Today, we’re publishing research showing that many people find it difficult to tell when influencer content is advertising, even though most want ads to be clearly labelled.
Influencer ads are often confused with everyday posts and are harder to recognise than people expect.
Influencer content is now a routine part of online life. Brands increasingly use influencers to reach audiences, and many people expect to see ads across social media platforms. Unlike traditional media, however, social media has no clear ad breaks. Influencer ads often look similar to ordinary posts, making them harder to spot as people scroll through their feeds.
To understand how people recognise influencer advertising in practice, we commissioned research testing real content on TikTok and Instagram. On these platforms, algorithms regularly surface posts from unfamiliar creators, making it harder to judge at a glance whether a post is an advert.
People want influencers to be clear and upfront
The research shows strong public support for transparency. Influencers play a significant role in how people discover products and services, from shopping and travel to food and lifestyle choices. Around a third of the UK online population say they actively follow influencers for recommendations.
With that influence comes a responsibility to treat audiences fairly and not mislead them.
Being able to recognise advertising matters. Around eight in ten people say they want influencers to clearly label paid content upfront, rather than leaving audiences to work it out for themselves. People value authentic recommendations, but also want to know when content is advertising.
Confidence does not always match reality
Around half of the UK online population say they feel confident recognising influencer advertising, with younger people feeling the most confident. However, this confidence does not always reflect what happens when people are shown real posts.
Brand adverts on social media were the clearest form of advertising, with around three-quarters of people able to identify them correctly. Influencer ads were much harder to spot. Only around half of people could confidently say an influencer post was an advert, and more than a quarter did not recognise influencer ads at all.
Confusion worked both ways. Some genuine reviews were mistaken for ads, while some paid influencer posts were seen as ordinary, unpaid content.
Clear labelling makes the difference
People use a range of cues to judge whether content is advertising, including brand logos, changes in tone or calls to action. However, these signals are not always reliable or used consistently.
Clear, upfront labelling gives people certainty and helps them recognise ads quickly and confidently.
Existing rules already require influencers to label advertising content. Our research shows these rules are essential for protecting audiences and reflect what people expect. Audiences do not want to have to work out for themselves whether posts are paid for.
Positively, compliance is improving. More influencers are clearly labelling ads, showing greater commitment to transparency. Separate research from the Influencer Marketing Trade Body has also found that labelled advertising does not reduce engagement and can increase audience interaction.
This shows that clear labelling benefits everyone: audiences know what’s advertising and influencers can still achieve strong engagement.
The findings will help us target where audiences are most at risk of being misled, shape future training and guidance for influencers, and focus our action where advertising is not clearly labelled. Influencer content plays a major role in online life, and our role is to ensure people can engage with it confidently and fairly.
Shahriar Coupal, Director of Advertising Policy and Practice at the ASA, said:
“Our research shows strong public support for clear, upfront ad labelling, which helps people make informed choices and trust the content they see. It’s encouraging to know that our rules are in the right place, and it proves that honesty is a win for both influencers and their audiences. We’ll continue supporting the industry with advice and guidance, helping ensure that advertising content is always transparent.”
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