Consumers Seek Influencers Who “Keep It Real”

Most consumers are making purchase decisions based on influencer content, a new survey by Matter Communications (Boston) has found. The study shows 81 percent of respondents have either researched, purchased or considered purchasing a product or service after seeing friends, family or influencers post about it.

Matter surveyed more than 1000 U.S. consumers to uncover how social media consumption, influencer perceptions and purchasing habits have evolved in the past year.

Almost 70 percent of the respondents are likely to trust a friend, family member or influencer recommendation over information coming directly from a brand. Consumers want authenticity from the influencers they follow, gravitating toward those that create relatable, original content or provide credible expertise.

The types of influencer personalities consumers find most appealing when deciding to follow on social media are:

* Relatable personalities (61 percent)

* Expert personalities (43 percent)

* Just-for-fun personalities (32 percent)

* Aspirational personalities (28 percent)

Only 11 percent of consumers prefer celebrity influencers – a notable reduction from Matter’s 2020 Influencer Survey (17-22 percent). And when asked what the most important attribute was when learning about a company, product or brand, consumers’ top choice was authenticity (39 percent).

“Collaborating with the right influencers is the difference between a good [brand awareness] campaign and a great campaign,” said Matter President Mandy Mladenoff.

Click here for more results from the survey.