Research by Storyblok reveals nearly one in four shoppers are actively put off purchasing a product if endorsed by influencers. Furthermore, 57% say an influencer endorsement does not encourage them to buy a product. The Research reveals a growing age divide between preferred marketing channels, with consumers aged 18-24 saying mobile is the most important.
Storyblok’s survey of 1,000 consumers suggests blanket influencer endorsements for products could actually harm sales in the run-up to Christmas. More than 90% of the survey respondents came from the UK and US, which was evenly split from both countries. The remaining respondents came from Australia, Germany and Sweden.
The analysis of the attitude consumers have towards products advertised or promoted by a celebrity influencer found that only 19% of shoppers would be ‘more likely’ to make a purchase due to an endorsement. Worryingly for brands, 24% said they would be actively put off.
Unsurprisingly, the influence of influencers varies by age. 30% of those aged below 35 said they would be more likely to make a purchase. However, 19% of that group also said they would be actively put off due to an influencer. This compares to 22% for people aged 35-44. This climbs to 30% for those aged over 45. 57% of all respondents said that influencer endorsements made no difference.
The variation between age groups matters as research by YouGov shows spending on Christmas presents increases on average by age. Brits between 25-34 are expected to spend £334 compared to £453 for those aged 45-54.
The influence of influencers
Men and women were just as likely to be attracted to a product due to an influencer endorsement. (20% and 21% respectively) 28% of men said they would be put off, compared to 19% for women.
Thomas Peham, VP of Marketing at Storyblok, said: “An influencer endorsement is a double-edged sword. Although it might attract a younger audience to a brand, it can actively discourage other, higher-value shoppers. This goes beyond mere ambivalence. It makes a significant number of consumers less likely to buy a product. It underlines why brands need to really understand the preferences of their audience and tailor their marketing accordingly.”
Storyblok’s research also found a growing divide between the influence of different marketing channels. On average, websites remain the most valuable marketing tool – with 43% saying it is the most important channel. This was followed by mobile (34%) and social media (16%).
However, shoppers aged 18-24 said that mobile is more important (36%), followed by websites (35%) and social media (25%). In contrast, only 7% of consumers aged 45+ believe social media is the most important channel. 31% suggested mobile and 51% citing websites.
Thomas Peham continued, “Marketing to consumers is becoming increasingly complex with the weight different groups give to each channel in a state of flux. If marketers reach the wrong group with the wrong message, they can actually do damage to their brand. Technology can help ease the burden by simplifying and speeding up communicating on different channels. However, it is no substitute for brands really getting to grips with who potential customers are and what they want.”
Enterprise Times: What this means for business.
One of the challenges of digital marketing is the question of whether influencer marketing is a legitimate channel are over. Now business owners are concentrating on how they extract the most value and results from the efforts. In case this is still in doubt, then Storyblok’s research is a good indication of the direction of digital and social media marketing.
The research indicates a growing age divide between preferred marketing channels with consumers aged 18-24 now saying mobile is the most important. Unfortunately, the data provided by Storyblok did not have enough detail explaining the actual reasons for the age divide. However, the research highlights the fact influencer marketing is still important as brands seek to cut through a competitive market.
Traditional advertising still works, however, it is not always as effective as it once was. While Influencer marketing is still relatively new, there are pitfalls especially relating to age, that this research highlights.
