During uncertain times like the one we find ourselves in right now due to COVID-19, research has shown that consumers tend to stick with brands and companies they know and trust. On the face of it, that should mean that influencers would have a large role serving as de facto ambassadors for advertisers since their followers implicitly trust them.
Unfortunately, a history of sketchy disclosures as well as recent tone-deaf approaches by a few bad apples, so to speak, have made influencer marketing right now very tenuous. How brands should navigate the situation with creators is the thrust of what PMG’s Angela Seits writes about in the UK-based site Talking Influence.
We encourage you to read the full article, but her conclusion is of particular note — brands “can test out new marketing strategies and messaging in a safer environment. They can lean on the connection and trust that influencers have established with their audiences to understand how to reach their audience on a deeper level that focuses on adding value, fostering relationships and community, and inspiring a future to come.”