Pure Telecom research reveals strong desire among adults to become influencers

Want to know how to make the perfect curry? There’s an influencer for that. Training for a marathon? You’ll be spoiled for choice. Had a baby and just realised you don’t know how to care for it? The internet is your oyster.

Today, many of us are turning to influencers for advice, inspiration and escapism. They play a major role in society. As a high-speed broadband provider, it is our job to stay on top of internet trends to ensure we are continuing to support the population’s online needs. So, we carried out some research to find out what is making people Tik(Tok) in the influencer space.

Our research of 1,006 adults in Ireland showed insights into the effect of social media influencers on our shopping habits. Over two in five (44%) of social media users said that influencers have an impact their purchasing decisions and choices. This impact was most noticeable among Generation Z (those aged 26 and younger), with nearly just over half (54%) reporting that influencers impact such decisions. As the age profile increased, the impact waned – still, more than a third (34%) of Baby Boomers (aged 59-77) said their choices had been swayed by influencers.

We found that influencers are impacting people’s career plans, too. At the time of our research, South East Technological University in Carlow had just announced a new four-year undergraduate degree in content creation and social media, aimed at people who want to be social media influencers. And according to our research, they could get a lot of interest. We found that some 60% of adults in Ireland aged under 35 would like a job as a social media influencer as a source of income. In total, 48% of the adult population would consider a job as a social media influencer.

Paul Connell, CEO, Pure Telecom, said: “Online influencing has become a mainstream career consideration for many as we see an entire generation of digital natives becoming hard-working adults. Increased connectivity means that we can consume media wherever we are. With that ease of access, people are now turning to influencers for tips and inspiration on the things that are important to them – be that feeling good about themselves, cooking nutritious family meals or simply having a laugh. So, is it any wonder that so many of us want to use our talents, knowledge or interests and make a career out of them while making people happy at the same time?”

Indeed, we found that adults in Ireland see a career in influencing as a lucrative prospect. Of those who expressed an interest in pursuing a job as an influencer – and who have full-time jobs – 56% believe they would earn more money than they do now. This means that 27% of full-time employees in Ireland believe that they could earn more money as a social media influencer than they do in their current job.

The top reasons given for wanting to be a social media influencer were having an interest in it (49%) and getting free products and services (32%). On the other hand, the top reasons given by those who would steer clear of an influencing career were a lack of interest (38%), followed by a belief that they would not be good at it (37%), as well as privacy concerns and the pressure of public scrutiny (30%).

High-speed broadband enabling more career choices

Our research, along with the new course being offered by South East Technological University, demonstrate how the online world is becoming a colossal jobs market – and one that is likely to grow. And, with people’s livelihoods depending on online connectivity, getting the most reliable high-speed broadband is essential.

Paul Connell said: “Social media holds so much potential in the eyes of those who are starting out in their careers or looking for a change. And high-speed broadband, along with their talents, is the key to their success. Intermittent connectivity for these people is like a shopkeeper being locked out of their shop. At Pure Telecom, we are committed to providing the reliable, fast connectivity that enables people to pursue their dream career.”

Getting the balance right

While not everyone can – or wants to – be an influencer, our research also found that we are a nation of frequent social media posters regardless of whether or not we are getting paid for it. Nearly half (45%) of the population said that they post at least once a week on their chosen social media platforms. More than one-in-10 (12%) post on social media every day or more.

However, the potential consequences of posting too much were also laid bare, with nearly half (47%) of social media users revealing that they mute people if their posts become irritating. It appears nobody is safe in this regard, with nearly one in three (32%) social media users admitting to muting a friend and one in five (21%) having done the same to a family member. In more extreme cases, one-in-10 have actually ended a friendship due to someone’s social media posts, and 5% had ended a romantic relationship.

Are you a wannabe social media influencer, or just an avid TikTok fan? No matter what you are using your social media channels for, chat to us today to get the best value high-speed broadband to suit your specific needs.