While 58% of consumers have made purchases because of influencer endorsements, only 74% trust influencer content compared to 87% who trust general advertising. More telling: just 5% trust influencer content completely. When 88% of global consumers trust recommendations from people they know more than any other marketing channel, they’re expressing a preference for authenticity over reach. The word-of-mouth economyThe original researchers emphasized that brands focusing exclusively on influencer marketing might miss opportunities to encourage customer referrals and social sharing. Current data shows 67% of consumers consider honesty and unbiased opinions the most important factors in influencer content.