In the 80’s we saw the rise of TV ads, while the 90’s introduced us to email, and the early 2000’s brought us paid search and social. 

In today’s marketing playbook, we see the ever-changing world of influencer marketing.

Implementing paid influencers has become a major lever within brands’ media mixes. In fact, 92 percent of marketing agencies confirmed its effectiveness. Compared to hiring a creative agency or producing content in-house, brands can lean into influencer content as a means of showcasing their product through the lense of real users.

Influencer content drives the social proof your audience desires and puts your product in the context of their daily lives. Even better, it’s content that can fuel entire marketing funnels. Emails featuring influencer content drive an 11% increase in revenue, while influencer content in the form of paid social posts see an increase of 31% return on ad spend (ROAS) (via Curalate).

Given the rise of the influencer – celebrity, micro, and nano alike – we wanted to give brands an inside look at how one of the fastest-growing generations chooses to engage with influencers. We surveyed over 800 college students between the ages of 18-24 to better understand their opinions and sentiments around the world of influencer marketing.

A new player in the game (with deep pockets)

How does $29 to $143 billion in direct spending sound for your brand? We’ll answer. It sounds like big news and a need for a new marketing strategy. Gen Z is already on track to become the largest generation of consumers by the end of this year. 

College-age consumers and younger are already showing their spending influence, with 93% of parents claiming their children influence family and household purchases. So let’s be clear: a VERY significant portion of overall market spend is because of Gen Z.

It’s time to tap into this generation. Building out your marketing plan and getting your foot in the door with Noah and Emma of Gen Z should be a walk in the park, right? Brands like Dunkin’ Donuts and Away have already seen major growth acquiring a younger Millennial demographic through influencer channels, so why shouldn’t it be the same for the up-and-coming generation?

Clout Chasers vs Inspirators: What’s Gen Z got to say?

Before you roll out that campaign, just know Gen Z is a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to their “takes” on influencers. When survey respondents were asked “What first comes to mind when you hear the word “influencer”?” you’ll see it’s not quite that simple.

This generation of digital natives are a bit split (huge understatement) in their opinions of influencer marketing. Nevertheless, Gen Z continues to seek out and follow major content creators on channels like Youtube, Instagram, Tik Tok, and Twitch.

When posed “Think of an influencer you enjoy following. Why do you like their content?” many answers hit the notes of:

Gen Zers are looking for influencers showing their truest selves – real individuals with honest content. So for brands new to leveraging influencer channels in reaching this demo, it may be a bit of a challenge. Why? It’s all about their need for transparency.

Research shows up to 24 percent of influencers have falsely manipulated their engagement numbers. That’s ghost followers, inflated likes and the spammiest of comments to boost their “clout.” Gen Z notices, and as a brand, you don’t want to associate yourself with fake influencers, nor do you want to waste your ad spend on them.

And that’s just scratching the surface of where manipulation comes into play. Gen Z has been known to call out influencers for their blatantly uninspired promotion of brands. None worse of course than the 2016 debacle between Bootea and Scott Disick.

P2P marketing offers an opportunity to shine a spotlight on your customers’ good experiences, using visual content to demonstrate social proof. Real consumer content gives credibility to your products, cultivates trust and fosters brand loyalty.

A study by CASSANDRA shows that Gen Zers are looking for narratives and content that have realistic endings (67%) and want to be engaged by real people, especially in advertising where they are nearly twice as likely to want to see “real people” rather than celebrities (63% vs. 37%).

For Gen Z, their peers are the most valuable resource for brands to leverage. There’s inherent trust there and with your brand attached, you’ve got an “in” to drive authentic awareness and sales for your brand.

*Study surveyed 800+ 19-24 year-old college students across 9 U.S. states and 21 universities. The results are representative of U.S. college students under the age of 25 (99% confidence level; 5% margin of error).