Growing number of Britons 'suspicious' of sponsored Instagram and Twitter posts

Britons are unlikely to trust sponsored social media posts, new research has found.

In just a few years, the power of platforms such as Instagram and Twitter has created an entirely new marketing genre that sees big brands collaborate with home-grown social media stars.

But it seems not everyone is happy with the way in which these influencers choose to endorse products or services in the digital world.

According to a new study by YouGov of 1,259 Britons, 44 per cent of Brits said they would not watch or read a post at all if they saw it was sponsored, while 71 per cent said they find sponsored endorsements harder to believe.

What’s more, 90 per cent of participants said they would like all celebrities and social media influencers to make it clear when a product recommendation is sponsored.

This comes as 43 per cent of those who purchased a product following an endorsement admitted they weren’t sure whether the recommender had been paid.

The figures prove that people want to know the motivation behind influencer’s posts, and with between a fifth and a quarter of us following one of these celebrities, vloggers or social media influencers, it’s not hard to see why.

Knowingly or not, many influencers utilise their position to entice their loyal following into wanting to emulate their lifestyle.

From certain fashion brands to teeth whiteners, fitness programmes and detox teas, it can be hard to tell whether a post is a genuine recommendation, or if they were paid to say it.

According to the research, the platform that has the most powerful social media network for influencing purchases is Instagram with six out of 10 of its users saying they have bought a product as a result of a recommendation.

The data also reveals that social media recommendations have driven a third of women (35 per cent) to purchase a product, compared to just one in five men (18 per cent).

YouGov's findings come after new guidelines were introduced by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) at the end of 2018, following a string of reports that influencers weren’t declaring when they had been paid for content.

As such, it is now illegal for brands or individuals to post sponsored content without disclosing it.

Instead, the new rules insist that paid-for posts “must be obviously identifiable as such” by adding labels such as “ad,” “advertising” or “advert.”

In January, 16 social media stars formally agreed to be more transparent about the products they post online, making it easier for the consumer to discern the reliability of endorsements.

Influencers including Zoella, Ellie Goulding and Alexa Chung have committed to clearly disclosing whether they have been paid to mention a product or service, and even whether it has been gifted to them for free.

At the time, Andrea Coscelli, chief executive of the CMA, said: “Influencers can have a huge impact on what their fans decide to buy.

"People could, quite rightly, feel misled if what they thought was a recommendation from someone they admired turns out to be a marketing ploy."