- Nearly half of all consumers (49%) make every day, weekly or monthly purchases due to influencers, based on recent research from Sprout Social. Moreover, trust is on the rise, with 30% saying they trust influencers even greater than they did six months ago while nearly half say they trust influencers as much today as they did prior to now.
- However, “authenticity” as a valued trait in influencers could also be on the way in which out. Only 35% of Gen Z consumers said they cared most about authenticity from influencers, while 47% said they cared about follower count.
- Generative artificial (AI) has also begun to make its mark within the influencer space, with mixed consumer attitudes concerning the use of AI-created influencers demonstrating how the buzzy tech still presents pitfalls for marketers.
Influencers are definitely earning their titles, particularly with younger — Gen Z and millennial — consumers. While nearly half of all consumers surveyed said they make regular purchases due to influencers, that figure is essentially influenced (pun intended) by the younger cohorts. The frequent buyers, those that make every day or weekly purchases based on influencers, are inclined to be millennials or Gen Zers.
Millennial and Gen Z consumers also prioritize influencers’ reputations over their shared values or authenticity. Among the frequent buyers, posting frequency and follower count (58% and 42%, respectively) far outweighed personal values and authenticity (32% and 21%) when it got here to the traits consumers valued most among the many influencers.
“Trust is a priceless commodity that each brand must construct in an effort to compete in a market where consumers have seemingly infinite purchasing options,” said Scott Morris, CMO of Sprout Social, in a press release.
Consumer trust is being tested by the rise of generative AI, which is starting to affect the influencer space as marketers experiment with AI-generated creators. More than a 3rd of consumers (37%) said they’d be more interested by brands that use an AI influencer, while the identical amount could be distrustful of a brand that did so. The remaining 27% said they’re indifferent and wouldn’t have the opportunity to inform the difference.
Additionally, the role of the influencer in consumer and brand relationships is changing. The survey found that 29% of all consumers — and 41% of Gen Z consumers and 62% of frequent buyers — usually tend to share product feedback with influencers fairly than the brands themselves. As a result, brands will want to interact more closely with influencers to grasp these insights.
Instagram stays the highest content platform for influencer engagement, but, unsurprisingly, preferences vary by age. Gen Z consumers are more likely to interact on TikTok, while Gen Xers and baby boomers rank Facebook as their top platforms. Across the board, consumers are most interested by foods and drinks (30%) and sweetness (26%) influencer content, though, again, preferences vary by age. Millennials and Gen Z consumers are interested by fitness and gaming, while Gen Xers prefer entertainment and sports content.
Regardless, consumers are most certainly to interact with real and unbiased influencer reviews, and greater than half (55%) say access to discount or promo codes makes them more prone to hunt down influencer content. Sprout Social surveyed 2,000 consumers and 300 influencers to reach on the leads to its 2024 Influencer Marketing Report.
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