Why Everyday Creators Became America's Most Trusted Voices

A new force has emerged as a guardian of consumer trust and a driver of trends: creators. These social media influencers, who produce content such as videos, photos, blogs, and newsletters, have become integral to the daily lives of American consumers, shaping choices, opinions, and even purchasing decisions.

A recent study conducted by Suzy in collaboration with Keller Advisory Group, which surveyed 1,164 consumers aged 16-54, sheds light on the intricate relationship between consumers and these digital artists, revealing their profound impact.

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The Creator Content Revolution is Here

The reach of creators is undeniable. Nearly 7 in 10 American consumers aged 16-54 (69%) follow creators and influencers. This engagement isn't just occasional; 60% of followers engage with creator content daily, with 35% doing so two or more times a day and another 25% at least once a day. This high level of engagement signifies a significant shift in content consumption habits, establishing creator-driven content as a staple in many consumers' routines for entertainment and information gathering.

The sentiment towards creator content is overwhelmingly positive, with 83% of respondents reporting they either "like" (54%) or "love" (29%) the content they encounter. This high approval rating is largely due to consumers finding creator content to be an entertaining and enjoyable mixture, while also being informative and educational.

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Creators and Americans: A Love Story Worth Studying

This magnum opus of a study is brought to us by our friends at Suzy. It's an examination of the role creators play in the lives of consumers, and the influence they have in the consumer decision making process.

Key Results:

• Significant Creator Following: 69% of American consumers aged 16-54 follow creators/influencers, with 60% engaging with creator content daily.
• Positive Sentiment: 83% of consumers like or love the content they come across from creators, finding it entertaining, enjoyable, informative, and educational.
• Trust in Specialized Creators: 62% of consumers trust the recommendations of influencers specializing in specific subjects, which is very close to the level of trust in family and friends (75%).
• Humor and Information Drive Engagement: 67% of consumers cite humor and educational information as the main reasons they follow creators.
• Creator Content Leads to Action: 80% of consumers have taken some form of follow-up action inspired by creators.
• Reasons for Not Following Creators: Non-followers cite lack of interest in current content (56%), lack of perceived authenticity (42%), excessive promotional material (41%), and lack of relevance (31%).

Big Takeaways:

• Creators are highly influential: They are not just entertainers but trusted sources of information that drive consumer actions.
• Creator content is preferred over traditional ads: This signifies a significant shift in how consumers engage with brands and marketing messages.
• Authenticity and specialization matter: Consumers trust creators who are genuine and have expertise in specific areas, not just celebrities.
• Creator content directly leads to sales: The 43% purchase rate shows the clear ROI of creator marketing.‍
• Understanding consumer preferences is crucial: Knowing what types of content, platforms, and creators resonate with your target audience is essential for effective marketing strategies.

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What Draws Consumers Towards Creators?

Consumers are drawn to creator content for several key reasons:

• Entertainment: Many find the content entertaining and enjoyable.
• Educational Value: A significant portion (54%) follows creators they learn from, appreciating content that is informative and educational.
• Humor: Humorous content is a primary driver for 67% of respondents.
• Shared Interests: 50% of consumers follow creators because they share similar interests.
• Diversity of Information: Consumers value the variety of information available, covering diverse topics from sports to video games and current events.
• Unique Perspective: 45% of consumers follow creators for their unique perspectives.

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What Repels Consumers Away From Creators?

Not all aspects of creator content are well-received. Consumers express dislike for creators when there’s:

• Social Impact: Concerns about content that may harm society.
• Saturation: A feeling that there are too many creators or that the content can be "too much".
• Repetitiveness: Some perceive much of the content as being similar, lacking exciting or new material.
• Lack of Interest: Among those who do not follow creators, 56% cite a lack of interest in current content offerings.
• Lack of Authenticity: 42% of non-followers do not see creators as authentic.
• Excessive Promotional Material: 41% of non-followers are alienated by excessive promotional material.
• Irrelevance: 31% of non-followers find creator content not relevant to them.

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Trust is Key: Creators Outperform Traditional Ads

One of the most compelling findings is the high level of trust consumers place in creators. While family, friends, and co-workers remain the most trusted sources (75%), influencers specializing in specific subject areas command almost as much trust, with 62% of respondents valuing their insights. This highlights their role as credible sources within their domains.

Crucially, creator content consistently outperforms traditional advertising across all 10 measured attributes. Consumers find creator content to be:

• More Exciting: 46% for creator content vs. 10% for advertising.
• More Shareable: 41% vs. 10%.
• More Relevant: 40% vs. 10%.
• Creates More Emotional Connection: 40% vs. 12%.
• More Trustworthy: 35% vs. 13%.
• More Unique: 42% vs. 15%.
• More Memorable: 36% vs. 16%.

Creators, particularly specialized content creators, not celebrity influencers, carry sway with consumers, making them nearly as influential as word-of-mouth recommendations.

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Dominant Platforms and Content Categories

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Dominant Platforms

Consumers engage with creators across a diverse range of platforms. Instagram leads the way with 78% of respondents tuning in, closely followed by YouTube at 77%. TikTok captures the attention of 66%, and Facebook is used by 62% for creator content.

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How Social Media Platform Context Mediates Influencer Marketing ROI

This study investigates the role of social media platform affordances (visibility and engagement) in influencer marketing and their impact on followers' information seeking, affective relationship building (trust), and purchase intention.

• Platform Affordances Matter: Social media platforms significantly influence followers' activities and marketing outcomes in influencer marketing.
• Visibility and Engagement Drive Behavior: Affordances like product visibility, visibility control, triggered engagement, social presence engagement, and synchronous engagement all play a role.
• Social Presence is Key: Social presence engagement strongly impacts both information seeking and affective trust building, highlighting the importance of creating a sense of "being together" online.
• Affordances are Multidimensional: Visibility and engagement have various aspects (e.g., product vs. communication visibility; attentive, temporal, and sensorial engagement).
• Platform Differences Exist: Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook differ in how affordances influence follower activities, likely due to platform natures and user motives.
• Chain Reaction: Platform affordances influence follower activities (information seeking and trust), which then impact purchase intention.
• Trust and Information Seeking Mediate Purchase: Both information seeking and affective trust building partially or fully mediate the relationship between platform affordances and purchase intention.

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Content Categories

In terms of content categories, consumer preferences are varied. Consumers regularly engage with content in the following categories:

• Food, beverage, and cooking: 65% of consumers.
• Entertainment (TV, movies, music & art): 62% of consumers.
• Beauty & Fashion: 53% of consumers.
• Health & Wellness: 52% of consumers.

Other popular categories include Tech & gadgets, Travel, Sports, and Gaming.

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Creator Content: A Pathway to Action and Sales

The influence of creators extends far beyond passive viewing. An overwhelming 80% of respondents report having taken some form of follow-up activity inspired by creators. This demonstrates creators' ability to spur engagement that leads to tangible actions for brands.

Specific actions consumers take include:

• Researching a brand's website: 55% of those influenced venture to a brand's website after discovery through a creator.
• Following a brand on social media: 46% of respondents followed a brand on social media due to a creator's endorsement.
• Purchasing from a brand: Perhaps most compelling, 43% of those influenced by creators go on to make a purchase.
• Recommending a brand to someone: 42% recommend brands to others, amplifying the creator's impact through word-of-mouth.
• Leaving comments or likes: 43%.
• Sharing creator content: 34%.
• Receiving brand advice: 31%.

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Brands like Nike, Adidas, Apple, Samsung, Walmart, Sephora, Neutrogena, YouTube, and Coke are notably cited by consumers as brands they took action on after seeing creator content. This strong Return on Investment (ROI) of creator marketing is evident, showcasing that creator endorsements attract attention and motivate direct action.

This influence isn't limited to major national brands; the survey reveals that creator content is equally relevant for small and emerging brands, with 76% agreeing it influences their perception of up-and-coming brands, compared to 73% for large brands.

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The Effect of influencer Marketing on the Buying Behavior of Young Consumers

This study explores how social media influencers influence affects the consumer behavior and purchase intentions of young people within the fashion and beauty industries. The researchers examined the relationship dynamics, trust, perceived credibility, and ethical concerns surrounding influencer marketing.

• Follower Engagement: Followers spend a significant amount of time watching influencer content but interact passively (liking, occasionally responding to polls) rather than active interaction (commenting or messaging).
• Relationship Dynamics: Followers often develop para-social relationships with influencers, perceiving them as friends or role models. This relationship can be a driver for purchase intention.
• Influence on Behavior: Influencers impact young consumers' behavior by shaping their aspirations, lifestyle choices, and purchasing decisions. Followers often seek to emulate influencers' styles and product choices.
• Partnerships and Trust: While brand partnerships are common, followers are often skeptical of paid promotions, perceiving them as less authentic. Gifted products are seen as more trustworthy.
• Credibility and Authenticity: Influencer credibility is crucial. Followers value honesty, transparency, and perceived expertise. Authenticity plays a significant role in trust-building.
• Monetary Benefit: Influencers' main income is through brand partnerships. Followers are aware of this and often question the genuine endorsement of products.
• Purchase Intention: Followers are more likely to consider products endorsed by influencers they like, even if they are initially skeptical of partnerships. This influence may affect long-term buying decisions.
• Brand Perspective: Brands find influencer marketing cost-effective for raising awareness but struggle to directly measure sales impact. They prioritize influencer image, engagement, and credibility.

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Evolving Consumer Preferences and Concerning Content

Consumers' preferences for creator content are evolving. There's a strong appetite for more:

• Entertainment.
• Product reviews, highlighting trust in creators for honest insights.
• Educational content, as audiences increasingly seek to learn and expand knowledge through digital platforms.

Conversely, consumers express a desire to see less of certain content trends:

• Clickbait: Nearly half of the audience calls for a reduction in misleading titles.
• Drama: 46% want to dial down on drama.
• Over-edited content: 46% prefer less over-edited content, suggesting fatigue with sensationalism and a preference for more straightforward, genuine content.
• Excessive promotional material: This alienates 41% of individuals, underscoring the delicate balance between monetization and audience trust.

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These preferences underscore a broader theme: the craving for real connections and genuine content in the digital space. Consumers are becoming more aware and are actively looking for authentic recommendations rather than overt sponsored endorsements, which aligns with creators' own desire for authenticity and transparency.

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The Bottom Line for Brands

The study unequivocally underscores the vital role of creator-driven content in consumers' lives and its necessity as a key component of contemporary marketing strategies. Creator content consistently beats traditional advertising, and consumers trust creators with specialized content knowledge more than celebrity influencers.

For marketers, the call to action is clear: collaborate with creators beyond typical marketing methods. By leveraging consumer insights, identifying the right creators, and understanding preferred content types, brands can innovate, resonate, and interact with customers better. 

The creator economy offers a tremendous opportunity for brands to connect with their target audience in authentic and impactful ways, driving engagement and ultimately, purchases.