Consumers Weigh in on Impact From Pandemic and Connection to a Brand’s Values
Additionally, the heightened awareness around social injustice has impacted the way consumers engage with influencers. For example, 36% of influencer-following consumers say they are following a more diverse set of influencers than before, and 32% surveyed have purchased more products/services from businesses that are endorsed by influencers from different racial and cultural backgrounds.
Emphasizing the importance of engaging the right influencer, the research found that 40% of consumers are more likely to trust a brand that features an influencer they know. Twenty-five percent say their perception of brands is shaped by the influencers that endorse them and this is more evident among 25 to 34 year olds, with 39% agreeing.
“Influencers humanize brands, providing a unique opportunity to make a genuine connection with consumers,” said Sinead Norenius-Raniere, vice president, influencer marketing and paid social, Valassis. “The interplay among consumers, influencers and brands suggests the purchasing journey is highly emotional, spurred by real-time online conversations. Knowing which content performs best through rapid influencer media testing is essential to bring influencer content to life across smarter, multichannel campaigns that also include print, display, email and in-store advertising.”
AI-powered technology can help identify influencers whose brand and interests align with campaign objectives, based on purchase patterns, retailers, brand and product affinities, Norenius-Raniere pointed out. Equally important in the campaign process, she said, is building sophisticated custom audiences, based on predictive consumer intelligence and influencer look-alike audiences.
The opportunity to engage consumers is growing. According to the survey, 51% of consumers have purchased a product or service after seeing it used or promoted by an influencer in the past two years.
About the Survey
Valassis surveyed 1,000 consumers to understand their engagement with influencers and the impact of influencer marketing. All respondents were located in the United States and were over the age of 18. The survey was conducted in August 2020.
About Valassis
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Mary Broaddus
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