Consumers haven’t stopped trusting recommendations, they’ve just become far more selective about who they trust.
To better understand how Canadians feel about influencers, social recommendations, and online trust, we surveyed 2,024 shoppers across the country. The results revealed a shift in consumer behaviour: people are increasingly looking for authenticity, relatability, and real-world experiences over polished sponsored content.
And perhaps most importantly for brands, the findings show that everyday people still have enormous influence over purchase decisions.
We've summarized our findings in this infographic, but continue on to read our full findings:
Consumers Trust Real People Far More Than Influencers
When we asked Canadians who they trust most when making a purchase decision, the answer was overwhelmingly clear.
- 55% said they trust recommendations from people they know most
- 40% said they trust online reviews from everyday consumers
- Only 5% said they trust influencers most
That means 95% of respondents place more trust in either personal connections or real consumer reviews than influencer content.
Consumers are still heavily influenced by social proof, but they increasingly want that proof to feel authentic and unbiased.
Personal Networks Drive Action
The same trend appeared when we asked whose recommendations people are most likely to consider when seeing a post about a new product online.
- 68% said they would be most likely to consider a recommendation from someone they personally know
- 24% said an influencer they already follow
- Just 8% said an influencer they don’t follow who appeared in their feed
Familiarity matters. Trust matters. And increasingly, consumers are prioritizing recommendations that feel personal and genuine over content that feels promotional.
Influencers May Create Awareness, But Real People Drive Purchases
We also asked our agents to think about the last product purchase they made because of a recommendation.
The results again pointed strongly toward personal influence:
- 60% said they were influenced by a friend, family member, coworker, or acquaintance
- 32% said online reviews from real consumers
- Only 9% said an influencer
This doesn’t mean influencer marketing is dead. Influencers still play a role in helping consumers discover products. But when it comes to actual trust and purchase behaviour, everyday people appear to carry significantly more weight.
Consumers Are Skeptical of Influencer Content
One of the most interesting parts of the survey came from the open-ended responses explaining why consumers are skeptical of influencers.
Three themes came up repeatedly:
1. Consumers Believe Influencers Are Motivated by Money
Many respondents said influencer content feels transactional because influencers are often paid, sponsored, or incentivized to promote products.
2. Influencer Content Feels Fake or Scripted
Consumers frequently described influencer posts as overly polished, exaggerated, or inauthentic, especially when influencers promote too many products or switch brands frequently.
3. People Trust Real Experiences More
Respondents repeatedly said they trust recommendations more when they come from real people with no obvious incentive attached.
In short, consumers haven’t stopped trusting social recommendations, they’ve stopped trusting recommendations that feel like advertising.
Authenticity Is Becoming the Most Valuable Currency in Marketing
Another standout finding: 71% of respondents said they have posted about a product they genuinely liked without being asked or paid.
That’s a huge opportunity for brands.
Consumers naturally want to share products and experiences they genuinely enjoy, especially with their own personal networks. And because those posts feel authentic, they often carry far more trust than traditional influencer content.
At the same time, 97% of respondents said they read reviews when considering a purchase, reinforcing just how important social proof remains in the buying journey.
The takeaway from this survey isn’t that social influence no longer matters. In fact, it may matter more than ever.
But consumers are sending a strong message: they want recommendations that feel authentic, unscripted, and trustworthy.
For brands, that opens the door to a different kind of social engagement, one built less around polished endorsements, and more around real people sharing real experiences.
And that shift may end up being one of the biggest opportunities in modern marketing.