The recent trend of “Influencer Marketing” has become widely popular as marketers struggle to reach the elusive young and mobile consumer that just doesn’t follow traditional norms.  Many are wondering if this is the new paradigm or another short term trend?

A recent Forbes article explains how influencer marketing as we know it may already be coming to an end.  With countless self-proclaimed influencers endorsing products on social media, many have started not only to lose credibility among their followers, but data shows that they might not be as influential as they portray themselves to be. Shocking.

E-Score Celebrity  looked at some current internet celebrities who may have benefited from endorsement opportunities, but who already show weakness in their endorsement potential.

• A gamer who rode the Fortnite wave to success and a Chipotle endorsement, Ali “Myth” Kabbani has strong Appeal (70) but scores low in both Sincere (0) and Trustworthy (5).
• iJustine boasts an impressive 5.8 million YouTube subscribers as a tech reviewer but for someone who reviews products, Sincere and Trustworthy are two crucial attributes and she scores 11 and 6, respectively.
• Amanda Cerny has one of the most viewed Instagram stories with over 25 million followers yet not only scores low on both Sincere (7) and Trustworthy (4) but also scores low on Can Identify With (5).

Successful Internet Celebrity Endorsers

On the other hand, here are some internet celebrities who show above average scores in key metrics, suggesting strong endorsement potential. 

• Lilly Singh may have a low Awareness but has strong scores in Sincere (19) and Trustworthy (11) that can only benefit her as she is set to host a new late night talk show for NBC.
• Grace Helbig has expanded from being a social media star into work in film, books, and podcasts all while holding one of the highest Trustworthy scores (24) among the internet celebrities we measured.
• Jacksepticeye has really taken off as a game reviewer and Youtuber. His impressive Sincere score (27) is among the highest of all internet celebrities.

Authentic vs. Hype

Authenticity is a key element in determining which influencers have the power to drive brand awareness and consideration vs. those that just waste your marketing budget. You can trust E-Score Celebrity for an accurate assessment with the addition of a Net Endorsement and Real (Authentic) score to help focus on true endorsement value. We looked at  up-and-coming celebrities to find potential endorsers who are likely to succeed.

• Avengers star Letitia Wright’s Net Endorsement (57) is among the highest of the potential endorsers we measured and with nearly 2 million Instagram followers to go along with her high Real (Authentic) score (23), she is an excellent candidate to endorse a brand.
• Trevante Rhodes, known for his recent role in Netflix’s Birdbox, shows early signs of promising endorsement potential with a Net Endorsement of 53 and is described as “handsome” and “cool” in our Consumer Comments.
• With two hit films like Captain Marvel and Crazy Rich Asians, Gemma Chan boasts a 51 Net Endorsement score and a 12 Real (Authentic) score making her a good potential endorser who is on the rise. 

E-SCORE ADVANTAGES

When it comes to finding valuable endorsers, E-Score Celebrity offers real advantages over “likes” and “followers” in what is a loaded sample from Twitter or other social media metrics:

• Scientific methodology – representative sample, consistent and proven approach,
• Verified US consumers – no foreign “gold farms,” fake followers or fans in places where they can’t be exposed to your brand, 
• Filterable – find the exact demographic or behavioral target you need,
• Meaningful data – E-Score tells you if a potential endorser is a good fit with your brand positioning.

Resources

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