The Persuasive Power of Influencer Marketing: The Role of Transparency
2021-03-03 10:02:43

A number of studies already showed that social media influencers can positively affect people’s attitudes towards an endorsed brand as well as purchase intent. This can be explained by the fact that influencers are considered as relatable and credible sources. Influencers are often considered as a close friend as they offer their followers a sneak peek into their personal life, post multiple messages a day and interact with their followers. Additionally, the (sponsored) advices they give are highly trusted because they are considered as an expert in the domain. However, sponsored influencer messages are often hidden into the regular editorial content and not properly disclosed as advertising, which reduces advertising recognition and limits a critical processing of the advertising content. This seminar will reflect on the consequences of adding a clear disclosure to influencer posts in order to increase the transparency of this marketing tactic. Different studies will be discussed that examined the impact of adding a sponsorship disclosure to influencer posts.