Most marketers use influencers for awareness when consumers actually buy based on recommendations—and budget isn't fixing the gap

MarTech reports that despite 66% of consumers making at least one influencer-driven purchase in the past year—with 81% of Gen Z doing so—only 24% of marketers cite direct sales as a primary goal versus 50% who focus on awareness. The analysis draws on Sprout Social's 2026 Influencer Marketing Report and academic research from the Journal of Business Research to argue that marketers increase budgets (75% reported increases year-over-year) without aligning campaigns, creators, and metrics to purchase intent. Key findings show follower count matters less to consumers than subject matter (47%) and brand fit (29%); algorithmic distribution means even large creators reach mostly non-followers; and excessive brand control can undermine creator credibility when effectiveness matters most near the point of sale. MarTech concludes that influencer strategy should match funnel stage—awareness campaigns measure reach, lower-funnel campaigns should prioritize credibility and sales attribution—rather than treating all influencer efforts as top-of-funnel plays.