Can PR learn a lesson from influencers?
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In an ongoing discussion about social media influence and all the forms that it can take, it seems that the researchers and the public have taken various stands. Even though the social media influencers are taking the role of being an extension to the all present sea of advertisement campaigns, it seems that the respect and trust that they gain among public is not being compromised.
Influencers more trusted than the journalists
Not only that the influencers are maintaining their level of trust among the public, but they are also enjoying a higher level of respect in comparison to the journalists in most of the European countries - according to the European communication monitor for 2019. In addition to those results, the most recent research by Danesh and Duthler (2019) that was conducted on 269 female students in United Arab Emirates, showcased that it is not all so dark when it comes to native advertising. The study investigated the relationship management between Instagram influencers and their followers and found out that the followers are mainly aware of the paid content but this fact does not change their point of view towards the influence.
Furthermore, when the followers are familiarized with the purpose of the post and understand that they are consuming an ad rather than a private post, their perception of honesty, openness, and transparency of the influencer enhances.
Benefits for the PR profession
Contrary to the popular belief that Instagram influencers are here to deceive their followers with hidden advertisements for various brands, this approach of openness and transparency rewards them in a form of trust and also fosters new trends in the attempt for more ethical approach to public relations practices. The field of public relations has gone through a lot of scrutiny since its beginning because of its lack of transparency. This way the brands have found a way to use social media for gaining back more legitimacy by simply being so open about the advertisements. These new findings can be a starting point for brands to accept new strategies for achiving the good reputation by the public while still promoting their products without a lot of compromising. However, not only the brands will be benefiting but this way the PR critics can be silenced which will shed more positive light on the entire profession.
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What about the society?
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The findings of the Danesh and Duthler (2019) study give a completely new perspective on both looking into the ethical potentials of the profession and the number of issues that the influencers
could be involved with on a more societal level. Since the influencers gain more trust from the followers and are ultimately ‘awarded’ for their transparency by being seen as the relevant opinion makers in deciding whether to purchase the product, this kind of ‘power’ has a potential to be translated in the sphere of more socially sensitive topics. Whether it is a matter of the fight for human rights, a political protest, raising awareness for the environmental issue or a natural disaster, the influencers who gained their legitimacy by selling makeup or any other commercial brand now have the capability to guide their audience in their search for answers in an entirely different field. Finally, this situation establishes a solid ground for the set of new and necessary questions: Are we building an influencer guided society and if so, is it more beneficial or scary?
About the author:
Nika Prpić is a Communication master student that moved from Croatia to Amsterdam a year ago. Prior to studying communication, she was a journalism student in her hometown – Zagreb, but she soon realized that her passion lays more in the world of PR so she decided to find her happiness outside of her beloved country. In the future, Nika sees herself as a communication specialist for an international tech company.
Sources:
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0363811118305216
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