Written by: Vickie Sullivan | October 30, 2025
What Declining Trust in Influencer Marketing Means for You
Is a backlash brewing against influencer marketing? According to a recent study from the National Advertising Division (NAD) of BBB National Programs, consumer trust in influencer marketing is starting to slip. An Adweek article covering the report highlights just how skeptical buyers are becoming.
The numbers tell an interesting story. More than half of respondents admitted they’ve made a purchase because of an influencer endorsement, yet 26% said they don’t trust influencer marketing. The biggest factors eroding confidence are lack of disclosure (64%) and learning that influencers were paid or received free products without saying so (70%). Even more surprising, 57% said adding hashtags like #ad or #sponsored doesn’t make an influencer seem any more credible.
This trend matters because these shifting attitudes could easily spill over into our own sponsorships and speaking engagements. If trust in influencer marketing continues to erode, it may affect how people perceive our partnerships and promotional posts.
Think about it: How does your community react when you post about an upcoming event or a partner collaboration, especially those posts organizers expect you to share? And when it comes to brand ambassador deals, do we need to go beyond the standard hashtags to maintain credibility and trust?
Influencer marketing may be thriving in the B2B world, but new cracks are showing in B2C. Transparency is being redefined, and audiences are paying closer attention. Now’s the time to get ahead of this shift by rethinking how you communicate partnerships, sponsorships, and speaking appearances. The revenue from these relationships isn’t worth it if it costs you credibility and engagement.
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