About 75 per cent of consumers feel brands that use micro-blogging sites such as Twitter are more trustworthy than brands that do not, a new study by a leading public relations firm reported on Tuesday.

The second annual Digital Influence Index by Fleishman-Hillard and market researcher Harris Interactive said these findings on the usage of the microblogging site by businesses are significant in the light of many leading companies finding themselves amid controversy in the last few months.

Recently, oil giant BP has received negative publicity over the Gulf oil disaster, while Procter & Gamble encountered a viral campaign on social networking site Facebook against its new diapers.

Companies should be well versed with the digital world and establish a relationship with customers so that trust can help them manage a crisis, said Brian McRoberts, senior vice president of digital research at Fleishman-Hillard.

The study surveyed 4,243 people in seven countries, including the US and China, between December and January.