Nearly half of people in the UK believe that influencer marketing is having a damaging effect upon society. People are increasingly wary of brands using celebrity and social media influencers to promote products, saying the brands should be more direct or transparent with their marketing.

Influencers use social media platforms to endorse their products of choice. But rather than using their celebrity status to distance themselves from their fan bases, China’s style icons are using live chat to communicate recommendations, and it's keeping them close to their followers.

Online influencers have shaped the way people interact with brands since the advent of social media, adding context to products outside of typical advertising channels. But the idea that more followers equate to more consumer sway is not always true. How exactly is influencer marketing evolving?

According to influencer marketing firm Klear, the number of Instagram posts tagged with #ad doubled between 2016 and 2017. It's a sign that brands are investing more in influencer-led strategies, recognising how an endorsement from a social media star can make them seem more relatable.