BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Gen Zers consider customer reviews to be the most trusted source of information as they evaluate whether to engage with a brand, according to a new study.
The 2026 Gen Z Brand Credibility Study, conducted by Wair for We are Talker, found 72% ranked customer reviews as the No. 1 factor when assessing whether a brand can be trusted. Also important to Gen Z were independent research and surveys (68%) and expert opinions (68%).
Reporting by journalists resonated with 58%, while information that came directly from a brand, such as advertising and social media, was listed by 57% of respondents, followed by influencer content at 55%. Lowest on the list of trusted sources were PR stunts, campaigns and brand activations at 46%.
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“For brands, credibility today is built through independent validation,” said Tim Haslam, CEO of We are Talker. “Our survey shows that younger audiences place greater trust in reviews, research and expert opinion than in promotional messaging.”
We are Talker suggested the findings show that despite the rapid growth of influencer marketing, younger consumers may be becoming skeptical of paid promotions and are gravitating instead toward independent sources.
Respondents said clear and useful information (37%) is the biggest requirement for them to engage with a brand, including following it, signing up or making a purchase. Also driving action is “seeing real people talk about,” which was cited by 35% of those surveyed.
The survey, which was commissioned by We are Talker, was conducted online by Wair between Feb. 6 and 13. Wair polled 2,000 U.S. Gen Zers ages 18 to 28 who have access to the Internet.
