What consumers expect from influencers and their brand partnerships

[phonenumber]

According to the Influencer Marketing Report, consumers overall look to engage with influencers who align with their personal values (53%) and seem authentic (47%), even when posting sponsored content and taking part in brand campaigns. Across ages and genders, honest and unbiased content stops audiences mid-scroll, while aspirational british indian ocean territory b2b leads content is least likely to catch their attention.

A data visualization with a yellow background that reads 53% of consumers engage with influencers who align with their personal values.
But the report also found that authenticity is losing steam among younger generations. While influencer trust is holding steady—and growing among younger consumers—only 35% of Gen Z care about authenticity compared to almost half of Millennials, Gen X and Baby Boomers. This suggests that younger generations are more aware of the influencer-brand relationship (and how it impacts their buying decisions), but they’re okay with it. They tend to care more about other signs of trustworthiness like follower count, posting frequency and community loyalty.

As influencer marketing continues to become the cultural norm and the line between traditional and digital media blurs, influencers’ reach will extend even further than social. Our research found that 80% of consumers would be more likely to buy from brands who partner with influencers beyond just social media content—from in-person event activations to billboard campaigns to traditional advertising. Just as audiences become more enmeshed with influencers (both in their buying decisions and fandoms), they will expect brands to follow suit.

6 ways to build stronger brand-influencer relationships
To harness the full potential of influencer marketing and effectively reach audiences, marketers need to be just as thoughtful as consumers when managing influencers. When you find the right influencer for your brand, you should think bigger than one-off collaborations. By fostering long-term partnerships with influencers who are aligned with your brand values, you can mitigate risk and uncertainty, tap into a deeper understanding of your shared audience, and build more effective messaging and product strategies.