New Research Reveals Influencers Significantly Drive Purchasing Decisions
April 25 2024 - 9:03AM
Influencers have cemented themselves as key components of modern
marketing strategies, and new research reveals the significant
power they have in directly shaping consumer purchasing behaviors.
According to The 2024 Influencer Marketing Report released today by
Sprout Social, an industry-leading provider of cloud-based social
media management software, 49% of all consumers make daily, weekly,
or monthly purchases because of influencer posts, with 30% trusting
influencers more today than they did just six months ago.
The report surveyed 2,000 consumers and 300 influencers to
uncover their influencer marketing perspectives today and predict
how the landscape will evolve in the future.
The findings illustrate how influencers are highly trusted
catalysts of buying decisions, but their revenue impact becomes
even greater when considering the preferences of Gen Z, whose
buying power is quickly growing. Gen Z consumers reportedly trust
influencers at a higher rate and are more likely to make daily or
weekly purchases compared to other consumers. In addition, 87% of
Gen Z consumers are more willing to buy from brands that partner
with influencers outside of just social media content, giving
influencers the opportunity to expand into brand spokesperson roles
that have typically been held by actors, athletes, and
celebrities.
“Trust is a priceless commodity that every brand must build in
order to compete in a market where consumers have seemingly endless
purchasing options,” said Scott Morris, CMO of Sprout Social. “Our
research makes it clear that influencers are not only viable but
necessary partners to tap into consumer trust, especially among
younger generations. Brands who put influencers at the core of
their overall strategies, on and off social, will reap the benefits
as the influencer economy grows in tandem with consumer trust.”
In addition to driving purchases, the report highlights the
unique role influencers also play in customer care. Gen Z and
frequent purchasers say they’re more likely to share product
feedback with influencers than with the brands they bought from, so
customer service teams will need to operate in lockstep with
influencers moving forward. This rich customer engagement combined
with the rising level of trust means influencers can be invaluable
partners and channels for customer feedback, helping brands pivot
in real-time and grow long-term.
Additional key findings include:
- Consumer attitudes toward AI influencers: The
rise of generative AI has led to the birth of AI-generated
influencers. Attitudes toward virtual influencers are equally
split; 37% of consumers would be more interested in a brand that
uses an AI influencer, while the same amount say they’d be more
distrustful of a brand. The remaining 27% say they’re indifferent
and wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between AI and human
influencers.
- Platforms consumers use to connect with influencers
most: Consumers are most likely to engage with influencer
content on Instagram, where influencers are also most active.
However, platform preferences vary greatly by age. Gen Z consumers
are more likely to engage with influencer content on TikTok than
any other generation. For Gen X and Baby Boomers, Facebook ranks as
their top platform for influencer engagement, followed by Instagram
and YouTube, respectively.
- Types of influencer content consumers engage with
most: 64% of consumers are most likely to engage with
genuine and unbiased influencer reviews, and 55% say access to a
discount or promo codes makes them more likely to seek out
influencer content.
- Influencer marketing topics consumers care
about: Across the board, consumers are most interested in
food and drink (30%) and beauty (26%) influencer content, but there
are some differences in preference by age. Millennial and Gen Z
consumers are more interested in fitness and gaming, while Gen X
consumers prefer movies/TV and sports content at a greater rate
than younger audiences.
For more findings, download the full report here. To learn more
about how Sprout Social can help businesses find creators and build
fully integrated influencer marketing strategies, visit
https://sproutsocial.com/features/influencer-marketing/.
About the data: This data referenced was
collected online by Cint on behalf of Sprout Social. Consumer
participants included 2,000 respondents across the US and UK who
have at least one social media account and follow at least five
brands on social media. Influencer participants included 300
respondents across the US and UK who identify as social media
influencers, with an audience of 10,000+ followers on at least one
social network, who earn at least half of their annual income from
brand partnerships on social media. The consumer and influencer
surveys were conducted from February 13, 2024 to February 20,
2024.
About Sprout SocialSprout Social is a global
leader in social media management and analytics software. Sprout’s
intuitive platform puts powerful social data into the hands of more
than 30,000 brands so they can deliver smarter, faster business
impact. Named the #1 Best Software Product by G2’s 2024 Best
Software Award, Sprout offers comprehensive publishing and
engagement functionality, customer care, influencer marketing,
advocacy, and AI-powered business intelligence. Sprout’s software
operates across all major social media networks and digital
platforms. For more information about Sprout Social (NASDAQ: SPT),
visit sproutsocial.com.
Contact
Media:Kaitlyn GronekEmail: pr@sproutsocial.comPhone: (773)
904-9674
Investors:Jason RechelTwitter: @SproutSocialIREmail:
jason.rechel@sproutsocial.comPhone: (312) 528-9166
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