By Kirk Rampersad
China’s recent crackdown on influencer culture might seem distant, but it exposes a truth that hits close to home for T&T: influence without credibility is noise. The move has reignited a global conversation that our small, digitally connected markets must not ignore.
Influence has never been just about reach — it’s about responsibility. When audiences trust your voice, you’re not simply creating content; you are shaping perceptions, behaviours and in many cases, real-world decisions. That level of impact requires credibility. For too long, we’ve celebrated visibility over expertise. The idea that anyone with a ring-light and confidence can position themselves as an authority—even in fields requiring deep knowledge and ethical accountability—has diluted the value of true subject-matter influence.
This move by China reinforces an important principle: influence isn’t only commercial; it is informational and behavioural. And with that comes duty. As marketing and communications professionals, we should champion creators who not only inspire, but are informed, credible and aligned with the value of responsible communication.
The future of influence is not just aspirational — it’s accountable, knowledgeable and trusted. In a world where content shapes thinking, expertise must shape influence. Because visibility is easy but credibility is earned.
The global shift and what it means for T&T
Globally, the influencer economy has matured. The Harvard Business Review (2022) estimated the industry’s value at US$16.4 billion, with 75 per cent of brands allocating dedicated budgets. But as it grew, regulators and audiences began demanding more transparency.
In T&T, the same shift is happening in microcosm. A local report found that over half of consumers now see influencers as “less authentic than before,” signalling fatigue with overly commercial content. While local regulation lags, the underlying issue is the same — trust.
With one million active social-media users — about 65 per cent of the population — T&T is highly connected. Facebook still leads ad reach, followed by Instagram, LinkedIn, and X (Twitter). Local voices now carry weight beyond borders. They shape how our nation and brands are perceived globally.
From a T&T standpoint, several specific factors make the credibility of influencers especially important:
1. Small, interconnected market
In a country of 1.4 million, word travels fast. Brands, agencies, and creators all know each other. The “aquarium effect” means lack of transparency can quickly damage reputations.
2. Cultural and national representation
Influencers often represent our culture and national identity. Their behaviour can elevate or harm how Trinidad & Tobago is viewed — locally and internationally.
3. Marketing investment and ROI
Local businesses still struggle to identify “the right influencers.” When success is measured by follower count alone, brands risk investing in reach over resonance.
4. Consumer trust
Behavioural change — purchases, advocacy, loyalty — depends on trust. In markets where institutional credibility is already fragile, trustworthy influencers become powerful allies
What responsible influence looks like in practice
If we accept that influence in T&T must evolve—from “look how many followers I have” to “look what I can credibly deliver”—what does that shift look like, in concrete terms?
a) Subject-matter alignment
Creators should demonstrate or partner with expertise, especially in areas like finance, sustainability, health, or tourism. Campaigns should require influencers to declare credentials or learning pathways.
b) Transparency and disclosure
Even without regulation, brands and creators must self-govern. Clear disclosure of sponsorships builds credibility and prevents backlash.
c) Beyond vanity metrics
Engagement quality, sentiment, conversions, and value alignment matter more than likes. The recent 28 per cent decline in engagement on sponsored posts locally shows audiences demand authenticity.
d) Long-term partnerships
Credibility grows with consistency. Multi-campaign relationships build authentic connections far better than one-off deals.
e) Value-driven, national content
Influence should reflect purpose — advancing culture, community, and local economy. When creators align with national values, they add to the country’s brand equity.
Implications for branding, Government, private sector and agencies
The shift toward credible influence matters across sectors:
Brands and SMEs: Aligning with credible voices increases conversions and brand equity. The wrong partnerships waste money and damage trust.
Government and public sector: As national campaigns rely more on digital amplification, credibility becomes non-negotiable. Collaborations must align with national ethics and cultural integrity.
Marketing and PR agencies: Your role is shifting from talent matching to credibility vetting. You must set frameworks for transparency and performance measurement.
Consumers: Audiences hold real power. By rewarding authentic voices and calling out deception, they shape the influencer landscape.
The CRED Framework for Credible Influence
C – Consistency Reliable messaging, tone and partnerships build long-term trust.
R – Relevance Content must align with audience needs and brand context.
E – Ethics Transparency, honesty, and authenticity are the backbone of sustainable influence.
D – Data-driven impact Credibility is measurable — through engagement quality, behavioural impact, and audience trust.
Use this as a benchmark for how brands, agencies and creators can sustain authenticity in the influencer economy.
Practical steps for T&T stakeholders
To make this shift actionable in T&T, consider the following steps:
1. Audit your influencer partnerships
Brands should review past campaigns: Who were the influencers? What were their credentials? What was the outcome? What did the audience really think? Use that as a baseline for what “workable” influence looks like.
2. Define influence criteria beyond follower count
Require influencers to provide: audience demographics, engagement quality (comments, shares, sentiment), past brand alignment, topic-expertise and conflict of interest disclosure. Set benchmarks for what “credibility” means in your context.
3. Establish transparency guidelines internally
Whether the campaign is a commercial partnership or brand collaboration, include disclosure language in contracts, make sure it is visibly noted on posts, and include a post-campaign summary of outcomes.
4. Measure behavioural outcomes, not just reach
Set metrics such as website visits, lead generation, conversion, brand mentions, offline sales (when applicable), audience sentiment change or brand perception shifts. Use a mix of quantitative and qualitative feedback.
5. Invest in long-term creator relationships
Consider working with creators over multiple campaigns, co-creating content, and building them as brand ambassadors rather than one-time gigs. Their authenticity is built over time.
6. Educate audiences and the ecosystem
For sustainable change, local marketers, agencies, government agencies and creators should host workshops or seminars on ethical influencer marketing. Raise awareness among audiences about how to evaluate influence, so that the ecosystem matures as a whole.
7. Promote national-value content
Especially within the tourism-, trade- and investment-promotion sector, encourage creators to link their content to national identity, local benefit, culture, economy and community. This elevates the conversation from “look how many followers I have” to “look how I am contributing”.
The future of influence in T&T
As we look ahead, Trinidad & Tobago’s influencer landscape stands at a crossroads. On one side: the path of short-term visibility, quick campaign deals, followers for hire and hollow hype. On the other: a more mature, credible, influence-economy built on transparency, expertise, repeated engagement and national value. The latter path holds far more potential for meaningful impact — both for brands and for society.
Consider that when influence is credible, the ripple effect is substantial: a tourism operator showcasing the sustainable value of our islands; an export brand telling the story of Trinbagonian ingenuity; a social-programme influencer raising awareness in underserved communities. These aren’t just Instagram posts — they become part of the national narrative.
We must remember: visibility is easy. Anyone can buy followers, stage a viral post, plug a product. But credibility? That’s earned. It demands consistency, authenticity, alignment with values and measurable outcomes. For a connected market like ours, the cost of losing credibility is real: brand-damage, wasted spend, audience disengagement. But the reward of credible influence is also real: trust, authenticity, deeper engagement, and long-term brand equity.
Visibility can be bought. Credibility must be built.
Let’s start the conversation: How can we, as a nation, redefine credible influence for the Caribbean era? Share your thoughts or connect with me to collaborate.
📧 Email: kirkram@hotmail.com 📧 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kirk-rampersad-mba-5ab579
