Consumer Behavior

Consumers not big believers of social media influencers

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August 29, 2022

A majority of consumers, 87%, believe social media influencers likely don't use products they tout and only 1 in 10, 11%, view a social media influencer with millions of followers as a trustworthy information source.

Those are top findings of a survey of 1,000 U.S. adults commissioned by The Desire Company.

The survey also revealed 53% of those polled rely most on recommendations from product experts.

The news comes at a time when brands and retailers are increasingly turning to social media and influencers to market products and services.

"Social media influencers have evolved into becoming the billboards of the Internet," Eric Sheinkop, co-founder and CEO of The Desire Company, said in a press release on the findings. "Great at spreading mass awareness but lacking in their ability to properly educate consumers about products."

More than four in five, 82%, of consumers who purchased something based on an influencer's pitch reported they have had some sort of negative experience with the product, with the most common being that the product didn't match the influencer's claims (41%).

"Consumers are weary of sorting through massive amounts of online misinformation when shopping online," said Sheinkop in the release "Our study shows that the old approach of 'more is more' is not working for consumers who are being overwhelmed. This study clearly shows a demand from consumers for brands to move away from influencer marketing to expert marketing."

The study was conducted by independent research firm Wakefield Research.