Individuals often go to great lengths to get verified on social media, with the blue tick signifying that someone is reliable and verified by the platform. Indeed, such status underpins much of the commercial value influencers have.
At least that’s the theory, but research from the University of Maine suggests that verification isn’t always positive, with consumers often associating verified individuals with celebrity more than credibility. This can result in a reduction in trust in any endorsements made, especially if the endorsement is out of character from the main brand and activity of the account.
Unexpected influence
The researchers conducted a couple of experiments, the first of which asked volunteers how often they used Instagram and their familiarity with verified status on the platform. They were then asked to rate the authenticity, celebrity, and credibility of various social media users.
The second experiment then showed volunteers a number of influencers from the fitness or beauty sectors. The users were either verified or unverified, and all were advertising a product. Once again, the participants were asked to rate them according to their credibility, celebrity, and trustworthiness, but also how well the endorsement fitted with their account and whether they were likely to buy it or not.
The results clearly show that consumers weren’t really associating verified status with any greater credibility or authenticity, which made them actually less likely to trust the recommendation of a verified user, especially if they were advertising a product that was incongruent with their usual content. Indeed, even when the endorsement was in line with their usual content, consumers were no more likely to trust them than an unverified user.
Lack of influence
“The demand for verification is so great that one can buy the verified badge through a ‘black market’ made possible by third-parties. I wanted to understand why verification is so desirable and consequently, if it’s presence would produce advertising benefits. The results yield surprising and important implications because verification can harm trust. Endorser trust has been shown to influence many crucial facets, including intent to purchase. The research shines a much-needed light on a symbol that should be far more carefully considered—by both the influencer and the advertising partner,” the researchers explain.
There are huge sums spent on social media endorsement campaigns each year, with much of this investment focused on verified influencers. The research suggests that this money may not be securing the kind of results advertisers hope for.
“One of the unique aspects of this research is the fact that currently advertisers are paying a premium for verified influencers. Through multiple studies we found that, on the consumers’ side, verification can negatively impact brand perception. In fact, our findings suggest that it might serve advertisers better to pay less for partnerships with unverified influencers who are more closely aligned with their brand identity,” the authors conclude.
