Atly, the user-generated social mapping platform revolutionizing location-based knowledge sharing, unveiled consumer survey results in a data report entitled “Location-Based Recommendations: Mapping Trust & Digital Discovery in 2023.” The report reveals that one in three people (30%) have little to no trust in Google Maps when it comes to discovering places that best fulfill their needs.

In today’s digital landscape, discovering reliable information about places to go and things to do remains a daunting task. The survey revealed that 72% of respondents trust recommendations for destinations and restaurants from family and friends most – over social media influencers, online review sites, and Google Maps. Only 11% firmly trust Google Maps to suggest places that meet their needs.

Atly’s report also sheds light on the challenges consumers face when discovering and saving recommendations online. Across all age groups, the majority of respondents resort to outdated and inefficient methods to save and track places of interest they come across digitally, with 50% of people using screenshots and 39% still bookmarking sites on their web browser.

The lack of trustworthy information and effective discovery and tracking methods has real-life implications, as most saved locations go unvisited. Only 13% of respondents across age groups regularly visit the places they discover online. Twenty-nine percent of respondents admitted to rarely or never visiting the places they had previously saved, and for those aged 18-29, the number reached 35%. As a result, businesses and content creators are experiencing diminished performance on social media posts.

“Understanding how consumers obtain recommendations and what factors influence their trust in the discoveries they make online allows us to continually improve the consumer experience around discovering, tracking, and sharing location-based knowledge,” said Uriel Maslansky, CEO and Co-Founder of Atly. “Our findings reveal a massive disconnect between trust and action in the digital discovery process. The disparity underlines the need for innovative social solutions that better serve consumers, content creators, and businesses alike, and the potential to harness the wisdom of the crowd to make the experience better for everyone.”

“Google Maps is supposed to be the most reliable source for location-based content, yet everyone knows the younger generation is running to social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok to find their next recommendation,” said Joshua Kaufman, Co-Founder of Atly. “In a world with so much information at our fingertips, there is still no single platform that combines trusted sources with an incredible mapping experience, and that is what we are tackling head on at Atly.”

To compile the report, Atly conducted a survey of over 1,000 consumers across the United States. The consumer survey aimed to explore where people get destination and activity recommendations, the discovery processes they undergo to do so, and the frequency with which these discoveries translate into actual visits.