Influencers are social media users who have a huge following and use this to promote particular brands and products.

 

Due to their influence on particular social media platforms, the influencers have become an important marketing tool for many brands and products.

 

In the process, many influencers have stirred controversy for failing to reveal when they have received cash payment or freebies to promote a particular brand.

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Due to this, popular social media platform Instagram is set to crack down on such posts by influencers in a bid to ensure consumers know when something is being sold to them on the platform.

 


Maxine Wabosha        PHOTO/COURTESY

 

A recent study revealed that more than three-quarters of influencer promotions on Instagram hide the needed #ad or #sponsored disclosure outside the main caption.


The crackdown will start in the UK where regulations require that sponsored posts be visibly marked as such and be easily noticed by the consumers.



Njugush      PHOTO/COURTESY

 

Instagram added an option to tag a business partner in one’s post in 2017 and its latest effort to tackle subtle sponsored tag is two-pronged:

 

1.    IG will add a new prompt requiring influencers to confirm whether they have received incentives to promote a brand or service before publishing.

2.    Instagram is also developing new algorithms to detect potential ads as content to remedy any abuse of the set guidelines.

 

Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, has not released a timeline for the new changes amid concerns on how it will affect influencers.

 

It is also unclear when it will be rolled out outside the UK to Africa, but Kenyan influencers should be on the lookout to ensure they influence within the set rules.

 

All in all, full disclosure by influencers will ensure full transparency to consumers.