One Social Soup creator believes that we may see more genuine and impactful connections between brands and Creators as a result of the move.
“Brands will go for influencers that suit their branding and business briefs rather than the ones that just get the most likes.
“More like-minded links between companies and influencers would be good as I can’t stand it when I see an influencer posting about a product that is not in line with what their Instagram is about, and you know they are just doing it for the dollars. I lose trust in the company when that happens.”
The research found that some influencers did recognise that there would be some hurdles for their work in the future, citing that it could be harder to provide commercial success. The study highlighted 47 per cent agreeing to this statement and a similar percentage (46 per cent) said it would make it more difficult to tell what content works on Instagram. Follower growth was an issue by a third (36 per cent) of those surveyed and that this may impact their ability to attract brand collaborations.
Ultimately, the research found that Influencers felt the move may encourage others in their industry to work harder on creating a loyal and engaged following by interacting with them more. The study showed for their accounts, clever audience engagement strategies and a focus on commenting will be what they focus on.
Another Social Soup Influencer felt that brands should be exploring the insights and data of accounts to really get into the social science of who they’re reaching. Commenting on hidden likes Tracey said,
“They will make influencers more accountable and honest as hopefully brands and companies will start using more insights to make sure followers are genuine and suit their target market.”