The Oz, The Australian’s newly launched news platform led by Gen Z, has unveiled social media’s most influential in its The Influence Index.
The Influence Index ranks the top 100 social media creators in Australia according to how they influence the nation’s purchase decisions, conversations and opinions, unearthing those who wield true power with consumers.
The top 10 alone have a collective audience of more than 140 million followers, more than five times Australia’s population. However, follower size isn’t everything.
The Oz’s editor Elyse Popplewell said the Index delves beyond commonly used vanity metrics, like the number of followers, holding a mirror against the industry and the metrics traditionally valued.
“The list is illuminating, disrupting who we believe is influential with a more analytical focus on metrics such as trustworthiness and relatability to reveal the truly powerful persuaders.
“The top influencers in the Index all had engagement levels far above the size of their following,” Popplewell added.
With top billing belonging to dancing, lip syncing and gaming stars, the top three on The Influence
Index are:
• Number 1: Sarah Magusara
This bubbly Gen Z mother’s dancing and workout videos make her number one.
• Number 2: Caleb Finn
Family-related content with his partner Lil Soup, who is also popular.
• Number 3: Hannah Balanay
Friendly and approachable, Balanay is one of TikTok’s most popular lip syncing and dancing stars.
TikTok accounts for 62% of the total audience of the top 50 influencers, showcasing how integral the platform is to driving reach and engagement for Australian influencers.
Influencers are now an established part of Australian society. According to research conducted for The Influence Index by The Behavioural Architects, 73 per cent of Australians aged 15-40 follow at least one influencer, and of those, one-third follow more than 15.
The research also found that health and fitness influencers are the most popular type of influencer, although beauty, fashion and pop culture and entertainment influencers do have a particular appeal to younger Australians.
Influencers have the potential to be powerful brand ambassadors, with seven in 10 followers having purchased a product, brand or service because an influencer recommended it.
Elyse Popplewell
The overall sentiment towards influencers is positive, with people seeing them as a source of entertainment and inspiration.
“The Influence Index legitimises those in the industry who are having such a big impact on our lives – until now there has been no way to actually measure the effect they have on our decision making,” Popplewell said.
“For the first time, we are also measuring trustworthiness and relatability to understand what really makes an audience move. We follow social media creators who are like the people we aspire to be and even consider them as people we want to include in our circle of friends.”
The Influence Index determines effectiveness by analysing six weighted indicators – trustworthiness, attraction, relatability, expertise, content prominence and content frequency – using behavioural science measures in a new way.
The Influence Index uses a bespoke measurement tool built in partnership with global experts in behavioural science, The Behavioural Architects, and the world’s leading social intelligence monitoring agency, Storyful.
See also: “We’re only just beginning”: Elyse Popplewell on launching The Oz
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Top image: Sarah Magusara, Hannah Balanay and Caleb Finn