On Thursday, THE OZ will publish the findings of investigations into the role that influencers have in the lives of Australians. 

TRUE INFLUENCE OF INFLUENCERS ON GEN Z AND MILLENNIALS REVEALED 

Skyrocketing numbers of younger Australians are relying on social media creators to choose everything - from what to buy to what to think - as groundbreaking new research reveals almost three-quarters of 15 to 40-year-olds follow at least one influencer. 

And one in three of Generation Z and Millennials follow more than 15 influencers, according to The Behavioral Architects study, with a whopping two-thirds of these respondents buying something because it was recommended by an influencer. 

The research was conducted for The Influence Index, a ranking of the 100 most truly impactful influencers in Australia, which will be published exclusively by theoz.com.au on Thursday. 

The world-first 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, Storyful. 

The survey of 2000 Australians aged 15-40 found content creators on social media wield enormous power, influence and sway: 

- Half of all followers said they would be an influencer if they had the chance ● 77 per cent of respondents have looked at what an influencer says about a topic to form their own opinion

- 75 per cent of women have bought something recommended by an influencer compared with 61 per cent of men
women (80 per cent) are more likely to follow an influencer than men (66 per cent)

- Almost all Gen Z girls (92 per cent) are active on social media

- Gen Z (82 per cent) are more likely than millennials (68 per cent) to follow an influencer

- Gen Z women (88 per cent) are more likely to follow an influencer, compared with only 64 per cent of Millennial men

- 64 per cent of Gen Z believe being an influencer is a respectable career path

Elyse Popplewell, the editor of The Oz, the country's freshest news-content platform for young Australians, by young Australians, said: 

“As young, digital natives, Gen Z and Millennials undeniably live in a world where social media has extreme power. This new research reinforces the influence that content creators have on every part of our lives, and that social media extends beyond entertainment for our generation.”