U.S. Shoppers Are Under the Influence: 74% of Consumers Have Purchased a Product Because an Influencer Recommended It

GRIN, the world’s leading creator management platform, announced findings from its 2024 Modern Consumer Survey, exploring the evolving buyer journey and the growing need for brands to leverage creator content, especially in the social media age.

“Brands need to be where their customers are and they can show up in potential consumers’ daily lives through authentic creator content. Doing this aids in awareness, consideration, and purchase, and, ultimately, fosters a deeper customer connection versus traditional shopping experiences online.”

Taking insights from 1,011 U.S. consumers, ages 18 to 65+, the survey found that three out of four shoppers have purchased a product or service because an influencer recommended it, highlighting how influencer marketing has revolutionized consumers’ purchase decisions. And these influencer-influenced decisions occur throughout the buyer journey.

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“The survey’s results show that creator content is a critical part of the buyer journey for the modern consumer. Brands not doing it are missing out,” said Brandon Brown, co-founder and CEO of GRIN. “Brands need to be where their customers are and they can show up in potential consumers’ daily lives through authentic creator content. Doing this aids in awareness, consideration, and purchase, and, ultimately, fosters a deeper customer connection versus traditional shopping experiences online.”

Influencers have made the buyer journey look a little different

From product awareness to consideration to purchase, modern shoppers look to content creators’ recommendations during each stage of their buyer journey. In fact, for Gen Z and Millennial respondents, TikTok is the most popular platform to discover new products.

As consumers move into the consideration stage, they no longer depend on website product reviews, with only 16% turning to a brand’s website to read reviews. Instead, they want to see products or services in action before purchasing, with 38% of shoppers saying this is the primary reason they turn to influencers for recommendations. For Gen Z respondents, in particular, 66% watch reviews on social media before making a purchase.

When consumers are finally ready to buy, they can do so within social media apps, thanks to the rise of shoppable ads. Nearly 68% of shoppers surveyed have purchased products directly from social media apps, demonstrating the increasing importance of brands having a strong presence and creating a seamless shopping experience on social media platforms.

With awareness, consideration and purchase now happening without consumers having to leave a social media platform, today’s path to purchase can be extremely short.

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Influencers’ influence extends beyond shopping

Content creators and social media have not only influenced how consumers shop, but also how they make decisions on what hobbies to pursue or where to go on vacation. In fact, 68% of consumers chose to visit a specific location, like a theme park or travel destination, because they saw it recommended on social media.

This influence also trickles down to other areas, like what media respondents consume — one out of three consumers said they consider influencer recommendations very often when deciding what to watch and read. Even consumers’ lifestyle choices are impacted by what they see online, with 43% stating social media inspired them to change their fitness and lifestyle goals.