17.05.2024

The authenticity of an influencer is determined by how well the content of his social media profile matches the person he is in real life - his values, beliefs and connections. In short, being an authentic influencer means being true to yourself and not filtering your image to your followers.

Authenticity can be demonstrated in different ways - through an honest opinion about a brand/product, when the sponsorship is transparent, or simply through natural content in which people can easily recognize themselves.

You've probably heard how social media creates unattainable stereotypes. People usually only share the best highlights of their lives, which creates a fictional reality of a perfect everyday life. Well, that's the thing to avoid if you're an influencer with ambitions to build trust and rapport with your audience.

Building trust between customers and the brand has always been the most valuable achievement in the market. As consumers of an enormous amount of advertising, people have developed the habit of not being influenced by such content. Content that screams "paid advertising" will only cause the user to quickly skip over it.

However, when social media content creators are honest with their followers, it shows and builds trust quickly. Like trusting the recommendation of a friend - it is much easier to listen to someone who shares his experience without wanting to make money from us. This closeness and trust is due to authenticity, which must be present for an influencer campaign to be successful.

In theory, we all already believe that authenticity is key, but what exactly are the influencers we trust the most doing?

• They use detailed explanations
  

When influencers create scripted content, it shows. Usually, the ready-made script that brands want to spread is a list of product benefits. This reminds the consumer quite a bit of the TV commercial and he usually doesn't pay much attention. However, when an influencer uses a detailed description and engages their followers with their daily life in which they use the product, they are able to retain their viewers.

• They don't skimp on the downsides
  

Cons are sometimes pros. It's an approach that builds real trust. Nothing is perfect and everyone agrees on that fact. Why then should the customer be misled that the advertised product has no downsides? A smart strategy of authentic influencers is to also share one or two things about the product that they don't like, and then weaponize everything good that they do like.

• We have a long-term relationship with them
  

An audience of followers is slowly built up and the longer we follow an influencer, the more we trust them. Users would always have more trust in someone they have been following for a long time.

• They are consistent in their postings
  

When someone posts regularly on social networks, it means that they are dedicated to this activity and want to do it persistently. In addition, it means that the influencer does not filter his content and does not spend time processing photos and videos - everything is captured and uploaded immediately. What's more authentic than that?

In conclusion, we would like to summarize that there is nothing more valuable than trust in the advertising business. Authenticity is fundamental in influencer campaigns because it builds a strong connection both between the influencer and followers, and between the brand and potential customers. It's also the engine of influencer marketing - what makes it unique.

It's no surprise that influencer marketing has become a mainstream favorite—people love seeing real people share their experiences, thoughts, and experiences. It is no coincidence that the word "authenticity" has become so popular in online marketing recently - it is the key factor that makes influencer marketing what it is. Authenticity distinguishes influencer campaigns from other well-known and often boring advertising campaigns that we easily pass over. In this blog, we will talk more about the importance of authenticity and how to successfully build long-term trust.

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