Influencer Marketing's Defining Moment
Facebook’s 2018 was rough, but it wasn’t alone. While questions were being raised around Facebook’s data and privacy practices, speculation was also growing around influencer marketing. We saw brands and influencers alike actively not disclosing paid partnerships. Some bad actor influencers were artificially inflating their audiences and engagement numbers. Self-ascribed influencer Luke Sabbat was sued for not promoting what he was paid to. Influencer marketing's very bad year topped off by two Fyre Festival documentaries that were a scathing critique on the practice.
This is not the authenticity marketers were promised when influencer marketing came into being. It was meant to be a way for brands to use the online presences of everyday people to authentically, transparently and truthfully promote brands both parties believed in. That’s not where we are today. While there are many doing it right, the category is need of a shift. There are a couple things we can expect.
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