A new survey conducted by Youpix, a consultancy specializing in the Creator Economy, in partnership with Nielsen, a company specializing in data measurement and audience analysis, revealed that influencers with between 10,000 and 1 million followers convey more confidence to consumers than major celebrities. Even micro-influencers, who have between 10,000 and 50,000 followers, are more trustworthy than global personalities, according to the study.
The survey measured the level of confidence for each profile. Celebrities had the highest percentage when it comes to not trusting, with 26%, and the lowest number of choices in "partially trust," with 58%. For comparison, all other types of influencers have at least 69% of respondents expressing some level of trust, and none of them reached the 20% mark for "do not trust."
According to Fabio Gonçalves, director of international talent at Viral Nation and an expert in the influencer marketing market, this current dynamic reflects a change in consumer behavior and the way digital advertising is perceived: “Today, the public seeks authenticity and proximity to those they follow on social media, and micro and medium influencers are able to deliver this more naturally than big celebrities.”
In the professional’s opinion, influencers with fewer followers generally have a more engaged and niche audience, which generates a higher level of trust: “They are seen as ordinary people who share real experiences, while celebrities can seem distant and associated with traditional advertising contracts, which reduces the perception of spontaneity. In addition, brands are increasingly investing in campaigns with these profiles because the return tends to be more efficient in terms of conversion and cost-benefit. Followers of micro and medium influencers trust their recommendations more and identify with them, making campaigns more effective. This explains why this trend continues to grow and shape the influencer marketing market.”
Despite the greater trust currently placed in micro and medium influencers, Fabio considers that this does not mean that big celebrities are not effective in influencer marketing campaigns, especially because the impact of a celebrity can be immense, especially when there is a genuine alignment between their image, their engagement and the product or service promoted.
“Many global personalities have a highly engaged and loyal fan base, which can generate significant momentum for brands. In addition, some celebrities have the authority to speak about certain topics, whether through their expertise or personal experience. An athlete sponsoring a sports supplement brand or an actress promoting a skincare line, for example, can have natural credibility within these segments. Another important point is building awareness. Big celebrities can offer a reach that micro and medium influencers would have difficulty achieving alone, making them strategic for top-of-funnel campaigns, in which the goal is to spread the message and strengthen brand recognition,” he explains.
Gonçalves adds that agencies and brands need to be aware of the changes in this highly volatile market: “At Viral Nation, for example, we understand that audience trust is one of the most important pillars of influencer marketing, and so we have structured strategies that combine different creator profiles to meet the specific needs of each brand. At the same time, we recognize that big celebrities still play a fundamental role in the market, especially for brand awareness strategies. That is why we have invested in hybrid campaigns, where creators of different sizes work together, ensuring massive reach without losing the authenticity and trust of the audience. Our differential lies in the ability to use data intelligence and technology to map which influencers make sense for each campaign, going beyond the number of followers and analyzing factors such as engagement rate, credibility in the niche and conversion history”.
METHODOLOGY
The study was conducted between September 30 and October 7, 2024, with 1,000 respondents from different demographic profiles. Among the participants, 65% are women and 29% men. The complete research is available athttps://www.youpix.com.br/pesquisa-shopper-2025-download.
