Influencer marketing continues to be a powerful force in building brands and shows no signs of slowing down. A new report by Collabstr found the influencer economy is projected to hit $22.2 billion this year.

Influencers have become a key component of nearly every marketing strategy, with brands using carefully curated pairings to build visibility, reenforce their brand message, drive online sales, and garner content often at a more efficient cost than traditional methods.

What’s the latest with this powerhouse marketing tactic? Here are some top insights shaping the state of influencer marketing today.

The Rise of Small (But Mighty) Influencers

Influencers generally fall into four buckets: Mega, Macro, Micro and Nano, based on the size of the influencer’s following. Mega-influencers (think Kim Kardashian) attract millions of followers, while nano-influencers have just a few thousand but often boast highly engaged communities.

In the early days of influencer marketing, the thought was: the bigger the better. Doesn’t it make sense to get in front of millions of eyes, rather than just a few thousand? As it turns out, no. As consumers have become savvier about this form of marketing, marketers have learned that more isn’t, well, more. What’s clear is that engagement, audience, brand fit and authenticity are more important than just eyeballs. In fact, 61% of brands work with nano or micro influencers according to Aspire’s State of Influencer Marketing 2025 report.

Why? Nano- and micro-influencers (those with under 60,000 followers) consistently generate stronger engagement than their larger counterparts. Their close-knit communities drive higher trust, making them ideal partners for authentic brand messaging.

Instagram and TikTok Still Reign

Instagram remains the most popular platform for influencer campaigns (42% of collaborations), but TikTok is a close second with 41% of collaborations. YouTube, with its e-commerce integration, is also creating new opportunities for influencer-led sales. That same report by Aspire found a surprising 73% engagement rate for YouTube’s longer-form videos.

Agility is Essential

With rapid changes to platform policies, audience behaviors, and even the future of platforms like TikTok in the U.S., marketers need to be agile. Those brands that thrive are those that test, adapt, and diversify across multiple platforms rather than putting all their content eggs in one algorithmic basket.

Authenticity Wins the Day

Today’s audiences connect to lo-fi, relatable content over highly polished, corporate-style posts. Brands that empower creators to promote in their own authentic voice will see better engagement, build genuine connections and grow trust with their audience.

The Rise of Affiliate Marketing

Brands are increasingly shifting toward performance-based influencer partnerships, where creators earn commissions based on sales or leads. This model aligns incentives and often produces stronger engagement and conversions. It’s also attractive to influencers looking to build longer-term brand relationships.

Budgeting for Influencers in 2025

Influencer rates are on the rise, and so are brand budgets. While 71% of marketers report increasing their influencer spend, the investment levels differ significantly. Some brands are going all-in with multi-influencer paid campaigns. However, many influencers remain open to product-based collaborations or hybrid models that include both payment and value-add incentives, especially if they have a strong personal affinity for a brand. That said, not all is equal in the influencer economy: while the majority of influencers are women, male influencers tend to get paid 40% more. Et tu, influencer marketplace?

Why Brands are Betting on Ambassadors

One-off posts are fading. Instead, brands are investing in ambassador programs—long-term partnerships with creators that foster trust, consistency, and deeper audience relationships. These partnerships generate a higher return on investment and also reinforce brand credibility over time.

Final Word: It All Starts With the Right Match

Influencer marketing remains an evolving, sophisticated and powerful tool for brands to reach target audiences. By focusing on authentic pairings with influencers who radiate your values, this tactic can take your brand to new levels of engagement.

The most crucial element of influencer marketing for brands? Choosing the right partner. The wrong pairing can be a disaster (think Bud Light and Dylan Mulvaney). So how do you find a person who best aligns with your brand, your values and your goals, whose audience is a good fit? At Wilks Group, we help brands navigate this complex space. From strategy and vetting to relationship management and performance tracking, we have a solid record of ensuring every influencer partnership is a perfect fit for the brands we represent.

Interested in learning more? Contact us at Wilks Group. We’d love to chat about how an influencer program can fit into your overall marketing strategy.