Do You Check the Operator's SNS When Considering Products or Services? Survey of 501 Men and Women

m-fro Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Representative: Hironori Kitawaki) conducted an "Awareness Survey on SNS of Product/Service Operators" targeting 501 people with experience purchasing online, and ranked the data.

When considering a product or service, do you check the "operator's SNS" in addition to the official website and review sites?

Official SNS is a place where the stance of a company or operator can be easily seen through "content," "update status," and "interaction with users."

Craudia Media Placement Support Service (https://craudia-citation.com/), operated by m-fro Inc., conducted a survey on "SNS of Product/Service Operators" among 501 people with experience purchasing online. The results were compiled in a ranking format.

Mika Mori, representative of m-pixel labo, provided insights into the survey results.

[Request for Citation/Reprint of Data]

When using the survey results and images from this release, please be sure to include a link to the detailed survey page (https://craudia-citation.com/column/5625).

[Survey Overview]

Target Audience: People with experience purchasing online

Survey Period: January 15-22, 2026

Survey Organization: In-house survey

Survey Method: Voluntary response via internet

Valid Responses: 501 people (313 women / 188 men)

Responder Age Groups: Teens 1.2% / 20s 20.0% / 30s 31.4% / 40s 27.2% / 50s 17.2% / 60s and over 3.0%

[Survey Results Summary]

- 70.1% of people check the operator's SNS when considering products or services.

- The most checked SNS by women is "Instagram," and by men is "X."

- For both women and men, the most important point when checking an operator's SNS is "the content of the posts."

- The SNS that women feel is trustworthy is "Instagram," and men feel is "X."

- The SNS that both men and women feel is not very trustworthy is "X."

- 62.9% of people stopped their purchase or application after checking the operator's SNS.

70.1% of people check the operator's SNS when considering products or services.

When asked "Do you check the operator's SNS when considering products or services?" among 501 people with experience purchasing online, 70.1% answered "almost always check (12.4%)" or "have checked before (57.7%)."

It was found that 70% of people use the operator's SNS as a basis for judgment when considering products and services.

There were no significant differences between men and women in each item.

The most checked SNS by women is "Instagram," and by men is "X."

When asked "What do you check on the operator's SNS (type of SNS)?" the top result for both men and women combined was "Instagram (49.7%)," followed by "X (40.9%)." The results were "TikTok (6.4%)," "Facebook (5.8%)," and "YouTube (5.6%)."

When analyzed by gender, the following results were obtained:

For women, Instagram (56.5%) was overwhelmingly the top choice. On the other hand, for men, "X (52.1%)" was the top choice, with over half of respondents answering that they check it.

From the above results, it can be inferred that women tend to focus on "image-based and emotional/impression-oriented" content, while men tend to focus on "text-based and spec-oriented" content.

For women, the most important point when checking an operator's SNS is "the content of the posts."

For women, the overwhelming top point when "checking the operator's SNS" was "the content of the posts (64.5%)." "Whether it is updated (27.2%)" was second, followed by "number of followers (19.5%)."

Over 60% cited "content of posts," and the proportion was notably higher compared to the men's ranking. It was found that women tend to place more importance on the "quality of post content" than men.

While easily understandable indicators like "update frequency" and "number of followers" are included, the overall trend suggests a preference for substance and atmosphere over numbers.

<1st Place: Content of Posts>

- "Whether the operator posts offensive content like 'flame bait' marketing" (20s Female)

- "Whether the post content is unpleasant" (40s Female)

From the responses of women, a strong emphasis was placed on "whether the account is one that can be viewed with peace of mind, without feeling unpleasant." Flame bait or aggressive expressions can easily become a reason to distance oneself.

Conversely, some people were looking for positive posts. Also, useful information leads to the feeling of "wanting to see more."

<2nd Place: Is it updated?>

- "If it hasn't been updated for months, I worry that it's no longer being operated" (30s Female)

- "Is it still being updated? Not just announcements, but is it being operated daily?" (50s Female)

Checking the update status is to know if it is still being operated properly. If updates stop, anxiety and distrust tend to arise first.

Accounts that are updated infrequently and only with announcements are also less trusted, and daily communication is important. It is understood that in SNS operation, it is important to value the accumulation of daily efforts rather than only posting when trying to sell something.

<3rd Place: Number of Followers>

- "Followers and people being followed" (20s Female)

- "Whether there are a decent number of followers" (50s Female)

The number of followers is an important indicator for women as well.

However, on SNS, there are methods like buying followers, which are not real follower-building techniques. Therefore, not only the number of followers but also "whether the followers are active" and "the balance between the number of follows and followers" were checked.

It is important for operation managers to keep in mind that "literate users look not only at the number of followers but also at their quality."

<4th Place: Atmosphere of the Comment Section>

- "The content of the posts and the comments on the posts. If there are too many critical comments, I will refrain from purchasing or re-examine the reviews." (40s Female)

- "Whether the comments are favorable, etc." (50s Female)

There were many comments stating, "If there are many critical comments in the comment section, I feel uneasy about the product or service." The SNS comment section is functioning as a review section for the operator and product.

It appears that the comment section is used as a factor for risk avoidance.

<5th Place: Content of Replies>

- "Whether they politely reply to user questions, and whether they leave critical comments unanswered" (20s Female)

- "Whether they respond sincerely to questions and anti-comments in user interactions, and whether they ignore them" (30s Female)

When official accounts reply politely to questions and comments on SNS, their favorability increases. The attitude and content of replies serve as a basis for judging whether they will properly address issues when they arise.

Therefore, ignoring questions or responding coldly becomes a source of anxiety for users. Politeness is required in user communication.

For men, the most important point when checking an operator's SNS is also "the content of the posts."

When asked about the "most important points when checking an operator's SNS," the top answer for men, like for women, was "the content of the posts (47.9%)." "Whether it is updated (27.7%)" was second, followed by "number of followers (22.3%)," all exceeding 20%.

It is clear that the content of the posts is important first. Even with high update frequency and a large number of followers, posts lacking substance will not be evaluated.

<1st Place: Content of Posts>

- "I consider avoiding a purchase if they make biased statements unrelated to the service, or if they cause controversy for various reasons." (30s Male)

- "I focus on the operator's values and sincerity in their daily posts." (40s Male)

- "I emphasize consistency in post content. I also judge whether it's excessively promotional." (40s Male)

Specific points for checking post content include "understanding the personality of the operator/SNS manager," "not being extreme," and "not being solely promotional."

For example, extreme statements can lead to thoughts of post-purchase trouble, and can lead to a rejection of buying from someone whose values don't align. On the other hand, daily and consistent posts convey sincerity and build trust.

For SNS managers, it is important to avoid being solely promotional while consistently communicating the site/brand's values and stance. It is necessary to be aware that even a small post can directly impact the evaluation of the site/brand.

<2nd Place: Is it updated?>

- "Continuity of updates. If the interval between updates is too long, I become anxious about whether the product will actually arrive." (30s Male)

- "Update frequency, such as the date of the latest post." (60s+ Male)

Specifically, update frequency and the date of the latest post were mentioned.

If updates stop, it leads to anxiety about "whether the service itself is operational" or "whether it's okay to place an order." Conversely, even regular updates serve as proof of activity and provide users with a sense of security that the business is operating.

<3rd Place: Number of Followers>

- "I tend to trust people with a large number of followers." (50s Male)

- "Whether the number of followers is extremely low." (60s+ Male)

The number of followers is an easy indicator to judge how much an account is supported by users. The more followers an account has, the more the psychology of "chosen by many people = unlikely to make a big mistake" comes into play.

<4th Place: Atmosphere of the Comment Section>

- "The civility of the comment section." (20s Male)

- "If the comment section is chaotic, I will refrain from purchasing." (60s+ Male)

The comment section is a place where one can see the atmosphere not only of the operator but also of the "users of the site and products."

If the comment section is chaotic or has many aggressive comments, it can lead to feelings of unease or discomfort about the account or site, and a decision to refrain from purchasing or using it.

<5th Place: Content of Replies>

- "The tone of the person responding to replies." (20s Male)

- "How replies to the comment section are handled." (30s Male)

Replies to user comments on an account are also checked by users. This is because it is a point where one can feel the response when actually interacting and the personality of the operator/manager.

"Is the language polite?" and "Are they not getting emotional even with users who complain?" are indicative of the quality of customer service. SNS managers need to be aware that replies on SNS are a form of customer service that is being observed.

The SNS that women feel is trustworthy is "Instagram," and men feel is "X."

When asked "Which SNS do you feel is trustworthy?" the most common answer overall for both men and women was "no difference (31.9%)."

The results by gender are as follows:

- "Instagram. Because it gives the impression of being well-managed." (20s Female)

- "X. Because I believe trust can be measured through 'comments,' 'likes,' and 'follower counts.' Conversely, I can judge that closed comments or lack of recent updates are not trustworthy." (20s Male)

- "Instagram. Because posts are easy to understand with photos and videos, and it conveys actual activities and atmosphere. By looking at comments and interactions on Stories, I can also feel the distance and sincerity with users, which leads to trust." (40s Male)

- "Basically, it's the same for all SNS. Trustworthiness changes based on post content and word usage." (30s Male)

- "Facebook. Because it's easy to see if it's a corporate registration, making it easy to determine if the company exists." (40s Male)

- "X (formerly Twitter). Because negative opinions are also open, and you can see their attitude towards negative voices." (30s Female)

- "Instagram. For accounts that show faces, I feel it can be proof of confidence." (50s Female)

For women, "Instagram (37.4%)" was the top choice, surpassing "no difference." On the other hand, for men, "X (28.2%)" ranked second after "no difference." These results reflect that more women use Instagram and more men use X.

There were no significant differences between men and women in the reasons for trusting each SNS. For Instagram, reasons included "easy to understand as it's image-based" and "posting images and videos takes effort." For X, reasons included "text-based, so there are detailed explanations" and "you can see the operator's real self." For Facebook, reasons included "low anonymity."

The correctness and reliability of post content, and the carefulness of the operational attitude are points for evaluating SNS.

The SNS that both men and women feel is not very trustworthy is "X."

When asked "Which SNS do you feel is not very trustworthy?" the most common answer overall for both men and women was "no difference (35.9%)."

The results by gender are as follows:

- "X. While its information diffusion power is high, it is anonymous and prone to mixing extreme expressions and unverified information, so I feel it is weak as a sole basis for judgment." (40s Male)

- "In the past, I bought a product after clicking on an ad on X, but what arrived was completely different from the ad. I thought, 'This is how it is,' and decided not to trust it anymore." (30s Female)

- "TikTok. I feel too many people are promoting it for profit." (20s Male)

- "I've used recommendations from TikTok several times, and several times they were different from what I expected." (20s Female)

- "Facebook. I feel that not many people are using it currently." (30s Female)

- "On Facebook, old information is sometimes posted, and there's not much activity, so it's hard to find in searches." (20s Male)

- "Instagram. Because there are many image posts and little text information, I sometimes feel it's difficult to understand the actual situation." (50s Male)

- "It's not specific to any SNS, but I feel it's untrustworthy due to inconsistent word usage or content." (60s+ Female)

Excluding "no difference," the most common answer for both men and women was "X," followed by "TikTok."

Reasons for not trusting X and TikTok included "many extreme or false contents." For Facebook, reasons included "slow updates," and for Instagram, "lack of desired explanations."

Some people also became unable to trust a specific SNS due to experiences where they felt deceived.

62.9% of people stopped their purchase or application after checking the operator's SNS.

When asked "Have you ever stopped your purchase or application after checking the operator's SNS?" "often (9.2%)" and "sometimes (53.7%)" combined to 62.9%. It is clear that the impression on SNS plays a major role in the final decision.

There were no significant differences between men and women in the survey for each item.

It is understood that many people, both men and women, check "information reliability" and "abundance of necessary information" on SNS before taking actions such as purchasing products.

Summary

Operators' SNS are utilized as a basis for judgment by users in the process of selecting products and services. Specifically, major and well-known SNS were frequently mentioned as SNS to check and trust.

There were also voices saying, "I check the SNS that I usually use, and I trust the SNS that I usually use," so it is important for companies to identify the SNS used by their target audience.

On the other hand, many voices stated, "It's not that trustworthiness changes depending on the type of SNS, but the content is important." Many users are judging whether they can trust it and use it with peace of mind based on the content of posts and update status.

SNS managers are required to provide the information users seek frequently and show a willingness to communicate.

Mika Mori's Commentary

Consumers are highly skilled at using SNS in their daily lives and have developed a keen eye for selecting information. In recent times, with the prevalence of AI-generated mass-produced posts and unpleasant content, people are more cautious in discerning information.

On the other hand, some businesses still misunderstand SNS as merely an "advertising tool" and only make announcements, but this will not earn trust. Users look not only at the content of posts but also at the daily attitude of response. The desire to "avoid mistakes" is strong due to factors like rising prices and vigilance against stealth marketing, and the existence of consumers who make purchase decisions after viewing the operator's SNS is evident from this survey.

Sincere and consistent SNS operation creates trust and encourages purchases. The key to success lies in viewing SNS not just as a PR tool, but as a space for dialogue that provides a sense of security and builds trust.

▽ Supervisor Introduction

Mika Mori

Representative of m-pixel labo (https://m-pixellabo.com/)

Chief SNS Manager, Senior Web Analyst

After graduating from Osaka City University (now Osaka Metropolitan University), she worked in public relations and recruitment at a real estate company before moving into web production. In 2017, she established m-pixel labo. Currently, as a Chief SNS Manager certified by the Web Analysis Association, she supports companies and organizations in SNS operation, SNS advertising, and cross-analysis of access analytics (GA4), primarily focusing on Instagram.

Her strength lies in "SNS operation that does not separate posts, advertising, and analysis," and she provides practical know-how that can be replicated in the field to SNS managers of small and medium-sized enterprises with limited budgets and resources. She is scheduled to publish a commercial book on the theme of SNS advertising in early 2027.

[Request for Citation/Reprint of Data]

When using the survey results and images from this release, please be sure to include a link to the detailed survey page (https://craudia-citation.com/column/5625).

About Claudia

Claudi is a comprehensive cloud sourcing service operated by m-fro Inc. It is offered as one of the services that supports individual lifestyles, such as freelance, side jobs, and multiple jobs, in an era where ways of working and lifestyles are diversifying.

Official URL: https://www.craudia.com/

About m-fro Inc.

m-fro Inc. is a company whose core business is media operations, providing attractive information to users and valuable services. Leveraging the data, know-how, and development achievements accumulated through its core media business, it offers marketing consulting services that propose highly effective customer acquisition methods.

Official URL: https://www.mfro.net/

Company Profile

Company Name: m-fro Inc.

Representative: Hironori Kitawaki, President and Representative Director

Location: 4F, A-PLACE Ebisu Higashi, 3-13-11 Higashi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0011

Established: September 2004

Capital: 50,000,000 yen

URL: http://www.mfro.net/