Australian influencer, creator and content marketing agency Hypetap has published new research indicating a direct correlation between influencer commentary on social media and consumer sentiment.

The research was conducted by Hypetap Intelligence, the agency's data insights and research division, and analysed Australia’s most comprehensive influencer database and dataset, encompassing billions of social media data points.

The study found a 119.3% increase in the volume of posts about being on a budget compared to the same period last year. The most prevalent terms used when describing budgets and cost-cutting in Australian households were: Home Loans / Mortgages, Cooking, Entertainment, and Car. Mentions of 'mortgage' in influencer posts surged by 688.2% compared to last year. Budget travel mentions are nearly 100% higher than this time last year. Cars are mentioned when influencers talk about budgets 194% more this year than last year.

"After seeing the recently released data from AMP and NAB, it is clear that influencers in social media are both mirroring consumer sentiment, as well as leading it. The key categories where consumers are pulling back on spending are reflected identically by the top 4 key words associated with the words ‘budget’," said Dr Head of Intelligence at Hypetap, Melissa Gray.

"Influencers are the thought-leaders in today's society, and with a direct line of communication to their audience, can really emphasise what the wider consumer market is feeling. We have taken care to develop proprietary sentiment analysis models to deeply understand the topics that influencers and consumers are talking about. By looking at these trends across the entire influencer landscape, it’s clear that not only is there a direct correlation between influencer commentary and consumer sentiment, but this commentary is also leading the consumer conversation," said Gray.

Hypetap believes that this research represents a major breakthrough in understanding the complex interplay between influencer marketing, social media, and consumer behaviour. The agency works with brands and organisations such as Colgate Palmolive, Woolworths Group, State and Federal Governments, Kraft Heinz, and Sanitarium, along with other major media and creative agencies in Australia.

"Hypetap is committed to staying at the forefront of data analytics and consumer insights. Our continued research allows us to uncover trends and patterns that can provide immediate benefit to our clients across all categories. By leveraging these insights, businesses can make more informed decisions about their marketing strategies, product development, and customer engagement efforts," said Hypetap Managing Director, Bryce Coombe.