A groundbreaking nationwide survey conducted in Brazil by PYXYS, a mediatech company that connects information, data, and technology to strengthen the media ecosystem for publishers, in partnership with Opinion Box, indicates that over 70% of Brazilians get their news through social media. The study also signals that news consumption in Brazil is intense, with 9 out of 10 people staying informed daily.
According to Andrés Bruzzone, CEO of PYXYS, the heavy use of social media directly reflects the increased frequency of news access today. However, despite leading the search for news, the study shows that only 17% of the population trusts these platforms and the habit of directly accessing traditional websites remains strong.
Traditional media outlets lead in trust. Nearly 90% of the population believes in what they consume on portals, newspapers, and TV and radio stations.features. ""We observe that when a portal is trustworthy, the reader returns. It's that simple. Well-crafted, clear, and accurate content makes people want to get informed again, and that retains the audience,"”states Andrés Bruzzone.
Channel influence on purchasing decisions
With higher credibility, news portals have a direct impact on consumption: 85.6% of Brazilians report having been influenced by editorial content when deciding what to buy. Furthermore, for 74% of respondents, trust in the portal is an important factor before clicking on an advertisement, and 64% state they interact more frequently with an ad when they consider the topic of the article and the advertisement to be compatible..
For Andrés, a trustworthy environment boosts results, and a portal's reputation is directly linked to the chance of sales conversion.
“By creating content in partnership with brands, combining information, data, and context, we build experiences that effectively assist the purchasing journey. This is how audience is transformed into results for portals and partners,” points out Bruzzone.
The research also reveals a generational difference in the influence of news portals on online purchases. While 32.58% of young people aged 16 to 24 state that content has led them to make a purchase, only 16.67% of people aged 50 or older acknowledge having been influenced.
News consumption preferences and formats
Even with a preference for news portals, 1 in 5 people report that they usually do not read articles to the end. In light of this, over 40% of Brazilians indicated a preference for shorter texts and summaries. “Users want something quick and direct. That's why it's important to invest in various formats and move beyond the traditional, offering content on social media as well, creating your own newsletter, and also podcasts,"”, highlights Bruzzone.
According to Andrés, the preference for audiovisual content on the internet is also significant and now directly competes with traditional TV. Out of every 10 people, 4 no longer get their news from television, and nearly 60% of the population prefers podcasts or online videos.
The most popular social network for news is Instagram, used by over 83% of Brazilians. Next is YouTube, with 71%, reinforcing the preference for visual environments. TikTok is growing rapidly and is already used by almost half the country as a source of daily updates.
Bruzzone believes this scenario reinforces the importance of investing in quality informational material and strategically leveraging the power of social media. “When content is well-produced, contextualized, and distributed through the right channels, it informs, engages, and strengthens the portal's credibility. This way, newspapers can connect journalism, data, and technology to ensure both profitability from content and partners, as well as people's access to reliable information,”, concludes the CEO of PYXYS.
