A study conducted by Typeform revealed a concerning fact: 71% of consumers have already regretted a purchase made based on a digital influencer's recommendation. The survey 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 that are consequently causing this regret are related to the lack of authenticity in engagement (380 responses) and lack of transparency (294 responses), followed by an excess of sponsored posts (237 responses) and the excessive use of AI-generated content (215 responses).
Another striking fact in the survey is that 56% of influencers admitted to promoting products they actually do not like. For Fabio Gonçalves, director of international talents at Viral Nation and an expert in the influencer marketing industry for over ten years, this data reflects a transformation in consumer behavior and a warning for the sector.
"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 audience is not synonymous with influence. When the creator promotes products without criteria, without a real connection to the brand, and without considering the audience's pain or needs, the result is this: frustration, loss of trust, and buyer's remorse," he explains.
Fabio also points out that part of this problem is related to the lack of preparation of certain brands and stems from an excessive practice of sponsored posts that do not make sense for the creator's niche. "There is a mistaken view, on the part of some influencers and even some brands, that having high numbers is enough to sell anything. But today's consumer is much more demanding. They notice when it's just empty advertising. And this not only harms conversion but also damages the influencer's image in the long run. It is important to emphasize that the mistake is not always the influencer's; in many cases, brands are not attentive to the market and, therefore, make mistakes in choosing creators who do not make sense for the desired campaign," he highlights.
According to the specialist, the market is at a turning point where having followers or delivering reach is no longer enough. In the professional's opinion, the three pillars that will support influencer marketing moving forward are relevance, credibility, and consistency. He explains that the creator needs to deeply understand their audience, choose the brands they associate with responsibly, and prioritize partnerships that make sense in their life and in the lives of their followers.
In Gonçalves's view, this scenario has led agencies and platforms in the sector to adopt a much more cautious 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 landscape, where building community, generating value, and being relevant come before any conversion. We work so that each campaign makes sense in the creator's life and, most importantly, in the consumer's journey. the market will continue to grow, but those who do not understand that influence is about trust, not just reach, will fall behind.
METHODOLOGY
The survey conducted by Typeform, an online form and questionnaire creation platform, received 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.
