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.
In the past 18 months, we’ve 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.
It’s made me stop and think: what if customers are the new influencers?
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 — big or small — 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.
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Over the past year or so, the sentiment around influencers has changed. At the start of 2024 we saw the “blockout” after the Met Gala — entire communities boycotting brands and creators at once.
For me, that moment showed just how powerful consumers have become, and how different the brand–consumer relationship looks now compared to just a few years ago.
You see this play out around big cultural moments like Coachella. I remember watching one influencer’s White Fox gifting haul where she casually pulled a Dyson Airwrap out of the bag. Half the comments were people saying, “Wow, I wish this life would find me,” and the other half were angry, calling it a “disgusting display of not just wealth but opportunity.” It was so telling of the split between aspiration and alienation.
That’s also why REFI Beauty’s 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.
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.
I’m not saying we should ditch influencers entirely — they still have a place. But I do think there’s something really powerful about bringing customers into the spotlight. When brands do this, the benefits are clear.
One of my favorite examples is Toco Swim, 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.
They shared behind-the-scenes on Instagram, gave people the chance to try on pieces, and I’m 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.
I remember thinking, that’s incredible — maybe that could be me next time if I’m brave enough.
Snag, a Scottish-based hosiery brand, takes a different approach.
They don’t work with influencers at all. Instead, they comb through their tagged posts and reach out to customers whose content they like. They’ll pay those people a small fee for the rights, and suddenly their entire grid is filled with real customers.
For the brand, it’s a cost-effective way to source authentic content. For the customer, it’s exciting and validating — who wouldn’t want to be featured by a brand they love?! And once you’ve been spotlighted, you’re likely to post about the brand even more.
Here’s the thing: if a brand featured me, I’d tell my friends, I’d tell my co-workers, I’d post it on my own grid.
Sure, maybe that only reaches ten people. But those ten people know me. They trust me. They’ve 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.
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’s personalization in the truest sense — not an algorithm guessing what I want, but a brand showing me I’m part of their story.
For me, that’s the real opportunity here. Using your customers in this way is a smart way to build deeper, lasting relationships.
If you’re a smaller brand, this might sound intimidating. But getting started doesn’t have to be complicated — or expensive. Here are a few ways I’ve seen it work well:
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.
Or it could be a simple landing page, like Coco Kind has, where customers register once and are automatically entered into future raffles.
The important thing is consistency. Your customers shouldn’t have to search across ten channels wondering how they can get involved.
Think about what you want these opportunities to look like.
Do you want them to be part of your content, like Toco Swim’s photo shoots? Do you want to swap out influencer gifting trips for customer trips, like Coco Kind? Or do you want to highlight people virtually, like The Productivity Method does with their “Day in the Life” grid takeovers?
There isn’t one right way — it’s about choosing what feels most natural for your brand.
Sometimes the best ideas come directly from your customers. I love the “IKEA effect,” which basically says people value something more if they feel like they helped build it. So why not ask them?
You could run a series of Instagram stories, create a LinkedIn poll, or send out an email that simply says: “We want to involve you more — what would make this valuable for you?” I can picture the responses now: ideas for trips, content formats, events you wouldn’t have even thought of. And honestly, your customers are often far more creative than you are.
I can imagine a whole campaign built this way — sharing back the submissions, spotlighting community suggestions, and letting people vote on what excites them. Not only do you end up with amazing ideas to work with, but you also create this sense of co-ownership. Customers start to feel like they’re part of the brand instead of just buyers of a product.
Not every business can afford to fly their customers to Spain for a launch. And that’s okay!
Virtual opportunities can be just as powerful. Think story takeovers, day-in-the-life content, or simple features on your grid. I’ve seen brands spotlight customers on their feed with tags and shout-outs, and honestly, that recognition goes a long way.
Even a small slice of your online presence (like an Instagram post, a story highlight, or a LinkedIn feature) can mean everything to the people who love your brand.
Finally, think about what you can offer in return. It might be a free product, early access, or even a small payment for content rights like Snag does.
The point isn’t to create a polished influencer-style contract; it’s to show your customers that you value their time and creativity. That recognition is what keeps people coming back, posting more, and becoming long-term advocates.
At the end of the day, it comes down to giving your customers space in your brand story. Whether that’s physical (through trips or shoots) or digital (through takeovers and features), it’s about handing them real estate in your presence and letting them shine.
I don’t think influencers are disappearing anytime soon, but I do think 2025 is the year customers finally get their moment.
The past year has shown us just how much power people hold when they block, boycott, or call out brands, and honestly, I find that fascinating. If we can channel that same energy into positive, community-driven opportunities, everyone wins.
For me, this whole idea came from a very real place: scrolling TikTok, seeing the backlash to lavish gifting hauls, and then watching brands like REFI, Toco Swim, and Snag do things differently. It felt fresh. It felt exciting. It made me think, maybe that could be me next time.
That’s the heart of it: giving your customers a chance to feel seen, to feel valued, and to feel like they’re part of your story. When you do that, you’re not just filling a content calendar — you’re building real trust and lasting loyalty. And as someone who lives and breathes this space, I truly believe the smartest brands in 2025 will be the ones who hand over the spotlight to the people who already love them most.
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