South Africa, Feb. 18 -- Authenticity is a key component in influencer marketing. But studies show that brands often shy away from terms like 'sponsored' and '#ad' on paid partnership posts, for fear of having a negative impact on consumer perception.

The reality is that consumers don't mind brands advertising on social media, and there have been many clearly labelled ad campaigns that have generated high levels of engagement. Ultimately, it's about proactive transparency of partnerships that is important for effective influencer marketing because it builds trust with your audience.

One cannot deny that the industry has been subjected to major scrutiny in recent years regarding the lack of transparency of influencer product placement an...