- within Real Estate and Construction topic(s)
This week, the Center for Industry Self-Regulations launched the Institute for Responsible Influence, an entity whose first key initiative will be a certification program designed "to elevate transparency, strengthen accountability, empower creators, and foster trusted brand partnerships within creator marketing."
The Institute's press release notes that although 83% of US marketers used influencers in 2024 and 58% of consumers in a survey reported making purchases based on influencer recommendations, trust in influencers is low. Only 5% of consumers surveyed fully trust influencer content and nearly 30% distrust it altogether.
The Institute aims to change that by equipping influencers with training and resources to help them comply with the FTC's Endorsement Guides and create responsible content. Among other things, the Institute plans to offer education, a certification program, a database of certified influencers, and accountability through ongoing oversight.
Enrollment and training for certification will be available beginning this Spring. It will be interesting to see whether this gains traction in the industry and whether brands start pushing for their influencers to get certified. In the meantime, you can learn more about what's coming on the Institute's website.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
