You’ve heard all about influencer marketing, you know it’s powerful, but you need some stats to prove to the higher ups that this is a bona fide $2 billion industry projected to climb to a $10 billion value by 2020, according to Adweek!

Well, you’ve come to the right place. What follows are 10 stats on influencer marketing to both blow your mind and get you buy-in!

The State of the Influencer Marketing Nation

1. Google classifies the keyword “influencer marketing” as a “breakout,” meaning that the keyword is experiencing growth greater than 5000%. News flash, people are looking for it!

2. More brands are using influencers than ever before with the number rising every year. In 2018, 75% of brands reported using influencer marketing, and half of those are planning to increase budgets next year.
3. 74% of consumers identify word-of-mouth recommendations as a key factor in their purchasing decision. (To that we say, what’s influencer marketing if not word-of-mouth on steroids?)

Influencer Exposure Equals Higher Action

You heard it here first. Influencers = action. As brands grapple to prove ROI in the digital age, influencers are a key component to help drive actions by consumers.

4. Adults aged 18-24, in particular, were more likely to make a purchase at 47.6% compared to older adults at 26.3%. Importantly, nearly one-third (31%) of those who followed a digital trailblazer reported making a purchase after being exposed to sponsored content – 50% higher than celebrities and 13% higher than micro-influencers.
5. The results are remarkable — 75% of Instagram users take an action after looking at a sponsored post, and 60% of users discover new products on the platform
6. 79% of the respondents from one survey reported that they are “willing to spend more on a product after watching a social media video.”
7. 43% of social media users report buying a product after sharing or favoriting it on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Micro-Influencer Trends We’re Seeing Today!

After conducting a survey with micro-influencers across the country, some poignant insights emerged illuminating how influencers are setting rates, creating content, and how brands are utilizing those assets. Here are the top findings on micro-influencer from that study:

8. Influencers are becoming increasingly aware of their value and desire to work with brands that recognize it by compensating them accordingly. Over 65% of influencers reported an increase in rates over the last year.
9. When it comes to how influencers categorize themselves and the content they create, 60% fell under the lifestyle umbrella. By embracing a broadly appealing topic and highlighting photos of themselves or their family life, influencers are able to cover versatile subjects — and work with a range of brands.
10. Only 13% of influencers reported that the brands they work with give them enough freedom. Allowing influencers to infuse their posts with personal experiences and perspectives fuels authentic content. It’s this authenticity that audiences are keen to sniff out, and it also underpins the success of most influencers.

Looking for even more facts about the micro-influencer scene?

Download our white paper linked below to learn more about the ins and outs of working with these creators of compelling content.