Influencer Marketing Isn't About Influence. It's About Trust.

And trust is built in 6 stages

Here they are:

1. Creator trust

Before your brand shows up, the audience already trusts the creator.

↳ The sign: their community talks back in the comments.

↳ What moves it: choosing creators for the people who follow them.

2. Borrowed trust

Your brand enters the conversation in the creator's voice.

↳ The sign: the content feels like a recommendation from someone they know.

↳ What moves it: a brief that gives direction and leaves the words to the creator.

3. Repeated trust

People see your brand with several creators and start to remember it.

↳ The sign: more searches for your brand and comments like "I've seen this everywhere."

↳ What moves it: a mix of creators and a brand that keeps showing up.

This is where your brand becomes top of mind: the one people think of when the need shows up.

4. Considered trust

"If she uses it, maybe I'll try it."

↳ The sign: saves, clicks, and questions about where to buy.

↳ What moves it: creators who really use the product.

5. Chosen trust

People buy because someone they trust recommended it.

↳ The sign: sales and a lower CPA.

↳ What moves it: optimizing in real time toward what converts.

6. Earned trust

People prefer your brand even when there are other options, and they recommend it on their own.

↳ The sign: repeat purchases, content nobody asked for, and people recommending you without being paid.

↳ What moves it: ambassadors and long-term relationships with creators.

This is where your brand becomes top of heart: the trust now belongs to you.

Sales show up at stage 5.

The 4 stages before it are where that trust gets built, and each one leaves a sign you can track.

So you always know where your campaign is, and what to move next.

Every campaign starts with the creator's trust.

The best ones end with trust that belongs to your brand.