Why influencer brand safety is more important than ever
Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2025 6:13 am
Spending on influencer marketing is a massive part of overall usa business email list marketing budgets—and is continuing to grow. More than half of brands put more than 20% of their budgets toward influencer marketing. By 2029, influencer marketing ad spend is expected to reach $56 billion—a 60% increase from 2024. As influencers become a bigger piece of the overall marketing equation, the potential losses of an activation gone wrong—from a misaligned partnership to a brand safety crisis—could be catastrophic to your brand’s health.
A call-out card from Sprout's Influencer Marketing Report that reads 49% of consumers make a purchase inspired by an influencer at least once a month
But investing in influencers does significantly translate to revenue, making it worth the risk for many businesses. According to The 2024 Influencer Marketing Report, almost half of all consumers (49%) make purchases at least once a month because of influencer posts. The appetite for influencer content is fueled by its ever-growing legitimacy in the eyes of consumers. The same report found that nearly half of all consumers trust influencers just as much as they did six months ago, while close to 30% trust them more.
This deep-seated trust is a double-edged sword for your brand. While it creates a deeper emotional connection with your audience, it can also expose you to more brand risk if an influencer negotiation goes south or if an influencer falls out of favor with their audience (and your brand gets dragged down by association). A Q2 2024 Sprout Pulse Survey found that 87% of all consumers expect influencers to speak out about causes that align with their values and take a stand on social. At any given moment, there are many social issues influencers may be pressured to speak about, which can pose a major brand safety threat.
A call-out card from Sprout's Influencer Marketing Report that reads 49% of consumers make a purchase inspired by an influencer at least once a month
But investing in influencers does significantly translate to revenue, making it worth the risk for many businesses. According to The 2024 Influencer Marketing Report, almost half of all consumers (49%) make purchases at least once a month because of influencer posts. The appetite for influencer content is fueled by its ever-growing legitimacy in the eyes of consumers. The same report found that nearly half of all consumers trust influencers just as much as they did six months ago, while close to 30% trust them more.
This deep-seated trust is a double-edged sword for your brand. While it creates a deeper emotional connection with your audience, it can also expose you to more brand risk if an influencer negotiation goes south or if an influencer falls out of favor with their audience (and your brand gets dragged down by association). A Q2 2024 Sprout Pulse Survey found that 87% of all consumers expect influencers to speak out about causes that align with their values and take a stand on social. At any given moment, there are many social issues influencers may be pressured to speak about, which can pose a major brand safety threat.