When influencers are not very influential: The negative effects of social media verification

Abstract As social media usage has grown over the recent past, so too has a new form of celebrity: social media influencers (SMIs). It can be difficult for consumers to know whether the influencers they are following are real. To combat this, social media sites introduced user verification. Verification, denoted by a blue checkmark badge visible in search and on one's profile, is ostensibly a way of confirming one's identity, yet only accounts with large followings are awarded verification status by the platform. In this paper, we investigate the perception of verification in the context of SMIs, a topic relatively absent from the literature despite the billions of dollars spent on partnerships. Specifically, we investigate if consumers perceive verification as more directly associated with credibility or celebrity. Further, we consider whether the fit of the influencer with the advertisement yields discrepancies in consumers' trust of the advertisement and endorser in paid partnerships on social media. Through two studies, we find that consumers associate verification most closely with celebrity, rather than authenticity and that when the influencer is advertising a product that does not fit with their brand, consumers are significantly less likely to trust verified accounts rather than unverified accounts. This study has theoretical implications for marketing researchers as well as practical implications for marketing managers. Verified influencers cost more; therefore, this research provides unique insights for brands to capitalize their ad return if they are made aware of the implications associated with verification.