In today’s world we constantly want to look perfect especially when it comes to clothes, hair, makeup, jewelry or shoes. We live in a time where we constantly seek validations from people on what to buy and what to not, this ultimately leads to over consuming things we may not need just to curate an aesthetic instagram feed or as Gen Z states, “it’s for the gram”. Especially now with millions of followers on platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok social media influencers like Bhuvan Bam, Prajakta Koli, Komal Pandey and many others have gained immense popularity. Today these social media influencers seem to hold power over consumer choices, but do we think their recommendations are really shaping the way people dress, what they buy and how we think? Thus, we have curated this article to help you learn about influencer marketing, the rise of influencers, and if social media influencers genuinely influence consumer behavior or if it’s all a marketing hype.
What is Influencer Marketing?
Influencer marketing is a type of marketing through which a brand collaborates with influencers to promote their brands products or services. For example, if someone you know owns a fashion clothing brand, they will partner with a fashion influencer to gain visibility and build their revenues. This works when brands shares their products or services with an influencer with a huge number of followers in exchange for paid promotions. Especially for big brands this acts as a powerful selling tool, as brands know that customers that are attracted to a social media influencer or celebrity will blindly follow them and end up purchasing the product regardless of its quality standard. Many social media influencers known for their comedic, fashion, travel and lifestyle content like Dolly Singh, Juhi Godambe, Sakshi Sindhwani, Kusha Kapila, etc are brand ambassadors of big brands like Colgate, H&M, Puma, Sephora, Dove and more.
The Rise Of Social Media Influencers:
Influencers have been on a rise especially since the Covid-19 period. Many of them during this time got the opportunity to showcase their talents through social media apps especially Instagram, Tik Tok, Facebook and YouTube. Since then millennial and generation Z are crazily influenced by these social media Influencers. And it comes to no surprise that almost 50% of Gen Z want to turn into one. Today more than 85% of population hold their trust in social media influencers and online reviews before making a purchase. Reports state that influencer marketing industry is projected to reach $32.55 billion globally.
Today influencer marketing has become a crucial aspect as many companies allocate a portion of their income to collaborate with digital creators and advertise their products. And with the rise of new technology and various platforms like Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, it has become easier to curate content be it short-form or long-form and reach their target audience. Influencers in various niches be it beauty, fashion, fitness, technology, and food hold power over audiences who look to them for recommendations. Unlike traditional advertising, which often may feel impersonal or only found in the corners of the newspapers, influencer marketing taps into the trust and relatability factor as these influencers share their personal experiences or hype up a product making brand endorsements feel more authentic. However, as brand deals and sponsored posts flood platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, which one may preferably notice in the captions of influencers as #sponsporedpost or in tags stating it’s a paid promotion. This leads to many consumers being skeptic about whether are people genuinely influenced by these digital stars, or are they simply being marketed to in a new way?
Do Influencers Really Shape Consumer Behavior?
Influencers promote products or services either through paid promotions or by organically voicing their opinions often giving brands and their products a free shoutout. For influencers when it comes to paid promotions the process could be simple, setting up a camera, reviewing a product be it by wearing a luxury designer set, tasting a newly launched ice-cream or applying a new foundation and then speaking a few good works about the design, texture and quality. Eventually this post ends up being viewed by the hundreds and lakhs of followers and it eventually leads to increase in sales of the product reviewed. Research too state that high number of consumers have bought a product after viewing it on social media or through influencers. This dynamic benefits both the brands as well as the influencer, as for brands they see a growth in their sales and content creators find themselves with new followers, boost in their engagement numbers through views, comments, likes and shares. This in turn helps them gain extra credit. However, the degree to which they shape consumer behavior depends on several factors that we have listed below:
1. Trust and Authenticity: When it comes to buying products Indians mainly take into consideration the quality, durability and pricing of the products. Although not many may agree as consumers may find a product that looks good on a celebrity or influencer and would dream of buying it. A few days later, if a consumer comes across a similar product being reviewed by a famous influencer they would eventually buy it without thinking of the three main aspects that they normally look for. Sometimes consumers are more likely to trust influencers who have built credibility over time. For instance the famous content creator Dolly Singh often infuses humor and satire into her content while subtly promoting brands. This eventually ends up connecting with her audience, as her storytelling, her endorsements feel more genuine, making followers more likely to try the products she promotes.
Similarly, Tech Burner (Shlok Srivastava) is known for his unbiased and entertaining tech reviews. His in-depth analysis of gadgets helps consumers make informed purchasing decisions. Because of his reputation for honesty, his recommendations significantly impact buying behavior.
2. Social Proof and FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)– When an influencer showcases a product be it a simple clothing, a makeup kit or a hand bag, many followers especially the younger generation often experience FOMO (Fear of missing out) and this leads them to make impulsive purchases. In recent times, the popularity of fashion influencer Komal Pandey has encouraged many of her followers to try out her recommended clothing styles and she is known for getting her fashion game on point. Her unique styling videos generate a high level of engagement, influencing many consumers to shop for similar outfits, accessories, shoes, bags, cosmetics and more!
3. Relatability and Emotional Connection– One of the primary reasons influencers impact consumer choices is relatability. Prajakta Koli (MostlySane), for instance, is known for her down-to-earth personality and everyday content. Her collaboration with brands like Amazon, Flipkart, and skincare companies resonates with her audience because she comes across as the “girl next door.” She gives a very homely, middle class feeling when she engages with her followers and adding humor and a chirpy personality makes her come off as reliable and a genuine social media influencer.
Similarly, food influencers like Chef Ranveer Brar, Shivesh Bhatia and Pooja Dhingra use their expertise to endorse kitchen appliances, food brands, and ingredients. Their culinary experience and connection with audiences make their recommendations highly persuasive.
The Flip Side: When Influence Becomes Superficial
Despite their significant impact, not all influencers drive meaningful consumer behavior. Several challenges dilute their influence:
1. Saturation of Sponsored Content– With an increasing number of influencers promoting brands, audiences have become skeptical. Many influencers endorse multiple brands, sometimes contradicting their past recommendations. For example, an influencer promoting one skincare brand today and another competing brand next week raises questions about credibility.
2. Fake Followers and Engagement– Many influencers inflate their following through fake followers or engagement bots, misleading brands and consumers. While an influencer may have millions of followers, their actual engagement and impact might be minimal. Brands that fail to analyze genuine reach may end up investing in influencers who don’t truly shape consumer behavior.
3. Short-Term Hype vs. Long-Term Influence– Not all influencer-driven trends sustain long-term consumer interest. Many viral products experience an initial spike in sales due to influencer marketing but quickly fade away. For example, skincare products hyped on Instagram might gain traction for a few months but lose popularity once the next big trend emerges.
The Future of Influencer Marketing in India
The future of Influencer marketing is evolving rapidly in India due to increase in digital literacy. Many house makers, road side vendors, rural and physically challenged individuals too are following their passion through content creation and stepping into the influencer marketing industry. Although there may be some who may blindly follow influencers, yet there is a growing understanding amongst people to trust only genuine influencers and accounts. This has also led to brands not spending their income on influencers with millions of followers but to focus on micro (10K-100K followers) and nano influencers (1K-10K followers). For example some creators end up creating fake content for example some may try to promote fairness products for Indian skin type and due to societal expectations such creators gain more attraction in comparison to genuine stars who try to portray body positivity, eliminate societal misconceptions and promote generic products and services. In the future as education and mindsets change people will realize the importance of meaningful content and choosing wisely whom to follow than simply following in the trap of wrong content creators. The future of influencer marketing will change as a new significant trend is the increasing emphasis on laws and openness, with the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) mandating that influencers declare paid partnerships. This action results in gaining trust and helps prevent deceptive advertising eventually emphasizing the importance of ethical and honest influencer marketing.
To conclude, it can no doubt be stated that influencers do shape consumer behavior although the impact in the coming years may vary due to consumers becoming more aware about the authenticity, engagement and nature of the product. This will lead to more demand of being transparent with the audience and to more organic promotions than just a market driven promotion. Therefore, the brands and influencers who are now at the forefront on digital platforms and the ones who adapt to new changes will surely continue to have a lasting impact on consumer behavior in India.
