I do not follow influencers much anymore, but I definitely used to. What showed up in my feed usually matched whatever I was interested in at the time: makeup tutorials, Joanna Gaines for decorating inspiration, and gardening accounts full of ideas I wanted to try in my own yard. (Clearly, HGTV had a strong influence on me, and my shopping cart.) If someone could help me improve my house, yard, or makeup, I was more than likely paying attention.
At the time, I never really thought of any of it as marketing. I was just looking for ideas. Which is exactly why influencer marketing works so well.
When an Ad Doesn’t Feel Like an Ad
Traditional advertising is easy to spot, and usually boring. A commercial comes on, and you immediately know someone is trying to sell you something. Influencer marketing feels different because the product is woven into content you already chose to watch.
With makeup influencers, I could watch someone apply a product, see the results, and hear what they actually liked or disliked. When Joanna Gaines transformed a room, the products and decorating ideas suddenly felt realistic and achievable, even if my budget did not always agree. Gardening influencers did the same thing by showing what they planted, how they cared for it, and what it looked like in an ordinary yard, not a perfect catalog photo.
For me, that is far more convincing than a company simply announcing that its product is amazing.
Selling Without Always Looking Like You’re Selling
Influencers have plenty of ways to make marketing blend naturally into their content. Tutorials, before-and-after photos, demonstrations, reviews, affiliate links, discount codes, and personal stories all show a product in a real situation instead of just listing its features. Comments, questions, and polls pull followers into the conversation rather than leaving them to simply watch.
They also gather audiences around specific interests. A gardening influencer already has followers searching for gardening ideas, just as a makeup influencer has viewers interested in beauty products. For a company, that means reaching people who are already likely to care. It also means borrowing some of the trust the influencer has built with those followers.
That trust grows through everyday interactions: answering comments, sharing mistakes, telling personal stories, and giving opinions that do not sound scripted. Over time, followers can feel as though they know the person on the screen. A brand message then feels less like a company talking at them and more like advice from someone whose taste they understand.
The Influencer Becomes the Connection
To me, the influencer’s biggest role is acting as the bridge between a company and its customers. Influencers take a brand’s message and turn it into a story, demonstration, or recommendation that fits everyday life. A company telling me, “This is the best foundation you will ever use,” is one thing. Watching someone apply it, wear it for hours, and show the final result is completely different.
Of course, that only works as long as people believe the influencer.
That is why transparency matters. The Federal Trade Commission (2019) says influencers should clearly disclose any “material connection” to a brand, whether that means payment, free or discounted products, employment, or a personal or family relationship. The disclosure should be easy to notice. It should not be buried at the bottom of a post or lost in a pile of hashtags. People deserve to know when a recommendation is also an advertisement.
If someone suddenly loves every product a company sends, I am going to start wondering whether everything is really that wonderful, or whether the free packages are doing some of the talking.
Maybe I Was More Influenced Than I Thought
I do not follow influencers nearly as much as I once did. I still go online for makeup tips, decorating inspiration, and especially gardening ideas, but now I pay closer attention to whether someone is sharing a genuine opinion or giving me a polished sales pitch.
When it is done well, influencer marketing can make a company feel more personal and approachable. Consumers can ask questions, share reactions, and see how a product works before spending money on it. But companies are also placing part of their reputation in someone else’s hands. If followers trust that person, the brand benefits. If the influencer loses credibility or hides a paid partnership, the brand can lose trust right along with them.
So, do influencers really influence what we buy? I would like to say they do not influence me much anymore.
Still, if Joanna Gaines reveals a beautiful room and I suddenly become convinced that my house desperately needs a new lamp, maybe I am not as immune as I think. Apparently, my resistance has a home décor exception.
Has an influencer ever convinced you to buy something, only for you to wonder later if you really needed it?
Reference
Federal Trade Commission. (2019). Disclosures 101 for social media influencers. https://www.ftc.gov/influencers
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