Recent research commissioned by global social media and influencer marketing agency The Goat Agency, with data gathered by YouGov, sheds new light on how young men in the United States perceive social media influencers and their impact on mental health.
Conducted between October 24 and October 31, the survey reached 2,009 men ages 18 to 34, identifying attitudes toward social media’s influence on mental well-being, with implications for brands seeking to contribute positively to this issue.
Key findings
The survey highlights that young men are highly aware of social media’s impact on how they see the world and personal mental health, with 62% of young men saying they believe social media could be a better space. Notably:
- 66% believe that positive male role models on social media are often overlooked by the press, brands or wider society.
- 65% are concerned about social media’s impact on young men’s mental health
- 48% agree that representations of masculinity on social media are causing social problems in their communities.
- 43% feel that current depictions of men in advertising on social media and influencer content feel unattainable, or unrealistic in terms of fitness, beauty or wealth.
Opportunities for brands
Men see a clear role for brands to play, with 66% saying they believe brands and influencers can help to create a safer space for young men.
Additionally, with 53% of respondents saying they are seeking out positive role models on social media platforms, brands have a unique opportunity to help create positive environments. .
The survey results demonstrate that many young men are drawn to male influencers on social media covering topics related to their emotional well-being. In fact, 55% of respondents said they see as positive role models male influencers who show kindness and empathy, compared to 48% who feel this way about those who are open about their mental health, 48% about those who are funny or humorous, 45% about those who are physically fit or promote healthy eating, and only 33% feel this way about wealthy influencers.
“With this research, we wanted to understand how young men are engaging with and being impacted by social media influencers, especially as over the past few years when the conversation around male influencers does arise, it tends to focus on negative connotations,” said Joanna Hughston, Head of Marketing at Goat. “We wanted to understand if this is the reality of young men across social media and ask ourselves, ‘Are we accurately representing young men’s experiences, especially when it comes to the type of content or influence they’re looking to engage with?’.”
“Brands and their ambassadors have a real opportunity here,” said Max Adagio, Group Account Director, at Goat. “These findings show that young men are not only open to, but actively looking for, messages that promote empathy and emotional well-being. Brands can address some of the negativity that often takes center stage on social media.”
A similar survey was conducted among young men in the United Kingdom, revealing slightly more pessimistic views about social media than those of their U.S. counterparts. For example, 50% of respondents in the UK agree that based on what they see on social media they now have a more negative view on the world (compared to 36% in the US).