word-of-mouth. Trust today comes to the masses—your web visitor links your messages to ten friends who forward to 100 friends...