While social platform visibility is important, trustworthiness is the critical factor shaping platform strategy for marketers, according to a survey by Gartner.
Among all platforms evaluated, YouTube emerged as the most trusted social platform for accurate information.
A Gartner survey of 365 US consumers, conducted in July and August 2025, revealed 61% of surveyed consumers identified YouTube as trustworthy for accurate information.
Reddit followed with 47%, and Instagram ranked third at 32%.
This trust hierarchy is significant: as AI-powered search increasingly surfaces social content, maintaining credibility among consumers, who have mixed feelings about AI, remains all the more critical.
“Marketers must recognize that credibility is now a core currency in the social and search ecosystem. CMOs should prioritise investment in platforms that not only rank highly in search but are also trusted by their target audiences,” says Claudia Ratterman, director analyst in the Gartner Marketing practice.
“To build lasting brand equity, focusing resources on platforms where consumer trust is strongest, and ensuring content is both authoritative and authentic, will help safeguard brand reputation as AI-powered discovery becomes the norm.”
Source: Gartner (July – August 2025)