77% of Consumers Start on Business Websites — But Gen Z Is Driving a Shift to Social Media

How people interact with technology is constantly evolving. Take the eCommerce space. The industry began with humble website design and has since transformed to include sleek apps and social media feeds to sell and engage with customers, expanding their reach.

Yet with all this evolution, it seems traditional channels still hold their weight among users.

A recent HostingAdvice.com survey reveals that 77% of consumers surveyed said they still visit a business’s website first to access information before going to any other channel. But this behavior slightly tilts among younger people.

While a significant share (64%) of Gen Z still prefers to visit a business website first, Gen Z is the most likely generation (36%) to use social media as an entry point to a business, compared to other generations.

This 13 percentage-point difference in behavior points to a clear shift in how consumers, especially younger people, are approaching businesses. While social media won’t fully replace websites anytime soon, it’s clear that it’s picking up steam among younger consumers.

Our results reveal key generational differences in how consumers find businesses online. While most people still prefer business websites for their research, one demographic in particular is leading a shift toward social media.

Social media pages are becoming increasingly popular among younger Americans in general, not just Gen Z. Over a third (36%) of Gen Z and 29% of millennials use social media as a starting point to gain insight into a business. In contrast, only 12% of Gen X and 20% of baby boomers use social media platforms first to find more information about a brand before visiting its website.

A clear pattern emerges: As age increases, preference for social media decreases, suggesting that age could be influencing behavior.

According to Pew Research, younger Americans are far more likely to have more social media accounts and spend more time on them than older generations. This underscores why younger people may lean more on social media to find information, as they spend more time on it.

Many things can signal trust to customers, and a business owning a website is definitely one of them. According to our study, nearly 3 in 4 (72%) Americans say they trust a business with a website more than one with a social media presence alone. Only 28% of consumers trust businesses that are social-only.

Perception is key here. Websites are widely seen as credible, established sources of information for users. On the other hand, consumers may view social media channels as more of a discovery tool for brands, leading them to a website.

“Only 28% of consumers trust businesses that are social-only.”

Our findings show that consumer trust and behavior are closely aligned. Consumers not only prefer visiting a website first, but also trust a business more if it has one. This reveals a clear correlation between their preference and trust.

As the online space continues to shift, businesses are seeing the benefits of adapting to their audiences. Yet websites will remain essential in modern business strategies for years to come.

This survey was conducted in April 2026 among 500 U.S.-based respondents. Respondents were selected from a third-party research panel.

To ensure the integrity of data collection, the researcher developed a proprietary machine-learning algorithm that can detect fraudulent responses early and remove inauthentic respondents immediately. The overall margin of error is ±3.1 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. Margins of error increase for subgroups such as age or gender.

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