Influencer marketing has emerged as a powerful tool for brands looking to connect with consumers in the U.K. With a wealth of opportunities at their fingertips, brands can confidently embark on influencer campaigns knowing they tap into a thriving market. To fully appreciate the potential for success, it’s essential to delve into key statistics that reveal the latest trends, motivations, and online shopping behaviors across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Online shopping in the U.K.
Nearly 41% of U.K. consumers are considered “digital enthusiasts.”
Compared with digital minimalists or mainstream users, U.K. consumers are second only to India (42.5%) in terms of being highly receptive to digitally enhanced shopping features. Among the most coveted features for online shopping are payment options, loyalty rewards, price matching, and two-factor authentication.
69% of online purchases in the U.K. were made on smartphones.
The second most popular device for online shopping in the UK was laptops (43%).
69% of U.K. consumers who use social media platforms to shop do it on Instagram.
The second and third platforms of choice are Facebook (54%) and TikTok (50%).
37% of British consumers say they purchase clothes and shoes “all” or “mostly” online.
An additional 28% of Brits will likely split their online and offline shopping.
73% of online consumers who use social media platforms to shop say it’s to find products they’re interested in.
The additional top three reasons include finding discounts (61%), discovering new brands (58%), and finding trustworthy product reviews (52%).
Online sales have surpassed 30% of total retail sales in the U.K. for the first time.
The key drivers of online shopping growth include changing consumer behavior, expansion of e-commerce platforms, and technological advancements.
Influencer marketing in the U.K.
Annual spending on influencer marketing in the U.K. was up 15.7% year over year.
The number is more than double the amount spent on social ads, which was up 7.8%.
69% of 18-to-29-year-olds in the U.K. would accept compensation or free products from a brand to make a social media post on their channels.
Source: UK Trust in Influencer Marketing
The number isn’t surprising, consider that 61% of the same age group knows someone who earns money as an influencer.
Nearly 70% of content creators under the age of 44 are using AI tools.
On the contrary, only 20% of influencers over 60 use AI tools for content creation.
54% of UK respondents are more likely to trust an influencer’s sponsored post over one from an A-list celebrity.
Influencer-led campaigns in general are preferred to brand-led campaigns, with 55% of social media users prefer content created by social media influencers over marketing professionals.
51% of all UK respondents have purchased products promoted by influencers.
The number represents UK adults of all ages.
79% of 18- to 29-year-olds have purchased a product after seeing it used by an influencer.
Numbers from youth consumers align with the fact that this cohort is made up of digital natives.
48% of 18- to 29-year-olds follow an AI or virtual influencer.
Younger users tend to be less averse and more curious about non-human influencers.
U.K. Influencers and Amazon
How popular is Amazon in the UK and what role do influencers play in persuading consumers? Check out these statistics from a survey of online shoppers in the United Kingdom.
73% of social media users in the U.K. are Amazon Prime members.
Source: Influencers & Amazon, U.K. edition
Nearly 3 out of 4 social media users in the U.K. pay for an Amazon Prime subscription.
Those who make influencer-inspired purchases are at least 6.5 times more likely to shop on Amazon than anywhere else.
While Amazon ranked first with 68.1% of those surveyed, in-app shopping was far behind with only 10.4% of the vote.
Over 45% of those ages 30-44 shop on Amazon at least once a week.
This demographic primarily reflects millennials (ages 28 to 43).
62% of U.K. respondents have purchased a product after seeing it used by an influencer.
These purchases are specific to Amazon and represent all-age adults.
66% of 18-to-29-year-olds say video content influences their Amazon purchasing decisions the most.
Although photo-based influencer content also drives purchase decisions, video is the preferred format among Gen Z in the U.K.
91% of those who make influencer-inspired purchases have made influencer-inspired purchases on Amazon.
The statistics are broken down by age groups: 18-29 (92.0%); 30-44 (94.1%); 45-60 (90.1%); and 60+ years (75.6%).
95% of U.K. influencers have recommended a product purchased on Amazon to someone else.
Source
Amazon’s popularity in the UK is largely due to convenience, competitive pricing, and familiarity.
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Marketers:
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IZEA MANAGED SERVICES
Strategy and execution from the company that launched the industry.
IZEA MANAGED SERVICES
Strategy and execution from the company that launched the industry.
IZEA MANAGED SERVICES
Strategy and execution from the company that launched the industry.
IZEA MANAGED SERVICES
Strategy and execution from the company that launched the industry.
