A recent academic study in Psychology & Marketing caught my attention this week.

Researchers analysed 101 misinformation posts about brands and nearly 49,000 social media comments and found that when misleading claims about a brand come from influencers rather than ordinary users, the reaction online becomes significantly more toxic.

This phenomenon is known as influencer-driven toxicity.

That's worth noting because influencer marketing is now a $24 billion global industry, and hospitality brands rely on it heavily for reach and discovery.

Influencers carry credibility and strong relationships with their audiences. When they share controversial claims about a brand, followers often defend the influencer or attack the brand, turning comment sections into pile-ons and arguments between users.

For hospitality marketers, the takeaway is straightforward.

Influencer partnerships don't just generate reach. They create communities around a personality — and those communities can amplify narratives about your brand very quickly.

Do you check if your chosen influencers create toxic environments? If they do then its time to drop them