What's happening:
Influencers are still a powerful force in marketing, but the landscape is shifting. Consumers are increasingly discerning about which influencers they trust. While some influencers maintain credibility, many people are growing skeptical of those who don’t seem to be authentic in their promotional content. This shift raises important questions about the future of influencer marketing and the types of influencers consumers find most trustworthy.
What we found:
- 46% of social media users trust influencer recommendations, but not all influencers are created equal. The most trustworthy content creators are those who are perceived as experts or professionals in a specific field or topic (31%) and those with similar life experiences or interests (23%) as their audience. Famous or widely known people, such as celebrity spokespeople, are the least likely to be trustworthy when it comes to product recommendations (13%).
- 42% of social media users have ever purchased a product based on an influencer recommendation but for those who already have a degree of trust in influencers, that number increases by 62%. This highlights the tangible difference trust can make when it comes to who is promoting a product.
- Balance is still crucial when it comes to the quantity of promotional content creators are posting. Even among those who trust influencer recommendations, 48% report having unfollowed creators due to an oversaturation of promotional content being pushed out to their followers.
Why it matters:
For brands, these insights highlight the importance of choosing influencers who have a genuine, trusted connection with their audience. Consumers crave authenticity and relevance in the recommendations they see in their social media feeds. To drive meaningful engagement and purchase behavior, partnering with influencers who genuinely believe in your product and have a clear alignment with their audience’s values and needs can be a major differentiator.
Content creators and brands alike also need to be cautious of the quantity of partnerships they do. Oversaturating followers with too many ads or sponsored content can make consumers feel as if they are always being sold to and erode trust, even among those who are otherwise loyal. Allowing influencers to retain a degree of creative freedom and authenticity, even in their sponsored posts, can help ensure that when a product is being promoted, it feels meaningful and trustworthy.
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