Joining in Pride celebrations each June is one opportunity for marketers to build their connections with LGBTQ+ communities. But building brand trust and loyalty with LGBTQ+ consumers requires support beyond Pride Month.
There’s a notable desire among LGBTQ+ communities for accurate and authentic representation in the media content and advertising they engage with. Nielsen data shows a clear picture; a substantial 63% of LGBTQ+ audiences in the U.S. feel misrepresented across media1. On top of that, 60% of these audiences say they want more representation when consuming content2. These responses signal a strong disconnect between media coverage and lived experiences among queer communities.
Understanding these needs leaves the opportunity wide open for savvy marketers to expand their reputation to unlock new consumer pathways and long-term brand loyalty from LGBTQ+ audiences. In fact, our 2025 Nielsen Annual Marketing Report indicated that building upper-funnel brand awareness was the top ranking priority among North American marketers, and 56% indicated they use brand equity to determine brand health (higher than any other metric).
Navigating authenticity through new media
To effectively reach LGBTQ+ audiences, brands must tailor their approach to the unique media habits of this identity group. The growing LGBTQ+ demographic is increasingly motivated to spend their attention and buying power with social media and content creators. Compared to the general population, LGBTQ+ audiences are spending less time watching TV and more time on social media.
In fact, LGBTQ+ audiences are 50% more likely to spend three or more hours per day on social media, according to Nielsen Scarborough. This is great news for 66% marketers who indicated they expect to increase their social media budgets in the next year3.
The pull of connecting through content creators and influencers where audiences are actively seeking them out through socially connected channels is undeniable—77% of marketers in North America indicated they were either likely or very likely to increase spend on new media channels like influencers and CTV/OTT4. YouTube dominating viewership at 12.4% in April 2025 is also another trend that’s further driving these investments5.
Leveraging partnerships
Partnering with influencers who have established genuine connections with their audiences is essential; in fact, marketers consider it of utmost importance, with 47% identifying ’emphasis on authenticity & influencer content’ as a leading trend for 20256.
These investments can have big pay offs: LGBTQ+ audiences connected through influencer media are 47% more likely to buy products endorsed by influencers. They’re also 52% more likely to buy a product when a brand advertises in content with diverse creators7.
On the content side, a compelling illustration of leveraging partnerships with LGBTQ+ creators is the new show Overcompensating, driven by Benito Skinner, an LGBTQ+ creator who has cultivated a significant following through his viral social media characters. The show drew an impressive 123 million minutes viewed in its first week post-release8.
This early success underscores a significant opportunity: by supporting LGBTQ+ creators who have established authentic connections with their audiences, media entities can effectively attract these engaged viewers to their content. This approach not only helps deliver the authentic representation audiences are seeking but also offers a tangible pathway to viewership growth, building upon the mutual trust established between creators and their communities.
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Notes
1Nielsen Attitudes on Representation Study, 2025
2Nielsen Attitudes on Representation Study, 2025
3Nielsen Annual Marketing Report, 2025
4Nielsen Annual Marketing Report, 2025
5The Gauge, Nielsen, April 2025
6Nielsen Annual Marketing Report, 2025
7Nielsen Attitudes on Ads Study, 2024
8Nielsen National TV Ratings P2+
