The decline in print media readership is a big indicator that consumers are less trusting of traditional media, especially when it comes to selling merchandise. Despite the popularity of social media, consumers want to see merchandise that is authentic. Authenticity is important for customers, and the media should not undermine that. Many print media are impersonal and feel unauthentic. The Sideqik data supports this notion.
Gen Z
According to research by Fullscreen, Gen Z has huge trust in influencers. The report looked at influencer marketing tactics in Millennials and Gen Z, and found that a majority of respondents trust influencers. But what should marketers be aware of? While Millennials and Gen Z tend to trust the same types of influencers, Gen Z tends to place a much higher value on digital-first influencers.
YouTube is one of the most popular platforms among Gen Z, who use the site for entertainment and education. While most of them are familiar with celebrities, Gen Z men are just as likely to trust gaming YouTuber PewDiePie over basketball legend Lebron James. And the video gamer PewDiePie is more popular than Lebron James, according to a survey of Millennials and Gen Z.
Millennials
According to a survey by Morning Consult, 52 percent of millennials and Gen Z believe in and trust influencers, regardless of their platform. Millennials and Gen Z are especially likely to trust these influencers over news sources, celebrities, and product reviews. Almost one in four Gen Z females say that they get their news about new products from a micro-influencer with a thousand followers or less.
The shift in consumer trust is reflected in the fact that millennials and Gen Z are more likely to purchase a product if it is recommended by an influencer. This is especially true for those whose interests and tastes are similar to their own. Gen Zers will often pay more for a product that has been endorsed by an influencer, whether they are a celebrity, a YouTube star, or a fashion blogger.
YouTube
YouTube data shows that people place a lot of trust in influencers – even those with only a couple of hundred thousand subscribers. The campaign was made possible by an anonymous marketing agency which offered to pay some of its star influencers to spread disinformation about the Covid-19 vaccine. Despite the fact that the company did not reveal its client, some speculated that the influencers may have had connections to Russia. One influencer, Everson Zoio, has more than 3 million followers on Instagram. He shared a link to the Fazze campaign and then removed it. As a result, he failed to respond to the BBC’s queries.
The study found that people who follow an influencer on social media are more likely to purchase a product or service if the influencer promotes it. The social learning theory posits that people learn from watching others and will therefore buy what they endorse. Therefore, when they see an influencer promoting a product or service on YouTube, they tend to support that brand as well. But how does this work?
There is a growing belief amongst consumers that Instagram influencers are legitimate sources of information, but how much does this belief hold water? The data revealed that consumers associate an Instagram influencer with expertise, even if the influencer may be fake. Whether the influencers are actually experts or not is largely irrelevant. The power of consumer associations with an Instagram influencer is immense. It may also lead to impulsive purchases.
Researchers have shown that followers who follow physically attractive social media influencers are more likely to make purchases online. This is largely due to the perceived attractiveness of these influencers. However, companies must recognize that their followers interpret attractiveness differently. While attractiveness may influence behavioural intentions, trustworthiness is another factor that can influence followers’ buying decisions. While a physically attractive Instagram influencer is more likely to prompt online impulse purchases, a more trustworthy Instagram influencer may be more persuasive.