Humans in the Press: Transparency in Influencer Marketing: Are We There Yet?

Lack of trust and honesty. That’s how influencer marketing looks today. Humans.net  CEO, Vlad Dobrynin shared his view on the current situation in the new Forbes article

Influencer marketing has long been a popular technique among marketers. It’s been an effective way to engage with customers in an authentic, non-intrusive manner. As more brands get involved in the practice, platforms are evolving to accommodate for the increase in brand-influencer collaborations. Today, 49% of people feel as if some restrictions should be placed on the content that influencers are creating according to Bazaarvoice research. Much of this is because platforms have become cluttered with unnatural relationships and abrasive content strategies.

Recently the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in the UK has released a new set of guidelines with regard to transparency in influencer marketing. The primary goal behind this is to ensure that influencers communicate clearly and honestly with their audiences and properly disclose any commercial relationships they may have with brands. Ads should be clearly designated as ads, for example. The guidance also makes it clear what constitutes an ad and what they are not. It also discusses what may happen if a complaint is made. Finally, brands and influencers are given the means to determine whether or not content they are planning to publish is considered to be an advertisement.

“Compliance with these guidelines is a wise idea,” said Vlad Dobrynin, CEO of Humans. “Brands and influencers who do so aren’t just avoiding sanctions, they are taking steps that consumers want them to take. That can go a long way in restoring some of the trust that has eroded, ultimately allowing brands to create more meaningful campaigns that can have great lasting impact through social collaboration.”

Read the full article here: Transparency In Influencer Marketing: Are We There Yet?