The Impact of Influencers on Consumer Behavior

Marketers are continually looking for ways to stay top-of-mind with potential buyers by turning to social media and influencers to make more personal and profitable connections with consumers. This was revealed in a newly released Nielsen report across Asia, in conjunction with Rakuten.

The report revealed that marketers plan to increase their social media spending by 53% in the next year, more than any other channel. Social media appears to be marketers’ most bankable channel, as 64% of the global marketers surveyed for this year’s Annual Marketing Report say it’s their most effective paid channel.

The report also revealed that 80% of social media users in Asia are either more likely or much more likely to buy products recommended by influencers they follow, especially in Indonesia (61%), India (60%), and the Philippines (60%).

By comparison, this appears least likely to work in Hong Kong and Japan (both 16%), where it could be more of a challenge to adopt a successful influencer marketing campaign. Hence, a more diverse media strategy may be necessary to drive campaign objectives.

Each target audience in each market looks for something different from influencers. In China and Taiwan “likeability” and “inspiration” are key themes, while in India, Thailand, and Vietnam importance is placed on “trustworthiness and authenticity”.

Partnering with the right type of influencers will help brands increase their campaign effectiveness in age-based targeting, and the assumption that influencer marketing is only for Gen Zs and Millennials can be laid to rest.

For instance, a sizable number of followers in the 50+ age bracket in the Philippines, China, India, and South Korea, and such mature followers are just as likely as younger followers to like and share a post.

The report found that at a regional level, mid-lifers engage with social media posts the most through commenting on posts, reposting and sharing, and clicking on links. Adopting an interactive influencer campaign may work better amongst this target audience.

The report also revealed that youths are more interested in gaming influencers and beauty bloggers, while mid-lifers skew toward kid-influencers, politicians, and gamers.

https://martechseries.com/mts-insights/80-of-social-media-users-in-asia-who-follow-influencers-are-likely-to-purchase-products-recommended-by-influencers/