Research carried out by unified customer experience platform Emplifi has found that British people have a deep-seated distrust of so called ‘influencers’ and the products they promote.
Close to 60% of the 2,500 people surveyed revealed that they had little to no trust ‘mega-influencers’ with large-scale audiences are transparent and declare all advertisements, and over half also had no trust in small-scale ‘micro-influencers’.
Despite the fact that the platform’s research also showed that UK brands spent on average 101% more than the global average on social media ads, engagement across the board is down, with UK click-rates declining by 15% year-on-year. Additionally, over 40% of British people admitted to “never” trusting products and services promoted to them by influencers.
As the UK currently battles through a cost-of-living crisis, Emplifi’s research also found that over half of Britons did not believe that mega-influencers had the capacity to relate to the day-to-day struggles of the average person, with close to 60% believing that the influencers featuring in the upcoming series of Love Island will be neither authentic nor trustworthy.
“Amid the current cost of living crisis, it’s more important than ever for brands to lead with empathy,” Emplifi chief marketing officer, Zarnaz Arlia said.
“While influencer marketing should remain a priority for marketing budgets in 2022, what needs to change is how brands select the right influencer with whom to partner.
“Brands whose influencer messaging is centred on authenticity will provide more relatable experiences that better connect with consumers, particularly Generation Z who regard their spending choices as a reflection of their individual identity.”
She added: “It starts with understanding what your brand stands for and then rigorously applying that story alongside the entire customer journey, with influencer marketing remaining a vital component of multichannel marketing strategies.
“In today’s climate, brands should invest time in identifying influencers that align best with their core values. This will ultimately remove short-term risk from marketing campaigns, ensuring they do not feel contrived and inauthentic, while building long-lasting brand loyalty.”
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