A study by influencer marketing platform Room Unlocked has found that a clear majority of British people struggle to identify with influencers on any level, raising concerns over how ‘disingenuous’ they are.
According to the study, the days of the so-called ‘mega-influencer’ promoting lifestyle choices and products for the highest bidder are numbered, with societal trends indicating a growing appetite for genuinely authentic voices.
Most of the concerns raised by the wider public related to the apparent lack of clarity and transparency surrounding the influencer marketing model, with 43% of those polled saying that influencers who have not been paid to push a product are more trustworthy.
The study also went on to reveal that if a brand is to truly connect with its customers, it needs to prioritise partnerships with genuine fans.
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Moreover, over a third of those surveyed believed that an influencer was far more credible with a social cause anchoring their content, instead of giving off the perception of advocating a product solely for financial gain.
“Influence is talking about the things you’re paid to. Advocacy is talking about the things you love. Brand love is far more accessible and relatable than brand endorsement,” Room Unlocked founder and CEO, Alex Payne said.
“If social media was an organic playground at the start – the place we occupied to be informed, challenged, amused and entertained – brands spotting the opportunity turned it into an advertising channel, awash with ads and spons.
“Audiences of course understand that the best influencers should earn money, but they are now demanding their heroes have right collaborations with the right brands. But that alone it is not enough. Instead, people of influence have to keep talking about the things they love, and the causes they believe in.”
