Shoppers’ purchasing decisions are being increasingly swayed by online influencers and digital content creators, the latest research from global marketing group, dentsu, reveals.

Original research of over 1,000 UK shoppers in its The New Rules of Influence report suggest the online creator economy now influences over three quarters (77%) of UK consumers when making purchases.

Influential & consequential: the rise of the creator economy

Explainers and ‘how-to’ style content are the most persuasive formats, influencing 40% of consumers to buy, while product-centric creator content is outperforming traditional ads in driving brand impact. 

A further 45% of UK shoppers say an influencer’s relevance to their personal hobbies helps drive engagement, with 44% citing personality and entertainment value as key factors for effective influencer interactions.

“We’re witnessing a reallocation of consumer attention and spending power,” said Julie Chadwick, MD of Dentsu Influence, UK & EMEA. “Creators are becoming economic agents in their own right, driving demand, shaping preferences and building loyal, monetised audiences.” 

Trust is currency for influencers

Trust and authenticity remain a non-negotiable factor in the shopper-influencer relationship; two-thirds of consumers dentsu polled said they would support brand collaborations when they’re transparent and balanced, but 60% would unfollow creators if their content became overly sponsored. 

This sentiment was echoed at Mention Me’s Advocacy Live event last week, which saw a panel of micro-influencers discussing effective brand-creator collabs. Faye White, a travel and lifestyle influencer, said: “we know engagement with our audiences lives or dies on authenticity; trust is currency for influencers.”

Laila Goumri, a fashion and lifestyle micro-influencer who was also speaking on the panel agreed, saying that “without trust, we have no audience – people can see through inauthentic content instantly.”

“Influence is no longer a media metric – it’s an economic lever,” dentsu’s Chadwick added. “Understanding how consumers allocate attention and trust in the digital age is critical for any organisation looking to grow.”