{"id":1784,"date":"2024-10-26T18:00:26","date_gmt":"2024-10-26T18:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/webfreetools.net\/blog\/gen-z-prefers-influencer-recommendations-over-word-of-mouth\/"},"modified":"2024-10-26T18:00:26","modified_gmt":"2024-10-26T18:00:26","slug":"gen-z-prefers-influencer-recommendations-over-word-of-mouth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/webfreetools.net\/blog\/gen-z-prefers-influencer-recommendations-over-word-of-mouth\/","title":{"rendered":"Gen Z Prefers Influencer Recommendations Over Word-of-Mouth"},"content":{"rendered":"

New research from GoDaddy suggests that the influence of word-of-mouth recommendations is waning among younger consumers, with influencers gaining greater trust from Gen Z shoppers. According to a recent GoDaddy survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers, Gen Z is increasingly looking to influencers over friends, family, and co-workers for purchasing decisions, signaling a shift in how businesses can effectively reach this audience.<\/p>\n

GoDaddy\u2019s data shows a clear divergence between Gen Z and Millennial purchasing behaviors, particularly on social media platforms. Nearly 41% of Gen Z respondents trust a product or service recommended by an influencer over traditional business ads, whereas 46% of Millennials still place higher trust in ads from businesses.<\/p>\n

Social Media Influence on Gen Z and Millennials<\/h3>\n

The survey highlighted that Gen Z and Millennials value different sources when deciding what to buy on social media:<\/p>\n

Gen Z Influence Rankings:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Influencer\u2019s post (57%)<\/li>\n
  2. Post from a business they follow (54%)<\/li>\n
  3. Ad in their feed (49%)<\/li>\n
  4. Friend\u2019s post (40%)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Millennial Influence Rankings:<\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Post from a business they follow (57%)<\/li>\n
    2. Ad in their feed (51%)<\/li>\n
    3. Friend\u2019s post (48%)<\/li>\n
    4. Influencer\u2019s post (44%)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Alycia Leno, GoDaddy\u2019s Director of Marketing, commented on these findings, stating, \u201cKnowing that Gen Z consumers trust social media ads more than recommendations from friends is a game-changer if this is your target audience. Insights into how each generation shops, especially on social media, will empower small businesses to rethink their strategies.\u201d<\/p>\n

      Social Media\u2019s Growing Role in Product Discovery<\/h3>\n

      The survey also revealed that social media ads remain effective for both Gen Z and Millennial consumers:<\/p>\n