Consumers across generations have different expectations

Do you know what your audience wants? Most consumers, especially Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers follow influencers who share their personal values and appear genuine. However, Gen Z is different—only 35% value authenticity, while 47% prioritize follower count. This generation is more focused on measurable credibility rather than perceived authenticity.

Top influencer marketing topics

Consumers are most drawn to food and drink (30%) and beauty (26%) content, but preferences shift with age. Younger audiences lean towards fitness, gaming, and lifestyle, while Gen X shows more interest in movies/TV and sports.

What makes partnerships successful

Honest and unbiased influencer content grabs consumers’ attention across all demographics, while aspirational content is less engaging. Consumers prefer to be entertained over being educated or surprised.

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• Consumers across generations have different expectations
• Consumers’ favorite influencer marketing topics
• What makes for winning partnerships
• Networks consumers use most to engage with influencers
• The bottom line
• About the data
• About Sprout Social

Number of Pages:

• 7 pages

Pricing: 

• Free

Methodology

This research cited in this report was conducted online by Cint on behalf of Sprout Social. Consumer participants included 2,000 respondents across the US and UK who have at least one social media account and follow at least five brands on social media. Influencer participants included 300 respondents across the US and UK who identify as social media influencers, with an audience of 10,000+ followers on at least one social network, who earn at least half of their annual income from brand partnerships on social media. The consumer and influencer surveys were conducted from February 13, 2024 to February 20, 2024