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Insight of the Day: For Which Topics Are Influencers Considered Useful Information Sources?

Findings:

  • 6 in 10 adults worldwide consider social media influencers to be useful sources of information, particularly about Travel (60%), Fitness/Exercise (59%), Tech (58%), Clothing/Fashion (58%), Home Repair/DIY (57%), and Media (57%).

  • Food/Drink (56%) also ranks highly as a topic where influencers are deemed useful.

  • However, influencers are perceived as less useful for topics like News (48%), Finance (49%), Politics (58%), and Religion/Spirituality (55%).

  • In the US, respondents are less likely than the global average to find influencers useful for Travel and Media, with only 47% considering influencers useful for these topics, compared to global averages of 60% and 57%, respectively.

Key Takeaway: Social media influencers are considered useful in lifestyle-related categories, such as Travel, Fitness, and Fashion, but are seen as less reliable for more complex or sensitive topics like Politics, Finance, and News.

Trend: The key trend is the growing influence of social media influencers in lifestyle and consumer-oriented areas, where their content, such as reviews and how-to videos, is considered valuable. However, they are seen as less trustworthy for news and serious topics.

Consumer Motivation:

  • Consumers look to influencers for practical advice, especially in areas that directly affect their lifestyle choices and purchasing decisions, such as travel, fashion, and fitness.

  • For more nuanced or serious topics like news, politics, and finance, consumers prefer other sources of information.

What is Driving the Trend:

  • The popularity of social media platforms and the rise of influencer marketing.

  • Engaging, relatable content in consumer-focused areas helps influencers build trust, while topics requiring deeper expertise are less suited to influencers.

Who Are the People the Article Refers To:

  • Adults aged 18+ globally, with specific attention to those in 17 different markets surveyed by YouGov.

  • US respondents are highlighted as being less likely than the global average to trust influencers for travel and media content.

Description of Consumers' Product or Service: The article refers to social media influencers as sources of information, particularly in lifestyle areas like travel, fitness, fashion, and DIY.

Age of Consumers: Adults aged 18+, across various countries and demographics.

Conclusions:

While influencers are valuable sources of information in lifestyle and consumer-focused areas, they are less trusted when it comes to more complex topics like news and politics. Their global influence is evident, but trust levels vary by region, with US respondents being more skeptical compared to the global average.

Implications for Brands:

  • Influencer marketing remains a strong tool for lifestyle and consumer brands, especially in travel, fitness, and fashion, where influencer content can drive engagement and purchasing decisions.

  • Brands focusing on serious or technical areas, like finance or news, may need to look beyond influencers and focus on expert-driven content to build trust.

Implications for Society:

The varying levels of trust in influencers across different topics reflect society’s changing attitudes towards social media content, with a clear distinction between where influencers are seen as useful (lifestyle) and where they are not (complex topics like politics).

Implications for Consumers:

Consumers are benefiting from useful, relatable advice from influencers in areas like travel, fitness, and fashion, but they may need to exercise caution when relying on influencers for more serious topics like news or finance.

Implications for the Future:

As social media influencers continue to grow in lifestyle sectors, their influence will likely expand, but trust gaps may widen for more serious topics, pushing consumers towards other sources for those areas.

Consumer Trend:

The consumer trend is the reliance on influencers for lifestyle-related advice, such as travel and fitness, while showing skepticism towards their opinions on more serious or complex topics.

Consumer Sub-Trend:

  • Global variation in trust: US consumers are generally more skeptical about influencers' usefulness compared to the global average, particularly in the areas of travel and media.

Big Social Trend:

The broader societal trend is the increased role of social media influencers in shaping lifestyle choices, but trust remains selective, depending on the topic and the expertise required.

Worldwide Social Trend:

Globally, the rise of influencer culture continues to shape consumer behaviors, particularly in lifestyle areas, with influencers playing a central role in how people gather information and make decisions about products and experiences.

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