Influencer marketing has completely changed the way consumers make purchases, with three out of every four US shoppers having bought a product or service because an influencer recommended it. 

Grin’s 2024 Modern Consumer Survey indicates that modern consumers turn to content creators for advice at every step of the purchasing journey – from product awareness to contemplation to purchase. TikTok is the most often used platform among Gen Z and Millennial respondents to find new products.

Just 16 per cent of consumers who are in the consideration stage still visit a brand’s website to read reviews, indicating that they are no longer dependent on online product ratings. 

Instead, people prefer to see items or services in action before making a purchase, with 38 per cent of shoppers citing this as the key reason they seek recommendations from influencers. About 66 per cent of Gen Z respondents check social media reviews before making a purchase.

Nearly 68 per cent of shoppers surveyed have purchased products directly from social media apps, demonstrating the increasing importance of brands’ presence and seamless shopping experience on social media platforms.

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

Grin commissioned the survey, which studied 1011 US consumers aged 18 and up throughout the country, to explore the evolving customer experience and the growing demand for businesses to harness creator content, particularly in the social media age.

• Further reading: US consumer electronics sales tipped to drop this year