71% of consumers regret buying products recommended by influencers, research shows

A survey carried out by Typeform has revealed some worrying data: 71% of consumers have already regretted a purchase based on the recommendation of a digital influencer. The survey raises alarm bells about the growing distrust between the public and creators, even in a scenario where influencer marketing continues to expand.

According to the study, the biggest complaints that are consequently generating this regret are linked to the lack of authenticity in engagement (380 responses) and the lack of transparency (294 responses), followed by the excess of sponsored posts (237 responses) and the excessive use of AI-generated content (215 responses).

Another fact that stands out in the survey is that 56% of the influencers admitted to promoting products that they don't actually like. For Fabio Gonçalves, director of international talent at Viral Nation and a specialist in the influencer marketing market for over ten years, this data reflects a transformation in consumer behavior and a wake-up call for the sector. 

"The public has matured. People are more critical, more informed and much more aware of their power of choice. The problem is that there are still many influencers who haven't understood that audience is not synonymous with influence. When the creator advertises without criteria, without a real connection to the brand and without thinking about the audience's pain or need, the result is this: frustration, loss of trust and regretting the purchase," he explains.

Fabio also points out that part of this problem has to do with the unpreparedness of certain brands and comes from an excessive practice of publishing that doesn't make sense for the creator's niche. "There's a mistaken view, on the part of some influencers and even some brands, that it's enough to have high numbers to sell anything. But today's consumer is much more demanding. They can tell when it's just empty advertising. And this not only harms conversion, but also damages the influencer's image in the long term. It's important to point out that it's not always the influencer's mistake; in many cases, brands aren't aware of the market and therefore make mistakes in choosing creators who don't make sense for the desired campaign," he says.

According to the expert, the market is at a turning point, where having followers or delivering reach is no longer enough. In his opinion, what will sustain influencer marketing from now on are three pillars: relevance, credibility and coherence. He explains that creators need to understand their audience deeply, choose the brands they associate with responsibly and prioritize partnerships that make sense in their lives and in the lives of their followers.

In Gonçalves' view, this scenario has led agencies and platforms in the sector to adopt a much more judicious approach to campaign management and talent curation. "Here at Viral Nation, our job is to ensure that the creators we represent are prepared for this new scenario, where building community, generating value and being relevant come before any conversion. We work to ensure that each campaign makes sense in the creator's life and, above all, in the consumer's journey. The market will continue to grow, but anyone who doesn't understand that influence is about trust, not just reach, will be left behind."

METHODOLOGY

The survey carried out by Typeform, a platform for creating online forms and questionnaires, obtained 1,300 responses from digital influencers, marketing professionals and consumers. The full study can be accessed at: https://www.typeform.com/getreal?utm_source=partnerstack&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=affiliates_%7Bpartner_key%7D&ps_partner_key=c292cm5jb21tZXJjZWRlbWFuZHRlYW01Mjc4&sid=mbazne72zv03q5240sgat&ps_xid=No3UDZ3PHfuTQZ&gsxid=No3UDZ3PHfuTQZ&gspk=c292cm5jb21tZXJjZWRlbWFuZHRlYW01Mjc4.