The study found that 41% of people feel overwhelmed by the wealth of choice on the web, making it hard for them to make purchase decisions. Meanwhile 26% of people feel there is so much information on the net that it is hard for them to find what they are looking for when shopping online. 

Almost half ( 44%) of users said they look at content uploaded by friends at least once a week and 29% of people check posts shared by friends at least once a day. Millennials ( 15- to 34-year-olds) in particular rely on friends’ recommendations on social media with 49% of them trusting personal recommendations from friends more than ads and 33% said that they would visit a site if it is recommended via a social network.

Dan Hagen, chief strategy officer at Carat, said: “While there will always be a small population of people who will make the effort to explore the landscape for new and interesting content, services and diversions, the vast majority need the advice of trusted friends and brands to help them navigate an increasingly saturated content ecosystem. This opens several interesting opportunities and challenges for brands. Smart content, and crucially, distribution strategies combined with innovative approaches to partnership can help advertisers redefine their content strategies.”