A survey conducted by Typeform revealed concerning data: 71% of consumers have regretted a purchase made based on a digital influencer’s recommendation. The study raises a warning about the growing distrust between the public and creators, even in a scenario where influencer marketing continues to expand.
According to the study, the main complaints leading to this regret are linked to lack of authenticity in engagement (380 responses) and lack of transparency (294 responses), followed by excessive sponsored posts (237 responses) and overuse of AI-generated content (215 responses).
Another striking finding in the survey is that 56% of influencers admitted to promoting products they don’t actually like. For Fabio Gonçalves, Director of International Talent at Viral Nation and an expert with over ten years in the influencer marketing market, these numbers reflect a shift in consumer behavior and a warning for the industry.
“The audience 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 having an audience isn’t synonymous with influence. When creators advertise indiscriminately, without real connection to the brand or consideration for their audience’s pain points or needs, the result is frustration, broken trust, and buyer’s remorse,” he explains.
Fabio also points out that part of this problem stems from unprepared brands and excessive irrelevant sponsored content. “There’s a misconception among some influencers and even some brands that high follower counts alone can sell anything. But today’s consumers are much more discerning. They recognize empty advertising. This not only hurts conversions but also damages the influencer’s image long-term. It’s important to note that the mistake isn’t always the influencer’s; in many cases, brands aren’t market-aware and thus choose creators who don’t fit their campaign goals,” he emphasizes.
According to the expert, the market is at a turning point where having followers or delivering reach alone isn’t enough. In his view, influencer marketing’s future rests on three pillars: relevance, credibility, and consistency. He explains that creators must deeply understand their audience, responsibly choose brand partnerships, and prioritize collaborations that make sense for their lives and their followers’.
Gonçalves believes this scenario is leading agencies and platforms in the sector to adopt much more rigorous approaches to campaign management and talent curation. “At Viral Nation, our job is ensuring the creators we represent are prepared for this new reality where building community, generating value, and being relevant come before any conversion. We work to make every campaign meaningful for the creator and, most importantly, for the consumer’s journey. The market will keep growing, but those who don’t understand that influence is about trust—not just reach—will be left behind.”
METHODOLOGY
The survey conducted by Typeform, an online form and questionnaire platform, gathered 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_{partner_key}&ps_partner_key=c292cm5jb21tZXJjZWRlbWFuZHRlYW01Mjc4&sid=mbazne72zv03q5240sgat&ps_xid=No3UDZ3PHfuTQZ&gsxid=No3UDZ3PHfuTQZ&gspk=c292cm5jb21tZXJjZWRlbWFuZHRlYW01Mjc4.
