Food influencers “excessively recommending a product” has been found to reduce organic social media view rates by 42% on Instagram and by 19% on TikTok, research of 5,000 posts has found.
And failing to place products in “relatable scenarios” – like hosting a dinner or preparing a packed lunch – was found to leave audiences “confused” as to “why it matters, or why it’s in their feed”. The result was that viewers were driven away, with organic engagement rates dropping by 17% across Instagram and TikTok.
Nevertheless, the study by social agency Billion Dollar Boy found when brand promoting posts were done effectively – such as showing products as part of a creator trying out a new recipe – viewers’ positive feeling about a brand and their likelihood of purchasing both increased.
“Brands want creator content to tell audiences why their product is the best around,” said Becky Owen, CMO of Billion Dollar Boy. “It’s a completely natural response to handing over your brand’s story to someone else – you want reassurance that your key message will still come through.
“But our research is clear. When food brands reach for the safety of a scripted claim or a direct sales pitch – audiences tune out,” she added.
The analysis of 12 years of creator-led campaigns, scored thousands of posts for attention, emotion, brand recall and purchase intent. When posts put products in real-life settings and relatable scenarios, the ‘favourability’ of food and drink brands increased by 33% and ‘consideration’ by 15%.
“Creators have learned that this approach rarely works. Instead, they show the proof – demonstrating real-life application and framing products within authentic, relatable moments,” Owen added. “That personalised recommendation and native creator instinct is what builds trust, sparks desire and moves consumers seamlessly from favourability to consideration.”
The research comes as the position and effectiveness of food influencers has come under scrutiny. A report this month in The Irish News found some influencers were asking restaurants to pay up to £2,000 for a positive review. It reported on a survey carried out by the NI Food To Go Association that found every restaurant responding had been approached by a food influencer, with 40% saying they had paid for a review. An article in food magazine Vittles reported that most food-related PR agencies felt “the heyday of the influencer was already over”, while some influencers themselves felt they were facing a “crisis of authenticity”.
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