More than half of adults in Ireland would try influencing

More than half of adults in Ireland would consider becoming a social media influencer or content creator, according to research by Pure Telecom. The study found 56% would consider it either as their main source of income or as a way to earn extra money.

The survey of 1,000 adults found 35% would consider influencing as their main source of income. Men were more likely than women to consider it, with 60% saying they would be open to it, compared with 53% of women.

Interest was strongest among people aged 35 to 44. In that group, 67% said they would consider influencing as a source of income, and 41% said they would consider doing it full-time.

That compares with 66% of people aged 18 to 24 who said they would consider it as a source of income, but only 26% who would consider it as their main job. The figures suggest younger adults are almost as interested overall, but less willing to rely on it as full-time work.

Money motives

Among those open to a career in influencing, 39% said the main attraction was the prospect of earning more money. A further 31% said they believed it would be "easy money".

The findings also pointed to labour market pressures and job dissatisfaction. One in five respondents said they would consider influencing if they were unemployed, while 16% said it could help them leave their current job.

Non-financial motives also featured. A quarter of those interested said becoming an influencer would make them feel popular, while one in five said they were drawn by the prospect of fame.

Scepticism remains

Despite the interest, the research also showed significant reluctance among those who would not consider the role. Of that group, 47% said they were simply not interested, while 31% said they would be no good at it.

Privacy and public exposure were also concerns. Some 29% of those unwilling to pursue influencing said they were worried about intrusion into their personal lives and public scrutiny.

There was also doubt about whether content creation offers stable work. Among those who would not consider it as a main source of income, 24% said they did not see it as a real job, while 19% did not view it as a viable long-term career.

Consumer influence

The survey also examined the reach of influencers in everyday life, finding that 82% of adults in Ireland follow at least one influencer.

That audience appears to carry commercial weight. More than a third, 34%, said they were more likely to buy a product if it was recommended by an influencer they follow.

Influencers also appear to play a social role for some users. The research found 37% of respondents said influencers made them feel part of an online community.

The data points to the extent to which social media personalities have entered the mainstream of online behaviour in Ireland, not only as entertainment figures but also as a route to income and a source of consumer recommendations.

Paul Connell, chief executive officer of Pure Telecom, said: "This is the first time in our annual Connected Lives research that we have found more adults would like to be social media influencers than not. So much business now happens on the internet, so when a content creator finds their niche and gets it right, it can open up a lot of doors.

"It is interesting that 35- to 44-year-olds are the most likely to consider a job as an influencer. It begs the question: what is happening within this age group that so many would be open to an entirely new career path? Hopefully, it is not simply a case of them being fed up in their jobs and thinking content creation would be 'easy money' - because they will be in for a big surprise!"