Gen Z’s Favorite Influencer? The Comment Section

Gen Z isn’t just stumbling across product recommendations on social media—they’re actively seeking them out, and not from brands or celebrities, but from regular people they relate to. While a brand having a social presence is obviously important, word of mouth from regular people is the content with clout to Gen Z. The opinion of someone who shares with their lifestyle, budget, and values is often far more convincing than paid content. YPulse’s Influencer Anonymous trend report shows 81% 13-17-year-olds and 73% 18-24-year-olds agree, “A recommendation from a regular person is more authentic than an ad from a brand.”  These unsponsored posts feel more genuine, and in many cases, more entertaining. After all, YPulse data shows 60% of teens and 71% of young adults tend to skip posts that features #ad. But word of mouth online isn’t just happening in regular people’s videos; every comment section is a hub for even more anonymous influencers—ones Gen Z trusts.  That’s why for YPulse’s Influencers Anonymous trend survey, we asked 13-39-year-olds if...