Is Influencer Marketing Ethical, and How Do You Do It Properly?
Influencer marketing is not inherently unethical. But a lot of the way it is done absolutely is.
Influencer marketing has had a rough few years in the press. Undisclosed paid partnerships, fake follower counts, products that influencers have never actually used, and endorsements of everything from cryptocurrency ponzi schemes to diet pills of dubious safety. It is not a great look for the marketing industry.
But here is the thing: done properly, influencer marketing can be one of the most honest and effective forms of marketing there is. The problem is not the concept but the execution. Let’s discuss…
What makes influencer marketing unethical?
Not disclosing paid partnerships: If a creator has been paid, gifted a product, or given any other benefit in exchange for the content they make, they must disclose it. In the UK, the ASA and the CMA have been increasingly active in enforcing this. It’s not optional. #Ad, #PaidPartnership or #Sponsored is not embarrassing; it is the law here in the UK.
Promoting products the influencer has not tried: Publishing endorsements for products someone has never used is, at best, misleading and, at worst, potentially harmful, especially in categories like supplements, skincare, or financial products. Think about the Kar-Jenners promoting morning sickness pills they didn’t use and acne treatments despite having clear skin.
Targeting children with deceptive advertising: Content designed to look like organic recommendations but actually paid-for advertising, when aimed at children, falls into genuinely harmful territory. Some cases have hit the headlines in recent years for using manipulative tactics to sell to kids.
Fake engagement metrics: Brands paying for followers or influencers inflating their reach with bots is straightforwardly deceptive. There are entire ‘like’ farms around the world where multiple devices are set up to falsely endorse posts for a fee.
What does ethical marketing actually look like with an influencer?
Genuine fit: The influencer should actually have a connection to what they are promoting. A fitness creator endorsing a protein brand they actually use is believable. The same creator promoting a payday loan company is not. What we’re seeing more of is smaller value items being ‘gifted’ to content creators that show a high quality fit. And then not being forced into a contract to pitch a product they’re not keen on. It’s their choice.
Full disclosure, always: Every paid or gifted post should be clearly marked. Not buried in a wall of hashtags. Clearly, upfront, and in a way that a reasonable person would see it.
Choosing creators for their community, not their follower count: A smaller creator with 5,000 deeply engaged followers in your exact target market will almost always outperform a mega-influencer with 500,000 vaguely interested ones.
Long-term partnerships over one-off posts: Repeated, genuine endorsement over time is far more credible than a single sponsored post that appears and disappears.
Clear, fair contracts. Influencers are professionals: Treat them like it. Pay them fairly and be clear about what you want.
Our take
Influencer marketing is not a shortcut to reach a new audience, it’s a business relationship like any other you’d have with an engaged supplier. Like any relationship, it works best when it is built on honesty, genuine shared values, and mutual respect. The brands that get it right are the ones treating it as a long-term strategy, not a quick hit.
Thinking about influencer partnerships for your brand? We can help you build an ethical approach. Get in touch, hello@ipsaconsulting.co.uk