Why Are Instagram Influencers More Popular Than Celebs?
Social media platforms such as Instagram became shopping-oriented and video-first applications with the introduction of reels. With the rise of the attention economy, new forms of exchange erupted as brands sought popular content creators who were producing engaging and appealing content.
The creators of today curate content that is true to their personality and is very individualistic and honest. They are well in sync with who their audience is and personalise their content to appeal to them, while audiences can choose to follow creators that align with their interests, making them highly popular with their followers. Moreover, brands are considering these influencers over celebrities due to their loyal and dedicated social media followers. Among these followers are Gen-Z, a demographic aged between 10-25, according to Mckinsey & Company, who constitutes 40% of online consumers. Consequently, influencers are more popular among Gen-Z for several reasons.
Celebrities v/s Instagram influencers: Why are influencers winning
Gen Z is the generation that has been born into the Internet era. They are pragmatic, woke, and want to be affiliated with brands that have a genuine appeal to them. Hence, more and more brands are collaborating with creators that are known to create content that aligns with their ethos and values to organically reach their TG, generating higher ROI and top-of-mind brand recall.
Having said this, it is not to be misunderstood that celebrities are not still in demand, but having an influencer-based campaign can not only facilitate a targeted strategy but also a measurable and affordable one, which is not possible in the former case. Niche-based influencers have a specific base of followers. They can influence the purchasing decisions of their viewers quickly with creative engagement techniques, and that is the reason why brands look forward to collaborating with these creative individuals.
The reason young consumers also follow influencers is that they get to experience fun and trendy content via memes, shorts, and posts. The relatable content gets viral so quickly because the source is authentic from the point of view of Gen-Z. Unlike celebrities, the influencers come on Instagram Live more regularly and connect with their audience, have Q&A sessions, and provide a detailed perspective of their lives, giving them an edge over the celebs. We cannot ignore the fact that the influencers are the same people as the viewers, and that inspires their insta-fam to become influencers themselves. The reason why influencers are winning the market over these celebrities is that they are more accessible to the public. The internet has provided a chance for netizens with diverse backgrounds to come up and show their creativeness, humour, and sarcasm via social media.
All things considered
Social media platforms are a new form of word of mouth, and creators happen to be the eye of this digitised storm. The rapid adoption of the Internet and social media has given rise to the phenomenon of social commerce. Instagram is one of the most influential platforms in India, from which young customers choose to purchase products. The main reason they preferred these purchases is that they were convinced by the influencer's way of promoting. Also, several followers just purchased these products because they were endorsed by their favourite influencers. This is the main reason why brands have considered influencer marketing as a viable strategy for brand awareness. As celebrities are the bigger picture of the same ecosystem, creators have penetrated the customer's attention with creative real content, real-time engagement, and conversions while staying topical, relevant, and true to their core, giving them a competitive edge over celebrities.
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