New research from Bazaarvoice reveals that UK consumers care more about the product opinions of average social media users than celebrity influencer endorsement.
The data – from a survey of 2,000+ UK respondents – reveals that the majority (61 per cent) of consumers have purchased a product based on the recommendation of an everyday social media user (often with less than 1,000 followers and sharing posts with friends and family), while only one in five (19 per cent) said the same about celebrity influencers.
Over a quarter (29 per cent) of people said everyday social users are who they are most influenced by when purchasing a product. In fact, when asked who they would like to see brands partner with to create content for their products, the majority (62 per cent) responded to everyday social media users.
“The allure of celebrity influencers has certainly diminished over the last few years, making way for the popularity of everyday people just like you and me,” said Zarina Stanford, CMO at Bazaarvoice. “Because while most of us are not celebrities, all of us are shoppers. We seek to hear from authentic people just like ourselves; we find these people to be more trustworthy and are more likely to purchase products based on their recommendations.”
Overall, social influence on purchasing decisions is increasing. Survey respondents said that over the last five years, their trust in everyday social users and subject matter experts has increased. Nearly a third (30 per cent) say they now trust everyday social users more, and nearly half (43 per cent) said the same about subject matter experts.
However, in contrast, of those who are aware of the de-influence trend that swept TikTok in early 2023, nearly half (49 per cent) have become more cautious when interacting with social media influencers and celebrity influencers when they are promoting products online as a result.
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