LATEST DEVELOPMENT
The Better Business Bureau's 2025 Influencer Trust Index reveals a troubling paradox in the $24 billion influencer marketing industry: while 82.7% of U.S. marketers use influencer partnerships and 58% of consumers make purchases based on recommendations, only 5% completely trust influencer content compared to 87% who trust general advertising.
INDUSTRY TALK
"Trust, it turns out, isn't about the presence of a brand deal or relationship, but how openly and honestly that deal or relationship is shared."
BY THE NUMBERS
Trust metrics include:
82.7% of U.S. marketers using influencer partnerships in 2024
$24B domestic influencer marketing industry valuation
Only 5% of consumers completely trusting influencer content
87% consumer trust rate for general advertising
70% of consumers feeling deceived by undisclosed brand partnerships
TRUST DRIVERS
Key factors include:
Transparency and honesty about brand relationships (71% priority)
Authentic reviews, even negative ones (79% value)
Proper disclosure of brand partnerships and compensation
Genuine personality versus promotional content
Clear communication about product experiences and limitations
TRUST KILLERS
Major concerns include:
Influencers not being genuine, honest, or transparent (80% distrust factor)
Content promoting unrealistic lifestyles or body images (71%)
Failure to disclose brand relationships (64% concern)
Discovering undisclosed paid partnerships after the fact
Standard #ad or #sponsored disclosures having minimal positive impact
THE BOTTOM LINE
Despite influencer marketing's massive commercial success and high engagement rates, the industry faces an urgent credibility crisis where consumers increasingly distrust undisclosed partnerships and inauthentic content—highlighting the critical need for better education, stronger accountability measures, and genuine transparency to rebuild consumer confidence in an otherwise thriving market.