Consumers say they are most likely to trust online influencers who come across as credible and who appear to have actually used the products/services incorporated into their posts, according to research from IZEA.
The report was based on data from a survey conducted in 2016 of 1,000 consumers age 18-70 in the United States who use social media.
Some 67% of respondents say the credibility/believability of an influencer is highly important in making sponsored posts effective; and 64% say it is very important that the influencer seems to have actually tried the product/services incorporated into posts.
Less than half of consumers say an influencer's popularity/follower count makes sponsored posts more effective.
Some 62% of consumers say a sponsored post is more effective if it comes from an influencer who is famous/someone they have heard of; 9% say that makes a post less effective.
A little more than half (52%) of consumers say a sponsored post is more effective if it comes from someone they haven't heard of but who is identified as a subject-matter expert; 15% say that makes a post less effective.
About the research: The report was based on data from a survey conducted in 2016 of 1,000 consumers age 18-70 in the United States who use social media.
