Young Europeans are already creating content for an audience—and they’re more than willing to promote brands. Three stats show why brands should work with these nano-influencers…
TL;DR
- The majority of young Europeans are posting social media content for an audience, creating a massive pool of UGC for brands to tap into
- These creators are already posting about brands, but the majority are open to—and even excited about—partnering with brands for promotional content
- But brands should keep in mind that these creators won’t work for free—and they want creative control, too
YPulse’s recent WE New Content Creators trend report found that the majority of young Europeans are creating content for an audience beyond their friends and family, making nearly everyone an influencer in their own right. While the majority of these young nano-influencers say they’re creating content just for fun and to express their creativity, many do see social media as a potential career path—and this presents a big opportunity for brands. After all, our WE Ad/Marketing Effectiveness behavioral report found that Gen Z and Millennials are tired of seeing picture-perfect images on social media, and the majority say they want brands to post user-generated content instead. And with the path from casual content creator to full-time influencer is paved with brand partnerships, it’s clear that brands should be tapping these nan-influencers to reach their hundreds (if not thousands) of followers. Here are three stats that show how (and why) brands should work with young European content creators:
Three in five young Europeans are interested in promoting brands on social media.
The truth is, the majority of young European content creators are already posting about brands on social media simply because they like them, and the majority of all young Europeans would be open to more formal partnerships: 59% say they are interested in promoting brands on social media, and 70% agree, “I’m open to a brand reaching out to me directly to promote them on social media.” In other words, brands have a sea of UGC ripe for the picking, all made by willing creators who have their eyes set on becoming influencers, even if just nano ones. This willingness is highest in Spain and Italy, where 65% say they’re interested in promoting brands and 77% say they’re open to brands reaching out to them directly. Young French consumers, meanwhile, are the least likely to agree with both of these statements. For brands looking to partner with young European content creators, Spain and Italy may have the most receptive influencers.
The majority would be excited if a brand used their content.
Having a brand use their content is a badge of honor for Gen Z and Millennials in Western Europe, 72% of whom say they’d be excited if a brand wanted to repost their content on their own social channel or marketing/ads. But the key for brands to think about here is that this should be a two-way street: young content creators expect their work to be credited, and they expect to be compensated, too. While young Europeans who are already creating spon con for brands would be happy with the exposure provided by a brand reposting their content, the top thing young European creators want is money, followed by free products / merch, then exposure. While it’s certainly less expensive to work with these nano-influencers than it is to work with big names, brands need to keep in mind that they expect to be paid for their work nonetheless.
And they want creative control.
While young Europeans are eager to work with brands (and especially if they’re paid) they do have some stipulations. More than three in five content creators say that if they made a promotional post for a brand, they would want creative freedom rather than following instructions for what to post, making clear that brands need to respect these nano-influencers as the independent creators that they are. These gens’ expectation that brands do some social good is also unparalleled to any other before them, which is why 61% say they would only promote brands that have moral and ethical practices they agree with. These creators are brands themselves, and promoting something that isn’t ethically sound goes against their beliefs—and could lose them precious followers. Brands should also keep in mind that these creators are going to be honest about what they think of your brand: 74% say that if a brand gave them a product to review, they would be completely honest about their thoughts on it. YPulse’s Celebrities and Influencers research found that young Europeans consider online influencers more trustworthy than actors, celebs, and athletes, and that Gen Z trusts YouTubers more than any other public figure. Wanting to stay trustworthy, young European creators are committed to being honest with their followers, whether a brand is paying for their content or not.
YPulse Western Europe Business users can access the full WE New Content Creators trend report and data here.
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