Fighting for more content dollars? You just got some ammunition, thanks to a Nielsen report.

Branded websites are trusted more than TV ads, banner ads, text ads, online video ads, and ads on social networks, according to Nielsen's Digital Consumer Report (pdf).

Of those surveyed, 52 percent trust content they find through branded websites, compared with TV ads (46 percent) or when they're paid to click (36 percent). Thirty-two percent trust social media ad campaigns.

The report doesn't define "branded websites," but we assume that they are company websites. Consumers simply have a greater affinity for familiar consumer brands than they do for promotional content.

Globally (except in Japan), Google is the No. 1 Web brand, YouTube is a top 10 online destination, and Facebook is among the top three sites (again, except in Japan).



Men vs. women

We already know we're from different planets offline, but what about online? Although most people (97 percent) who access social networking sites do so from their computers, there are some differences between the sexes.

Women are more likely than men to access these sites through mobile phones and eReaders. More men than women use iPads, gaming consoles, and Internet-enabled TV.

Other findings of note:

• Tablet owners: 53 percent men, 47 percent women
• Smartphone owners: 50 percent men, 50 percent women
• Social network/blog visitors: 46 percent men, 54 percent women

A nation of multitaskers

Regardless of gender, while watching TV, 57 percent of tablet and smartphone owners check email, 44 percent surf the Internet, and 44 percent visit a social networking site.

The top five sites that people visit while watching TV are Facebook, YouTube, Zynga, Google search, and Yahoo Mail.

Read more of Nielsen's far-ranging report here.

Roula Amire is managing editor of Ragan.com.

(Image via)