According to an e-commerce platform survey, five in ten Malaysians relate most to micro-nano influencers with a follower count under 500,000. The surveyed buyers said they find these influencers relatable because they occupy a niche in posting word-of-mouth recommendations to well-acquainted circles of interest, according to the survey conducted by Shopee The degree to which Malaysians follow influencers in other tiers is spread: 25 percent like mega influencers (over 1 million) and 22 percent prefer macro influencers (with 500,000 to less than one million followers). With the rise of influencers in Malaysia, 30 percent of buyers want influencers to bond with them on a personal level so they can continue to stand out from their peers.
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One third (30 percent) concede that they follow influencers to reaffirm their shopping choices before they purchase a product. Some 22 percent habitually follow influencers to stay on trend or to educate themselves; 21 percent find them relatable; 20 percent want to discover new things; and only 7 percent choose to follow them for their popularity. Across generations, Malaysians want online access to information that helps them shop smarter.
The most popular type of influencer content, according to one third (33 percent) of Malaysian buyers, are reviews, vlogs and unboxing videos. Unboxing has become a popular trend across e-commerce, particularly for Shopee livestream influencers, where they have the advantage of showcasing the full potential of products and demonstrating their effectiveness live to their strong community of followers. It has become the most trusted way for them to share personal advice, get two-way feedback, and answer questions about the product directly with compelling proof.
Remaining buyers surveyed find inspiration in the following types of content: 20 percent watch DIY hacks, tips, and tricks; 19 percent feel rewarded by giveaways, special offers or contests;15 percent discover new products or feature launch announcements; and 12 percent prefer interactive videos, livestreams and polls. Some 48 percent of sellers preferred influencers to post relevant and genuine reels and videos of their product; 24 percent wanted their products featured organically in engaging content; 15 percent wanted to see their products on influencer selfies; and 15 percent wanted influencers to give away their products in live interactions.
“With many new sellers on the marketplace since the pandemic, buyers understandably are faced with more to choose from and more unknowns. Our influencers are a trusted community: Malaysian shoppers on our marketplace know the source, perceive them as fellow peers, and look to them to determine if they’re getting the best prices and whether they can trust user recommendations,” said Kenneth Soh, Head of Marketing Campaigns at Shopee Malaysia.
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“We strongly believe that our community of influencers will help our sellers achieve sustainable growth because we see more Malaysians trusting them to inform their shopping decisions. The Shopee Affiliate Programme, Shopee Influencer Marketing Programme, and Shopee Live are examples of how sellers can leverage trusted communities to cultivate more meaningful and loyal relationships online,” Soh added.