Study by Kingfluencers shows "Power of Digital Influence"
A comprehensive survey by the Kingfluencers agency shows that digital touchpoints and influencer marketing are becoming the strongest tools for brands to increase sales in Switzerland.
Every third Swiss respondent was inspired by social media or influencers, which led to a purchase. The trend is almost twice as high among Gen Z and in the lifestyle and luxury sector.
What influences and inspires Swiss consumers
Last October, Kingfluencers, in collaboration with a European luxury fashion house and digital consultancy deeptrue, investigated what influences and inspires Swiss consumers. The study "Power of Digital Influence" is based on data from over 1,000 representative respondents from all over Switzerland aged 16 to 64. The study provides important insights into Swiss social media usage and the influence of online channels and influencer marketing on purchasing decisions, with an additional focus on the lifestyle and luxury sectors.
TikTok is used by every second person in Switzerland
According to the study, more than 85% of the Swiss population and over 95% of Swiss Gen Z can be reached via social media. YouTube is the star channel across all generations with 89% followers, while Instagram continues to dominate among young people (94% use) and Facebook (73% use) among older generations, especially in terms of frequency of use. TikTok is used by every second person in Switzerland, and the user group is getting older: 45% of the Swiss:in over 35 surveyed are active on the channel. But platforms like Snapchat and Pinterest are also surprising and are even more successful than TikTok in certain age groups.
Online touchpoints and influencer marketing as the most important drivers of purchase decisions
One-third of respondents said they had been inspired to make a purchase by social media (38%) or influencers (29%). Most purchases were made in online stores: 73% vs. 65% in physical stores. The digital trend is more pronounced in the lifestyle and luxury market, where almost all respondents look to online stores (97%) for purchase inspiration, closely followed by social media (89%) and influencer:ins (78%).
In Switzerland, influencers have become sources of entertainment, inspiration and product know-how. Swiss consumers trust and buy products recommended by influencers, even if they said they knew they were paid product placements. More than 67% of respondents in the lifestyle and luxury sector have noticed product placements from influencers, and 40% said they made a purchase because of it.
"Our study results prove that the earlier you integrate digital influencer into your marketing efforts, the higher your chances of success and increased sales in 2023 and beyond. As Gen Z enters the buying power phase, this trend will only intensify," says Kingfluencers CEO Yoeri Callebaut.
The full study report is here retrievable.
Kingfluencers is a Swiss social influencer agency headquartered in Zurich, offering holistic services in the areas of influencer marketing, social media and performance marketing, content strategy, B2B marketing and corporate ambassador programs. Since 2015, Kingfluencers has built a recognized expertise in the Swiss market through a strong network of over 3'000 influencers.