Influencer marketing continues to grow in popularity, with 59% of marketers reporting they plan to partner with more influencers this 12 months in comparison with 2024. Only 37% plan on partnering with the same number, in response to data from Sprout Social. While marketers are increasing their investments in influencer marketing, rapid changes in the social media landscape raise questions on effective strategies for implementation.
“The marketplace for influencers continues to grow and we don’t see that slowing down. Consumers will follow influencers to recent platforms as they’ve change into trusted sources of inspiration and entertainment,” said Layla Revis, vp of social, content and brand marketing at Sprout Social.
Sprout’s “Q1 2025 Pulse Survey” included 650 marketers from the U.S., UK and Australia. All respondents had duties related to social media management and influencer marketing. The online survey was conducted by Glimpse between Jan. 9 and Jan. 27, 2025.
The more the merrier?
Seventy-seven percent of brands partner with 1-10 influencers at any time. B2C brands tend to interact in a better volume of influencer partnerships in comparison with the average, with 52% of consumer-facing brands partnering with 6-10 influencers while 23% partner with 11-19 influencers.
The reasons for investing in influencer marketing are varied, in response to the survey. For 66% of brands, the investment is supposed to extend brand awareness. Over half of survey respondents said influencer marketing increases audience engagement (59%) and increases credibility, trust and revenue growth (55%). Under half said the goal is to enhance customer loyalty and retention (45%) and product development and co-creation (33%).
“The reality is that traditional types of digital promoting are losing their edge. Shifts from traditional search engine marketing have been impacted by recent [artificial intelligence] search trends, paid media is more costly and, oftentimes, delivers less impact, and types are turning to influencer marketing not only instead tactic but as a strong strategy,” said Revis.
Platforms, diversified
Between the possibility of a TikTok ban and controversial changes equivalent to Meta’s decision to do away with fact checking in favor of community notes, consumers wish to explore recent social media platforms. If marketers need to sustain, they need to grasp what consumers search for in each platform, including Twitter look-alike Bluesky and X (formerly often called Twitter).
“As we face a possible TikTok ban in the U.S., influencers should make clear with audiences where they plan to migrate to, while brands should actively support them,” Revis said. “It’s more essential than ever to partner closely with influencers, each to safeguard revenue and stay aligned with evolving consumer platform preferences.”
Regarding Bluesky, 52% of brands are already posting there, in response to the survey. Of the brands who are usually not on the platform, 30% plan on constructing a presence, 6% have claimed a profile and only 8% don’t plan on using it in any respect. The platform has already gained significant traction in Australia, with 73% of marketers from the country saying their brands post on Bluesky.
Meta-owned Threads has also made significant efforts to determine itself as a Twitter alternative. Fifty-seven percent of marketers say their brands are already posting on the platform and 23% plan on constructing a presence. While 6% of brands have claimed an account, an extra 9% don’t have any plans to make use of the platform.
“As consumers search for alternatives to traditional platforms, brands should establish an early presence to realize organic reach before these platforms change into more saturated,” said Revis.
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