Myth Busted: #Ad Is Not Killing Your Engagement, It's Building Trust

For years in influencer marketing, there has been a looming fear of the unassuming yet menacing #ad. 

Creators worry that if they clearly label a post as sponsored, both the algorithm and the audience will quietly punish them. 

New data now suggests that fear is unfounded.

Research published today by HypeAuditor in partnership with the Influencer Marketing Trade Body shows that explicit ad disclosure using #ad is not associated with lower engagement. In fact, the opposite appears to be true.

Across all UK influencer tiers, commercial posts tagged with #ad generate stronger median interaction metrics, including likes and comments. For larger creators with more than 500,000 Instagram followers, disclosure seems to act as a credibility signal that supports reach and engagement rather than limiting distribution. Nowadays, it proves you’re a successful creator trusted by brands.