The Trust Deficit: Why Health Brands Need Long-Term Creator Partnership

If there is one industry where content creator has risen as the necessary solution, it is health & wellness. In 2025, the consumer bullshit detector is at an all-time high, rendering corporate claims ineffective. We are seeing a massive shift in how marketing dollars are spent: audiences are tired of airbrushed ads, but they trust the honest testimony of a genuine content creator. In one of the reports, we found nearly 63% of healthcare consumers trust information from social creators to some degree, a figure that is rapidly outpacing traditional advertising trust levels. [1]

The Link Influence team has also seen the data shift firsthand. The era of the "perfect" wellness influencer is fading. In its place, a new currency has emerged- radical trust.

For brands in the health, wellness & fitness space, the goal is not only reach, but also retention. Here is what we are seeing on the ground in our recent campaigns, and why many brands are ditching the one-off shoutout for long-term, trust-based storytelling.

The Death of the "After" Photo

For a decade, fitness marketing was obsessed with the final, polished "After" photo. But today’s consumers, particularly younger generations, are skeptical of results they didn't see earned. [3]

We have found that the best-performing content for our clients isn't the highlight reel, but the process behind it. Content creators are now focusing on the struggle, the 5AM alarm, the meal prep failures, and the incremental progress. By sharing genuine stories of self-care and balance, creators are redefining what it means to be well. [4]

When a creator shares their genuine struggle, they earn the right to recommend a solution. When they finally introduce your supplement, app, or gear, it doesn't feel like an ad. It feels more like a legitimate tool they actually used to overcome a hurdle their audience witnessed.

Expertise Is the New Currency

The wellness sector is unique because the stakes are so high. It directly affects people's health. Consequently, the content creator marketplace is seeing a "flight to expertise" and credibility.

Audiences are gravitating toward credentialed creators who are registered dietitians, certified personal trainers, and even medical professionals who create content. These highly trusted influencers are key to cutting through misinformation and delivering science-backed, educational content. [5]

A huge part of our vetting process is ensuring that a creator’s authority matches the brand’s promise.

One-Off Posts Are Not Enough

If you are selling a consumable product, the relationship must be long-term because health takes time. Consumers know that nobody gets fit in a day. If an influencer posts about a product once and never mentions it again, the audience assumes the impact was negligible.

The Always-On Strategy for Influencer Marketing: We are advising our health clients to shift budget from working with 50-60 influencers once, to working with 10 for six months. The industry consensus is that health and wellness partnerships must be longer-term to demonstrate genuine efficacy. [2] This "long-haul" narrative proves the product’s efficacy in real-time. It moves the consumer from "skeptical" to "convinced."

Transparency and De-Influencing

The "De-Influencing" Trend: creators telling their followers what not to buy is a blessing for good brands. Consumers trust creators who provide specific, nuanced feedback.

We encourage our content creators to be honest about who the product is for and who it isn't for. That level of transparency separates a "paid shill" from a "trusted advisor", building the deep trust necessary for conversion in this sector. [1]

The Link Influence Takeaway

In the health and wellness sector, trust is the currency. You cannot buy it with a single ad spend. You have to rent it from creators who have spent years building it with their community. The brands that will win in 2026 are the ones that treat influencers not as billboards, but as partners in education. They are the brands that embrace the messy, long, and authentic journey of getting healthy.

References

[1] Global Consumer Trust Index: The 2025 Report on Consumer Trust in Health & Wellness Information. 

[2] Marketing Dive: The ROI of Authenticity: Why Long-Term Partnerships Outperform Quick-Hit Campaigns. 

[3] Nielsen Media Research: Gen Z & Millennial Consumer Trends in Fitness and Nutrition. 

[4] International Health & Fitness Association (IHFA) Report: Analyzing the Impact of Transparency in Digital Wellness Marketing. 

[5] Future of Wellness Institute: The Rise of Credentialed Creators and the Science-Backed Wellness Movement.