Chart: Trust in Advertising by Channel

Author

Emily Morrow
April 24, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 1 minute

Ever notice how nobody really trusts ads anymore? Most of us scroll right past them, skip them, or ignore them completely. But there’s one type of advertising that still works—because people actually trust it: influencer marketing.

Don’t take my word for it - check out this post from @neilpatel (Co-founder of NP Digital) featuring the most trusted forms of advertising:

“This is why you have to leverage influencer marketing.
Look at how people trust advertising channels.
With most channels, people don’t trust them, but one channel stands out…
Influencers!
Influencer marketing has a fantastic ROI if you focus on micro-influencers with less than 100,000 followers.
You just have to make sure they are known within your vertical. That way, their followers are more likely to convert into customers.”

Think of it like this: imagine you’re new in town and looking for a good pizza place. Do you trust the flashy billboard on the highway, or do you ask a friend who’s been living there? Most people go with the friend’s recommendation. That’s what influencer marketing is—a trusted friend telling their audience what actually works.

They say the sweet spot is micro-influencers, those with fewer than 100,000 followers. Why? Because their audiences are genuinely engaged. It’s like having a cozy group chat instead of shouting into a stadium.

Here’s a tip - engagement rate matters way more than just the number of followers. And if you find an influencer with BOTH over 100,000 followers AND a great engagement rate - you’ve got gold right there.

A solid benchmark is an engagement rate of 2–5% on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, according to Sprout Social. That means people aren’t just watching—they're commenting, sharing, and acting on what they see. And for brick and mortar local businesses that means actually visiting in person and becoming a customer.

So, if you want better ROI from your advertising, find influencers who are well-known in your industry/niche, look for real engagement, and watch how much more effective your ad spend can be.

Are you ready to dive into the world of influencer advertising? Step Out offers influencer-style advertising for local brick-and-mortar businesses looking to grow - and we do it with an average engagement rate of 6% (AKA well above the norm). If you’re ready start seeing a return on your advertising investment, let’s talk. Fill out this form to see if you qualify to advertise on Step Out.

-Emily Morrow

Co-founder of Step Out Media

What's your go-to advertising channel?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.