A new survey conducted by Youpix, specialized consulting in Creator Economy, in partnership with Nielsen, company specialized in data measurement and audience analysis, revealed that influencers with between 10,000 and 1 million followers convey more trust to consumers than major celebrities. Even micro-influencers, those with between 10 thousand and 50 thousand are more reliable 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 smallest number of choices in "I partially trust", with 58%. For the purpose of comparison, all other types of influencers have partial trust from, at least, 69% of respondents and none of them reached 20% of "I do not trust"
According to Fabio Gonçalves, international talent director at Viral Nation and specialist in the influencer marketing industry, this current dynamic reflects a change in consumer behavior and in the way digital advertising is perceived: "Today, the audience seeks authenticity and closeness with those they follow on social media, and micro and medium influencers can deliver this more naturally than big celebrities
In the professional's opinion, influencers with fewer followers usually have a more engaged and niche audience, what generates a higher level of trust: "They are seen as ordinary people who share real experiences, while celebrities may seem distant and associated with traditional advertising contracts, what diminishes the perception of spontaneity. Furthermore, brands are increasingly investing in campaigns with these profiles because the return tends to be more efficient in terms of conversion and cost-effectiveness. 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, even because, the impact of a celebrity can be immense, especially when there is a genuine alignment between your image, your engagement and the product or service promoted
Many global personalities have a highly engaged and loyal fan base, what can generate a great movement for brands. Furthermore, some celebrities have the authority to speak on certain topics, whether by expertise or by personal experience. An athlete sponsoring a sports supplement brand or an actress promoting a skincare line, for example, they can have a natural credibility within these segments. Another important point is the construction of awareness. Big celebrities can offer a reach that micro and medium influencers would hardly achieve on their own, becoming strategic for top-of-funnel campaigns, with the aim of massifying the message and strengthening brand recognition.”, explain
Gonçalves adds that agencies and brands need to pay attention to the changes in this very volatile market: "At Viral Nation, for example, we understand that public trust is one of the most important pillars of influencer marketing and, therefore, we have structured strategies that combine different creator profiles to meet the specific needs of each brand. At the same time, we recognize that major celebrities still play a key role in the market, especially for brand awareness strategies. That's why, we have been investing in hybrid campaigns, where creators of different sizes work together, ensuring massive reach without losing authenticity and public trust. 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 30th and October 7th of 2024, with 1.000 interviewees from different demographic profiles. Among the participants, 65% are women and 29% are men. The complete research is available athttps://www.youpix.com.br/pesquisa-shopper-2025-download.
