Influencer marketing has become a key strategy for PR professionals, but there are challenges. Some influencers have engaged in questionable behavior that damaged brand partnerships. As a result, brands are more carefully vetting influencers based on criteria like editorial freedom, audience relevance, and aligned values. However, identifying the right influencer remains difficult. Future research should explore influencer ethics and identification best practices. As influencer marketing evolves, data and metrics will become increasingly important for evaluating influencers and mitigating risks.

1. The Rise (and Fall?) of Influencer Marketing
Karen Freberg, Ph.D. | Associate Professor in Strategic Communications |@kfreberg

2. Influencers:
Represent a new type of independent third
party endorser who shape audience attitudes
through blogs, tweets, and the use of other
social media.
(Freberg, Graham, McGaughey, & Freberg, 2011)

4. Current state

6. We are in a state of influencer fatigue

7. CrowdTap (2018) Report Found:
 Content creators say the No. 1 method for vetting brand partnerships is by determining which
opportunities are most relevant for their audiences.
 76 percent of content creators said they will work with brands that grant editorial and creative
freedom above competitive compensation, at 67 percent.
 54 percent said they will work with brands who respect them as they would any other publisher.
 49 percent said the brand must understand their interests and only approach them with relevant
opportunities that are a fit for their audience.
 47 percent said they work with brands whose values align with their own.
Report: http://corp.crowdtap.com/STIM2015

8. Biggest Obstacles
 Influencer marketing is a key specialization rising in social media for PR professionals, but there
are times where brands do not look beyond the vanity metrics and personality characteristics,
which can result in reputation and crisis situations (ex. Jake Paul and Disney) and legal challenges
(DJ Khalid and FTC).
 Identifying the right influencer based on first impression research and personality characteristics
has been explored within certain social media influencers (Freberg et al, 2011), however, more
research is needed.

9. Logan Paul
 Former Disney Star and popular
YouTuber
 Filmed in Japan and documented
a dead person (from suicide) on
one of his videos.
 Apologized after outrage online
and in the traditional media
conversations

12. Brands take notice
 Having more structured criteria
for how to evaluate influencers.
 Brands and professionals are
more aware of this epidemic.
 Focus is on micro-influencers
(quality over quantity)
 Paying for followers to create
false presence = no brand deals.
 More resources are dedicated to
evaluate follower, community
and more advanced metrics in
influencer marketing.

13. Influencer Identification

14. Data will be your friend

15. Identifying Fake Influencers
Engagement Rate Response Analysis
Audience Location
(Local, National or
Overseas?)
”Shady” Accounts
following/followers
Number of Posts,
Updates, and
Content
Health of
Community
Follower Growth
Activity

16. Last, but not least:
Show us the evidence

17. Future Research
 Exploring the ethical practice of influencers (from influencers
perspective + brands)
 Determining the influencer identification checklist (must
haves for health of brand, personal learning networks, and
personality).
 Understanding the different personality characteristics of
influencers and micro-influencers
 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Influencers : Ethics, Legal
implications, and challenges

18. Promise
(Deliverables)
Personality
Perspective
Platform

19. Q+A
Karen Freberg, Ph.D. | karen.Freberg@Louisville.edu | @kfreberg
*New book is available at Sage Booth + has chapter (and assignments) dedicated to influencer
marketing.