Finfluencers drive awareness but trust is still a car crash

Financial influencers and AI-powered tools are playing an increasingly important role in how consumers discover financial products and services but, while these channels are driving awareness, trust remains virtually rock-bottom.

According to Dentsu’s latest Consumer Navigator Report, nearly half (49%) of consumers have encountered so-called “finfluencer” content on TikTok in the past year, whether intentionally or through recommendations served by the platform.

The data reveals that such content is driving engagement, with more than two-thirds (68%) of those who encountered it taking some sort of action. In fact, one in five (20%) acted directly from the content by clicking or swiping a link, scanning a QR code, or following the creator’s route to a provider or product. Only 15% of respondents who encountered “finfluencer” content took no action at all.

However, despite this growing influence, trust in independent financial content creators remains limited. Only one in ten (10%) consumers say that they trust finfluencers enough to act on what they say. A third (34%) verify the information elsewhere before acting. Meanwhile, 34% use their content purely for ideas, without relying on it to make financial decisions.

Dentsu says the findings suggest that while creator content is becoming an increasingly important point of discovery, consumers continue to seek reassurance from trusted sources before committing to financial products and services.

The research also highlights the growing role of artificial intelligence. Nearly half (45%) of consumers now use AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude at least monthly for financial information or guidance. This means that before a customer reaches a provider’s website, an AI tool may already have helped them understand a product or compare options.

The data reveals that, when similar offers are presented by AI, 28% of consumers say that familiarity with a provider or viewing it as established or trustworthy would have the greatest influence on their decision making. This ranked as the most important factor and highlights the need for marketers to understand how their products are appearing in AI-generated searches.

Dentsu president of data and technology Ben Gott said: “Finfluencers and AI are driving a new era in brand discovery; today, consumers can find out more about a brand and its products than ever, before they even reach its website.

“However, influence doesn’t automatically equal trust. In most cases, people still want to verify what they see before they act. Financial brands need to ensure they are represented accurately and consistently across different channels, while continuing to build the credibility that will turn awareness into action.”

Separate research – including data published by university and institutional studies on thousands of finance creators – reveals a troubling paradox: the least-skilled and anti-skilled finfluencers are almost always the loudest, post the most frequently, and attract the largest audiences.

According to one Bloomberg study, over 56% of tracked finance influencers generate negative returns, with some stock-pick and meme-hype strategies leading to sharp annual losses.

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