Every January, I sit down to write my predictions for the year ahead in social media and consumer behavior. And this year, one trend stood out to me more than anything else: the rise of customers as influencers.<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n In the past 18 months, we\u2019ve seen people boycotting brands, blocking campaigns, and becoming much more marketing literate. We know how influencer deals work, we see the behind-the-scenes, and in many cases we now view influencers as brands themselves. That changes how we trust them, and how we want to engage.<\/p>\n It\u2019s made me stop and think: what if customers are the new influencers?<\/em><\/p>\n This article is about that shift. Why consumers are growing tired of influencer culture, what happens when brands put their customers in the spotlight instead, and how any business \u2014 big or small \u2014 can start building a customer influencer strategy of their own. Because in 2025, I believe the smartest brands will be the ones who give their customers the microphone.<\/p>\n Table of Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n Why Brands Are Ditching Influencers<\/a> How to Get Started With Your Own Customer Influencer Strategy<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Over the past year or so, the sentiment around influencers has changed. At the start of 2024 we saw the \u201cblockout\u201d after the Met Gala \u2014 entire communities boycotting brands and creators at once.<\/p>\n\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n For me, that moment showed just how powerful consumers have become, and how different the brand\u2013consumer relationship looks now compared to just a few years ago.<\/p>\n You see this play out around big cultural moments like Coachella. I remember watching one influencer\u2019s White Fox gifting haul where she casually pulled a Dyson Airwrap out of the bag. Half the comments were people saying, \u201cWow, I wish this life would find me,\u201d<\/em> and the other half were angry, calling it a \u201cdisgusting display of not just wealth but opportunity.\u201d<\/em> It was so telling of the split between aspiration and alienation.<\/p>\n That\u2019s also why REFI Beauty\u2019s approach felt so refreshing. Instead of flying out influencers for another glossy trip, they invited their own customers on a community holiday to launch a new collection.<\/p>\n If influencers are now brands themselves, then maybe customers are the ones best placed to carry the trust, authenticity, and connection that traditional influencer marketing has lost.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n I\u2019m not saying we should ditch influencers entirely \u2014 they still have a place. But I do think there\u2019s something really powerful about bringing customers into the spotlight. When brands do this, the benefits are clear.<\/p>\n One of my favorite examples is Toco Swim<\/a>, a London-based swimwear brand run by two sisters. Instead of hiring influencers or models, they invited their own customers to model their new summer collection.<\/p>\n They shared behind-the-scenes on Instagram, gave people the chance to try on pieces, and I\u2019m sure those who took part got to take a few products home. For the brand, it meant gorgeous content and big savings on model fees. For the customers, it was an experience with a brand they already loved.<\/p>\n I remember thinking, that\u2019s incredible<\/em> \u2014 maybe that could be me next time if I\u2019m brave enough.<\/em><\/p>\n Snag<\/a>, a Scottish-based hosiery brand, takes a different approach.<\/p>\n They don\u2019t work with influencers at all. Instead, they comb through their tagged posts and reach out to customers whose content they like. They\u2019ll pay those people a small fee for the rights, and suddenly their entire grid is filled with real customers.<\/p>\n\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n For the brand, it\u2019s a cost-effective way to source authentic content. For the customer, it\u2019s exciting and validating \u2014 who wouldn\u2019t want to be featured by a brand they love?! And once you\u2019ve been spotlighted, you\u2019re likely to post about the brand even more.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the thing: if a brand featured me, I\u2019d tell my friends, I\u2019d tell my co-workers, I\u2019d post it on my own grid.<\/p>\n Sure, maybe that only reaches ten people. But those ten people know me. They trust me. They\u2019ve seen me wear the product in real life. That kind of ripple effect feels more powerful than a stranger with 100,000 followers telling me to buy something.<\/p>\n The other big benefit is loyalty. Featuring customers shows them you value their support, and that matters. When people feel recognized, they stick around. They spend more, they engage more, and they tell their friends. It\u2019s personalization in the truest sense \u2014 not an algorithm guessing what I want, but a brand showing me I\u2019m part of their story.<\/p>\n For me, that\u2019s the real opportunity here. Using your customers in this way is a smart way to build deeper, lasting relationships.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n If you\u2019re a smaller brand, this might sound intimidating. But getting started doesn\u2019t have to be complicated \u2014 or expensive. Here are a few ways I\u2019ve seen it work well:<\/p>\n The first step is creating one clear place where your audience knows they can go for opportunities. It could be an Instagram broadcast channel like REFI Beauty use, where they share links to apply for community trips or sign-ups for events.<\/p>\n Or it could be a simple landing page, like Coco Kind<\/a> has, where customers register once and are automatically entered into future raffles.<\/p>\n\n
\n The Benefits of Swapping Influencers for Customers<\/a> <\/p>\nWhy Brands Are Ditching Influencers<\/h2>\n
The Benefits of Swapping Influencers for Customers<\/h2>\n
Authentic, Relatable Content<\/h3>\n
A Brand Presence That Reflects Your Community<\/h3>\n
Word-of-Mouth That Actually Works<\/h3>\n
Loyalty That Lasts<\/h3>\n
How to Get Started With Your Own Customer Influencer Strategy<\/h2>\n
1. Make communication easy.<\/h3>\n