The social media landscape is shifting from platform-driven engagement to personality-driven connections, according to research from advertising agency Dentsu. Its survey of 1,000 U.S. adults found that most followers track influencers across multiple platforms, suggesting that individual creators, rather than the platforms themselves, now dictate audience behavior.
Celebrities remain the most-followed personalities, but preferences vary by demographic group. Regardless of the influencer type, trust is emerging as the most valuable currency. Consumers expect transparency about brand partnerships and want endorsements to be relevant to the influencer’s area of expertise. Posting too much sponsored content is widely viewed as a reason to unfollow.