Influencers beyond the product: 61% of Italians follow them for news and to have fun

Models choices not (only) for their abilities, for the skill in showing off or for the appearance they have but for the number of followers on social networks, brand of fashion that invest more and more substantial portions of their budgets in online promotion, soccer players whose performances on Instagram and TikTok are (almost) as important as those in the field: for the past two years, the world of so-called influencer marketing has been constantly growing.

And it is also able to move large slices of money: second a recent analysis by DeRev, in Italy alone the turnover will amount to 335 million euros in 2022, and could exceed half a billion within the next 3 years. To understand how close our relationship is with influencers and if they are really able to influence our buying habits (and our opinions as well) it is interesting to browse the results of a survey by Toluna, a platform specializing in market analysis.

According to what was explained, the research was conducted last September in collaboration with UPA out of a sample of 1000 respondents online representatives of the Italian population, selected on the basis of their knowledge of the phenomenon.

Influencers beyond the product

What emerged from it? First of all, that 49% of respondents would not only buy but has already purchased products and services offered by influencerswhile 47% would have no problem buying those of a brand created by the influencer himself.

And yet, the influencers they are not seen only as promoting products, but also as influential personalities who allow you to meet new brands (so 76% of the sample answered), keep up with trends (62%) and try new things (62%). Again, always to go beyond the concept of the product: followers also consider them source of inspiration to improve lifestyle (53%)20% explained that they had changed their opinion after hearing that of some influencers on issues such as global warming, inequalities and minority and animal rights and almost 60% believe them to be disseminators of useful information.

This last point is interesting not only because it crosses a bit into the world of journalismbut also because the profiles most followed are precisely those of those who provide information (in over 30% of cases, especially by men) and those of those who entertain (in 28% of cases, especially by the very young).

Where followers and influencers meet

Most of the respondents (60%) confirmed that regularly follow from 2 to 5 influencersbut about 20% even reaches 10 or more, a peak that is recorded in particular among the very young (i.e. in 32% of participants under 24 years of age).

Obviously, the following of an influencer was born on social networks, but it is interesting to understand how: the most used platform is reported by 34% of participants as one of the main reasons why you started following someone. In short: you don’t start using TikTok (for example) because someone you would like to follow uses it, but you start following someone who is on TikTok because you already use TikTok. In any case, 69% of respondents confirmed they have met your favorite influencers on social networks and 81% to continue using specific platforms to stay updated on the activities of the people they have chosen to follow.

Despite this, the so-called cross-media that characterizes these characters remains high: a third of the participants have met an influencer through other sources (television, podcasts, events and so on) and 25% also follow them on other channels.

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Most importantly, it seems to understand, they are the topics covered, which are the real attraction engine for 69% of the survey participants: “The research confirms that the contents and their quality, the care with which they are created and the topics they address, have a significant weight in the decision to follow an influencer – he explained Eliza Frascaro, head of research at Toluna for the Semea area (Southern Europe, Middle East and Africa) – They are much more important, for example, than characteristics such as the notoriety of the character or the number of followers ”.

Again: “In some cases, a bit extreme but not trivial, a kind of friendship is created, as confirmed by 33% of the interviewees – added Frascaro – 27% of the influencer is someone to imitate, while 29% maintain that they would vote for their favorite if he / she ran for politics ”. In short: “The relationship goes far beyond just buyingand a real personal relationship is created between influencers and followers “.