HigherVisibility has produced an insightful report that offers more information about how young people view social media influencers. Netinfluencer details the key findings from the Gen Z and the Rise of Influencer Culture report. 

Many marketers see Gen Z as their most desired demographic due to their immense buying power and ability to create and sway viral trends. This generation is also deeply impacted by the rise of influencer marketing, creating a whole new set of job roles for them to strive toward.

Who Conducted the Survey?

The Gen Z and the Rise of Influencer Culture report was expressed by HigherVisibility, a digital marketing agency that focuses on delivering SEO, PPC, and social media services to its wide range of customers.

HigherVisibility aims to tailor strategies that suit any type of business, using a wealth of reporting and data tactics. They also offer a white-glove service that has led them to receive the SEO Agency of the Year award from Search Engine Land. 

Survey Methodology 

To gather the findings of this report, HigherVisibility used Censuswide to collect a sample of 1,000 general consumers. All of these candidates were aged between 16-25 and all resided in the US. The data was collected between the 26th of July 2022 to the 28th of July 2022. 

Three Key Takeaways

This report uncovered a range of fascinating findings that can help us to better understand the power of this alluring demographic. Listed below are just three key takeaways from this report. 

1. 38% of candidates believe that there is enough work available for them to become social media influencers.
2. Around 1 in 4 Gen Z believe there should be social media influencer training in schools.
3. Over 62% believe that the biggest benefit of becoming an influencer is receiving free products.

What Does This Mean for Influencer Marketing? 

The first finding within this report indicates that the younger generation sees influencer marketing as a profitable and sustainable career. This elucidates that Gen Z is less intimidated by the idea of self-employment and believes that social media can offer a prosperous career for them in the future. HigherVisibility also reports that 34% of the sample believe that they have the skills to become social media influencers. As such, it seems that Gen Z is more aware of the nuances of influencer marketing and trust that they have access to the same skillset as the content creators they engage with. 

The sample also hopes to see more resources for influencer marketing within the US schooling system. This finding suggests that young people want to start learning about social media as early as possible to help give them a good head start in their desired careers. With over half of the sample hoping to go to college, we can assume that Gen Z wants to learn more about influencer marketing in their further studies as well as part of their essential education. 

The final finding from this report indicates that Gen Z is less interested in financial gain when choosing their career options. With the advent of product seeding and affiliate programs, young people are shifting their focus towards endorsing products and brands. However, earnings are still important with nearly 61% believing it was the biggest benefit of being an influencer. These findings highlight the changes in perspectives in our youth and how they are looking to find more than just money in their future careers. 

Link to the Survey

The Gen Z and the Rise of Influencer Culture report can be found on HigherVisbility’s website alongside access to their other digital marketing services.