Marketing Influencer Statistics

33+ Little-Known Influencer Marketing Statistics & Facts

As highlighted by recent social media and influencer marketing statistics, it’s no wonder so many brands use influencer marketing to expand their reach. Whether to advertise a new product or service, promote an older one, improve brand recognition, authority, investment, or credibility, influencers can significantly enhance your marketing efforts. 

In this post, we will acquaint you with the essential social influencer stats and the latest info on the collaboration between marketing professionals and influencers. 

If you like what you hear, then read on!

Top 10 Influencer Marketing Statistics for 2022  

  • The most frequent budget for influencer marketing is between $1,000 and $10,000 per annum.
  • 62% of marketing professionals plan to increase their influencer budgets for 2021.
  • 42% of influencers prefer to be paid through PayPal.
  • The influencer marketing industry will reach $13.8 billion in 2021.
  • Only 32.4% of influencers get paid with money for their work.
  • In 2020, 55% of influencers on Instagram were engaged in fraud.
  • Nano-influencers earn an average of $10–$100 per Instagram post.
  • 84% of B2B marketers collaborate with influencers to establish brand awareness.
  • 72% of millennials and Gen Z follow influencers on social media.
  • Zach King was the most popular American influencer on TikTok in 2020.

Influencer Marketing ROI Stats & Facts

How do influencers help brands with their ROIs?

1. 67% of marketers measure their influencer campaigns’ ROIs.

(InfluencerMarketingHub)

On the flip side, 33% of companies don’t measure their ROI. Furthermore, 80% of marketers “consider earned media value to be a good measure of ROI,” whereas 20% disagree with this statement.

2. The most frequent budget for influencer marketing is between $1,000 and $10,000 per annum.

(BigCommerce)

This is closely followed by $100,000 to $500,000 (18% of brands).

And according to the influencer marketing statistics from 2020, 7% of brands spend a whopping $1 million on influencers per year, which shows that influencer marketing is still going strong despite the occasional naysayers.

3. 17% of brands invest over 50% of their ad budgets on social media influencers.

(BigCommerce)

Half a budget is definitely nothing to sneeze at. Moreover, this percentage is also a good indicator of the general importance of influencers. Particularly for businesses in the fashion, luxury, beauty, online gaming, travel, and lifestyle industries.

4. 89% of marketers said that the ROI from social media influencer marketing is as big as in other marketing channels.

(BigCommerce)

Small businesses, in particular, will find this piece of information reassuring, given the fact that they’re usually extra cautious about funnelling their marketing budget on influencer marketing.

5. 62% of marketing professionals increased their influencer budgets for 2021.

(Business Insider) 

In other words, there’s a marked influencer marketing growth for 2021. Namely, marketing experts have realized just how profitable this marketing method is, but only when done correctly.

As a result, in 2021, 93% of US marketers used Instagram and Instagram Stories (83%) for influencer marketing, whereas 68% used TikTok and Twitch (13%).

Overall, in 2021, 67.9% of companies (with over 100 employees) planned to use influencer marketing, which is 5.6% more than in 2020.

The latest influencer marketing trends also suggest the percentage will increase in 2022, amounting to 72.5%.

6. Daniel Middleton is one of the top YouTuber influencers, with total earnings reaching over $16.5 million.

(Wondershare)

If you haven’t been living under a rock these past few years, chances are you know just how profitable making YouTube videos can be.

According to recent influencer marketing stats, the most successful (richest) YouTubers in 2021 are:

  • Daniel Middleton ($16.5 million)
  • Evan Fong ($15.5 million)
  • Dude Perfect ($14 million)
  • Markiplier ($12.5 million)
  • Logan Paul ($12.5 million)
  • PewDiePie ($12.5 million)
  • Jake Paul ($11.5 million)
  • Ryan ToysReview ($11 million).

7. 42% of influencers prefer to be paid through PayPal.

(InfluencerMarketingHub)

While Paypal is the preferred choice for most influencers, 31% choose a third-party payment service (like TransferWise). Merely 27% favor wire transfer as a payment method. Keep in mind that the location also plays a significant role in choosing the preferred method.

Influencer Marketing Strategy

What’s the relationship between influencers and brands, and what are the five main types of influencers?

8. 56% of brands choose to use the same influencers in various campaigns.

(InfluencerMarketingHub)

Like they say, “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.” Most brands would rather use one influencer to develop a long-term relationship than use different influencers for each specific campaign.

(InfluencerMarketingHub)

Influencer marketing managed to adapt to the new normal despite the pandemic, reaching $9.7 billion in 2020.  

10. Only 32.4% of influencers get paid with cash for their work.

(InfluencerMarketingHub)

In other words, 36% of brands provide influencers with product samples, 21% give them discounts, and 10.5% pay them with giveaways instead of paying them with cash.

11. According to the latest influencer marketing stats, 67% of brands use Instagram for their marketing campaigns.

(InfluencerMarketingHub)

Instagram is the number one choice for brands when it comes to influencer marketing.

Although the number of companies who used this social network was higher in 2020 (80%), Instagram is still the leading platform among brands, followed by TikTok (45%), Facebook (43%), YouTube (36%), LinkedIn (16%), and Twitter (15%).

12. Social media influencer statistics from 2020 imply that 55% of influencers on Instagram were engaged in fraud.

(PR Week)

What’s even more disturbing was the fact that 45% of Instagram accounts in 2020 were fake. Additionally, 66% of celebrity accounts (with over 1 million followers) were involved in fraudulent activity.

The most used tactics for fraud were paying for likes, followers, and comments from click farms, in addition to buying story views.

13. Influencer marketing facts reveal there are five main types of influencers.

(Simplilearn)

The five types include:

  • Mega-influencers (over 1 million followers, mostly celebrities)
  • Macro-influencers (500,000–1 million followers)
  • Mid-tier influencers (50,000–500,000 followers)
  • Micro-influencers (10,000–50,000 followers)
  • Nano-influencers (1,000–10,000 followers)

14. Micro-influencers on Instagram have higher engagement rates than mega-influencers — 3.86% vs. 1.21% on average.

(InfluencerMarketingHub)

Influencer marketing statistics show that micro-influencers who use YouTube also have higher rates than mega-influencers — 1.64% vs. 0.37%.

However, the highest difference in engagement rates can be seen on TikTok, where micro-influencers have a rate of almost 18%. At the same time, mega-influencers on TikTok have engagement rates of less than 5%.

15. The more followers an Instagram influencer has, the less engagement they have.

(Later)

When it comes to engagement rates for influencer marketing, nano-influencers (1,000–10,000 followers) have higher rates (4%) than influencers with 10,000–100,000 followers (2%).

Likewise, macro-influencers (500,000–1 million followers) have engagement rates three times lower than nano-influencers, i.e., 1.3%.

16. Nano-influencers earn an average of $10–$100 per Instagram post.

(InfluencerMarketingHub)

The amount of money that influencers earn per post will depend on the influencer and social media platform.

For example, nano-influencers earn an average of $10–$100 per Instagram post, $20–$200 per YouTube video, $5–$25 per TikTok post, $2–$20 per Twitter post, and $25–$250 per Facebook post.

Influencer Marketing Effectiveness

How effective is influencer marketing?

17. 31% of people recommend influencers to their friends once a week.

(Rakuten Marketing)

At the same time, 29% do it each month. Interestingly, men are 6% more likely to recommend influencers to their friends than women (35% vs. 29%).

(Rakuten Marketing)

In addition, statistics on influencer marketing effectiveness showed that 88% of surveyed customers were inspired to buy something they saw on an influencer’s profile. They also weren’t afraid to go deep into their wallet.

Namely, 74% of them reported spending anywhere between $1 to $629 on said products, whereas nearly half (42%) said they spent less than $100.

19. Women make up 84% of influencers creating sponsored posts on Instagram.

(Statista) (Statista)

The majority of Instagram social influencers who create ads are female. What’s more, 31% of all social media influencers creating such posts are between the ages of 18 and 24.

20. 94% of marketing experts find influencer marketing helps increase revenue.

(State of Influencer)

When social media like TikTok can make products sell out in mere seconds, then it’s no wonder companies are looking for more ways to increase influencer sales.

This is mainly done through educational and inspirational content, which includes storytelling and social initiatives to effectively “break the ice.” Educational and inspirational content is one of the best ways to influence consumer shopping habits.

B2B Influencer Marketing Statistics

How often do B2B marketers collaborate with influencers, and why?

21. 84% of B2B marketers collaborate with influencers to establish brand awareness.

(Top Rank Marketing)

Not only did 64% of B2B marketers manage to increase their brand’s credibility by working with influencers, but 34% also managed to increase their sales due to the mentioned collaboration.

22. 35% of B2B marketers use influencers as brand consultants.

(Top Rank Marketing)

Moreover, influencer marketing statistics reveal that 87% of B2B marketers work with influencers on content, 82% use influencers to promote their brand content, and 58% of B2B marketers use influencers as brand ambassadors.

23. 74% of B2B marketers believe that influencers can help them create a better customer experience.

(Top Rank Marketing)

Even if brands have enough resources to create engaging videos and graphics for their customers, they still need someone to provide authenticity and credibility, and that’s where influencers come in.

Why? Because influencers’ contribution to the brand or product will provide a better customer experience.

24. Media influence statistics report that 90% of B2B marketers combine social and influencer marketing.

(Top Rank Marketing)

B2B marketers often combine influencer marketing with content marketing (83%), blog posts (83%), public relations (56%), and SEO (50%). In a similar manner, influencers help marketers to create recorded and live videos (67% and 48%, respectively), webinars (64%), and podcasts (48%).

Gen Y and Gen Z Influencer Marketing Statistics

How do millennials and Zoomers feel about influencers?

25. 72% of millennials and Gen Z follow influencers on social media.

(Morning Consult)

Regarding gender, most men follow influencers that post information about gaming (62%), fitness/sports (41%), food (35%), and travel/lifestyle (27%). In contrast, most women follow influencers that deal with beauty/skin care (59%), fashion (49%), food (47%), and travel/lifestyle (40%).

26. Millennials trust influencers more than they trust celebrities and spokespeople.

(Morning Consult)

According to influencer marketing statistics from 2019, only 38% of millennials trust celebrities when it comes to product recommendations, whereas 50% put their trust in influencers.

27. 53% of Gen Z men and 41% of Gen Y follow influencers on YouTube.

(Morning Consult)

When it comes to gender, men are, in general, bigger fans of YouTube influencers. In contrast, Gen Z and millennial women prefer to use Instagram to follow influencers, 43%, and 40%, respectively.

28. As per influencer marketing stats, 44% of Gen Zers make a purchasing decision based on a social influencer’s recommendation. 

(Mobile Marketer)

Generation Z uses a broad range of social platforms, with 39% of them having four or more social media accounts compared to the rest of the population with only 15%.

Additionally, 70% of Zoomers follow at least one influencer on YouTube and Instagram. Likewise, the most used social apps for this age group are:

  • Facebook (62%)
  • Instagram (55%) 
  • YouTube (54%)
  • Snapchat (52%).

Interesting Influencer Marketing Statistics

Who is the leading influencer on Instagram and TikTok?

29. Charli D’Amelio is currently the wealthiest TikToker in the world. 

(Work and Money)

Although she posted her first TikTok video just three years ago (in 2019), the teen’s net worth is currently estimated at $8 million.

Today, Charli D’Amelio has 110.6 million followers on TikTok, 29.1 million followers on Instagram, 9.35 million subscribers on YouTube, and 5.3 million followers on Twitter.

30. Kairos Media is one of the leading influencer marketing agencies in the UK.

(InfluencerMarketingHub)

According to influencer marketing statistics for the UK, Kairos Media is an award-winning agency that prides itself on being fully driven by data.

The company offers five different services — namely, creative reviews, KPI alignment, strategy selection, campaign execution, and reporting.

Other well-known influencer marketing agencies in the UK are: 6Degrees, Disrupt, PMYB, Social Wage, Socially Powerful, Tamba, Urban Nerds Collective, Goat Agency, and Instrumental.

31. In 2021, over 40% of Brasilians bought a product due to influencer advertising.

(Statista)

Influencer statistics for 2021 show that the situation was similar in China, where about 35% of people made their purchasing decisions based on celebrity and influencer marketing. India took third place on the list, followed by Mexico, Italy, and South Korea.

Conversely, Japan had the lowest percentage (less than 10%) of influencer fans, while France, the UK, the US, and Germany had a little more than 10%.

(Statista)

Influencer marketing statistics from 2020 show that the video editing magician, Zach King, had the highest engagement rate on TikTok — 22.6%. Likewise, he has the most viewed video on TikTok (Harry Potter illusion video).

Brent Rivera took second place with an engagement rate of 20.9%.

33. Kylie Cosmetics is currently the leading beauty brand on Instagram.

(Statista) (Statista)

Kylie Cosmetics has the highest number of followers. As of June 2021, 25.37 million people are following this beauty brand. With 20.1 million followers, Anastasia Beverly Hills takes second place.

Regarding the leading beauty and fashion influencers, the Kardashian-Jenner family takes the crown with the highest number of followers.

FAQs

What is influencer marketing?

Influencer marketing is a combination of traditional and modern marketing approaches. It’s the concept of celebrity endorsement tailored to fit current content-based marketing.

Influencers don’t necessarily need to be celebrities. Anyone with many followers on social media can become an influencer, regardless of the industry.

That said, the only real distinction between celebrity endorsement and digital marketing influencers is that, in the case of the latter, the brand and the influencer collaborate more closely.

Namely, brands work with online influencers to promote their products or services. However, sometimes the results are less tangible — as is the case with brand awareness, authority, and credibility. Brands also use influencers to establish or enhance thought leadership.

How much does influencer marketing cost?

Influencers’ costs will depend on various factors: the social network they use, the engagement, the number of posts, the placement of the ads, and whether they’re going for a direct partnership or doing it via an agency.

For example, nano-influencers (1,000–10,000 followers) earn $10–$100 per Instagram post, whereas mega-influencers (over 1 million followers) can get more than 10,000 per post.

What are the benefits of influencer marketing?

Influencer marketing can benefit brands in many ways — from helping them enhance their awareness to expanding their reach to a larger audience.

Since many consumers value credibility and authenticity, brands often use influencers who already have many followers to promote their products.

Not to mention that influencer marketing is much cheaper than the traditional one. Furthermore, influencers have a flat fee, and they can be compensated with free products, discounts, etc.

How much has influencer marketing increased?

Influence marketing witnessed massive growth, from $1.7 billion in 2016 to $9.7 billion in 2020. Given that 90% of marketers believe it to be very effective, the influencer marketing industry was expected to be worth $13.8 billion in 2021.

On top of that, in Q3 and Q4 of 2020, the number of influencer marketing campaigns increased considerably (compared to the same period in 2019), reaching 2,163 and 2,901, respectively.

How big is the influencer marketing industry?

As mentioned above, in 2021, the influencer marketing industry should have reached $13.8 billion, and by 2022, it’s expected to be worth $15 billion. So what are the main reasons behind this growth?

First of all, influencers and brands are starting to concentrate more on long-term projects rather than one-time sponsored posts. Secondly, there is an increase in performance-based influencer marketing.

Next, influencers will become more specialized in their niche or industry, making them more valuable. And lastly, there will be an increase in influencer collaboration.

Bottom Line  

Brands that know how to leverage the growing online activity and find relevant influencers will certainly remain on top. And as the influencer industry keeps expanding, savvy marketers will turn toward micro-influencers for more honest and genuine customer communication.

Also, seeing how customers today are increasingly internet-savvy, it isn’t surprising that they trust influencers and positive reviews more than paid reviews and other marketing efforts.

Hopefully, these influencer marketing statistics helped you to determine whether influencer marketing is profitable for your brand or not.

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An industry-agnostic, T-shaped marketer. B2B demand generation manager. Writer. Copywriter. Conversion rate optimization consultant. Biohacking fanatic. Athlete. Erudite. Sci-fi and fantasy lover. Ex police officer student who pivoted into digital marketing. Fancies himself as a modern knight.

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