Recommendations are the (not-so) secret sauce driving brand success with young consumers. Before hitting “buy,” young consumers are doing their homework—scrolling through reviews, checking social media, and talking to friends and family. YPulse data shows 65% of 13-17-year-olds and 70% of 18-24-year-olds say it’s important for the brands they purchase from to be recommended by others. But those “others” don’t have to be celebrities or mega-influencers like many brands think—they’re just as often friends, siblings, or relatable creators with few followers on their FYP. Gen Z isn’t just taking in recommendations—they’re giving them, too. They’re proud to hype up the brands they genuinely love and trust, passing them on to their circle both online and off. That kind of word-of-mouth marketing has real weight and impact, which is exactly why YPulse dedicated an entire trend report to the power of everyday people on social media. It’s also why we track which brands this gen is recommending—it’s one of the clearest signs of a brand winning Gen Z over. YPulse’s...
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