Consumers need more than one push: Multiple creator promotions drive purchase decisions

A recent report by eMarketer and impact.com reveals that today’s shoppers rarely buy after seeing a single influencer post. According to survey results, nearly three in ten global consumers said they typically require three to four exposures to a creator promotion before deciding to make a purchase. This highlights a growing reality for marketers: repetition and variety of exposure are now critical in turning interest into conversions.

The study also shows that marketers are adjusting their priorities to reflect this shift. Engagement rates and conversions have emerged as the most important benchmarks for measuring success, overtaking vanity metrics such as follower counts. More than half of surveyed marketers pointed to engagement as their top key performance indicator, with sales following closely behind. This suggests that creator partnerships are being evaluated less on reach alone and more on their ability to influence actual behavior.

Another striking trend is the rise of delayed purchasing. Many consumers do not buy immediately after seeing creator content but return later via other channels. More than half of delayed purchases occur on ecommerce marketplaces, while almost half happen directly through brand websites. This underscores the importance of maintaining a multi-channel strategy: creator content sparks interest, but the final transaction often takes place elsewhere.

The implications for brand strategy are clear. Working with a single creator or launching one-off collaborations is no longer sufficient. Instead, companies must plan campaigns that involve multiple creators over an extended period, ensuring that audiences encounter consistent but varied messaging. Different voices, formats, and creative styles contribute to building familiarity while avoiding fatigue.

The data also fits into the broader growth of influencer marketing worldwide. Recent industry estimates project global influencer marketing spend to reach more than $32 billion by the end of 2025, reflecting steady double-digit growth year over year. In the United States alone, creator content is now a deciding factor in nearly half of all social commerce purchases. Brands that once treated influencer marketing as a supplemental tactic are now embedding it into the core of their media strategies.

Challenges remain, particularly around measurement and costs. Coordinating campaigns across multiple creators requires larger budgets and careful planning to ensure that the content feels authentic rather than repetitive. Attribution is also becoming more complex, as it is difficult to determine which creator or which piece of content ultimately drove a purchase when consumers encounter a brand message several times. Yet these challenges appear to be outweighed by the benefits, as marketers continue to increase spending in this area.

Ultimately, the findings point toward a future where consumer trust and purchase decisions are shaped less by singular endorsements and more by a chorus of voices. For brands, success will mean orchestrating these voices carefully, balancing consistency with creativity, and recognizing that influence is built gradually rather than instantly.