Why "Influencers" Can Ruin Your Brand

Engaging credentialed professionals to endorse products is crucial for brands seeking to build authority, earn consumer trust, and mitigate significant reputational and legal risks. While influencers can offer a broad reach and drive short-term sales, their endorsements often lack the expertise and credibility that is the foundation of an expert's influence.

The Importance of Partnering with Credentialed Professionals

Authority and Expertise

Unlike influencers, credentialed experts (such as doctors) possess formal qualifications, certifications, and a deep, verified understanding of their field. This expertise provides an unmatched level of credibility that influencers, who may lack proper training, simply cannot provide. For example, a dermatologist endorsing a skincare product is inherently more trustworthy than a beauty influencer doing the same.

Consumer Trust and Confidence

Studies indicate that consumer trust in influencers is declining. One recent survey found that only 5% of consumers completely trust influencer content, and 87% believe that influencers often do not use the products they advertise. In contrast, consumers are more likely to rely on reviews from trusted experts, who are expected to provide unbiased opinions based on their knowledge rather than financial incentives.

Objectivity and Reduced Bias

Credentialed professionals are expected to provide objective reviews based on their experience and knowledge of a product. Their endorsements feel more authentic to consumers because they are seen as less swayed by sponsorships or brand deals, which often bias influencer opinions.

Long-term Brand Credibility

A brand's reputation, built over years, can be damaged in moments by a negative action or scandal involving an associated influencer. A scandal can lead to public backlash, consumer distrust, and long-term harm to brand credibility. Endorsements from credentialed professionals, however, can build and maintain a legacy of trustworthiness and quality, positioning the brand as a leader in its industry.

The Risks of Teaming Up with "Influencers"

The constant stream of sponsored posts from influencers can lead to skepticism and "follower disenchantment." When an audience perceives an influencer's content as primarily driven by commercial interests, it can erode the authentic connection that was foundational to their influence.

Heightened Reputational Risk

When a brand collaborates with an influencer, it is also linked to the influencer's lifestyle, opinions, and past actions. An influencer's controversial post or poor decision can reflect negatively on the brand, and the association can be difficult to reverse due to the lasting nature of digital content.

Potential for Misinformation

Influencers, lacking technical expertise, can sometimes make unsubstantiated claims or oversimplify a product's benefits. This is especially dangerous in regulated industries like health or finance, where inaccurate claims can lead to legal issues and serious public harm.

Legal and Compliance Violations

Influencer campaigns carry significant legal risks, particularly if proper disclosure of sponsored content is not clearly or conspicuously communicated. Brands can be held liable for deceptive endorsements or for any unsubstantiated claims made by their influencers.

Misleading Metrics

Some influencers inflate their follower counts and engagement metrics by purchasing fake followers or using bots. If a brand relies solely on these metrics for partner selection, it risks paying a high fee for a campaign with little to no actual return on investment.

Why Partner with Dr. Peters?

• Trusted Authority

  • PhD in Exercise Physiology, Professor of Applied Exercise Science, and published author.

• Proven Reach

  • Experienced speaker, consultant, and media contributor with a growing national platform.

• Authentic Influence

  • He only endorses products he has personally used, recommends to patients/clients, or believes in from a scientific standpoint.

• Target Audience

  • Middle-aged and older adults, high-performing professionals, clinicians, and health-conscious consumers.

Contact Dr. Peters