Austin, Texas—May 3, 2022
Social media influencers and online communities are reshaping how consumers form opinions, buy from brands, and get their questions answered, according to a new study from Oracle and Brent Leary, partner, CRM Essentials. The study of more than 2,000 adults, ages 18 to 80 in the United States, found that consumers, particularly Gen Z, are increasingly turning to social media influencers and online communities to make purchasing decisions and receive customer service.
Consumers are turning to social media influencers for advice and recommendations with many now trusting social media influencers more than brands.
Consumers are fed up with traditional customer service engagements and are turning to social media channels and online communities to get their questions answered.
“Millennials and Gen Z create and extend relationships in a completely different way than their parents’ generations did, and that impacts who they trust, and how that trust translates into basic activities like learning, shopping and relationship building,” said Brent Leary, partner, CRM Essentials. “As this study shows, it’s time for brands to rethink how they connect with customers outside of the traditional or controlled marketing channels. By building out a strong and authentic online presence, businesses have an opportunity to collaborate and leverage creator communities and social platforms that are equipped to provide more genuine buying and service experiences.”
“I rebuilt my car during the pandemic all by watching YouTube videos. This is a testament to how empowered we all are to learn about anything we wish and at any time. And we do so by watching content made by people with similar interests,” said Jeff Wartgow, vice president, Oracle. “The powerful dynamic between user generated content and today’s social platforms is an opportunity for brands to reimagine experiences as younger generations, Millennials and Gen Z, increasingly have more buying power.”
The survey was fielded in January 2022 to 2,072 adults ages 18 to 80 in the United States.
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