Mumbai: In 2024, Indians spent nearly 50% of their mobile screen time browsing social media. While celebrities from the worlds of entertainment and sports continue to dominate the space, marketers are now adopting a balanced approach—leveraging a mix of mega/macro and micro/nano influencers to drive awareness, build loyalty, and increase engagement.
According to the India Influencer Marketing Report 2025 by WPP Media’s The Goat Agency in collaboration with Kantar, 92% of Indian brands are pushing the boundaries of influencer marketing investments, recognising it as an increasingly integral—and often the most important—element of their marketing strategies.
Platform Innovations
Meta and YouTube, with their massive user bases in India, have emerged as the central pillars of the influencer marketing ecosystem. The report notes that 65% of Facebook followers, 61% of Instagram followers, and 54% of YouTube subscribers actively follow influencers on these platforms.
To stay ahead, these platforms are continually rolling out innovations to boost user engagement, create monetisation avenues, and enhance the overall experience. Instagram now allows creators to offer exclusive content through Subscriptions, while its Shopping feature, already popular in global markets, is gaining traction in India. Partnership Content enables creators and brands to amplify sponsored content through ads.
On YouTube, monetisation tools such as Super Thanks, Channel Memberships, Super Chats, and Super Stickers offer creators multiple revenue streams. In a recent move, YouTube enabled creators in India with over 10,000 subscribers to showcase products from e-commerce platforms like Flipkart and Myntra directly within their videos—earning commissions through affiliate sales. This integration not only diversifies creators’ income but also offers audiences a seamless path to product recommendations.
Shifting Categories of Influence
While fashion (23%), sports (22%), and food (20%) remain the top influencer categories, niche segments such as gaming, sustainability, and financial education are witnessing rapid growth. The report highlights that 51% of marketers plan to invest in niche micro-influencers in 2025, reflecting a strategic shift toward more targeted communities.
The Rise of Macro Influencers
Despite the surge in demand for niche influencers, macro influencers continue to gain momentum, particularly among automobile, electronics, and smartphone brands. The report states that 95% of brands exclusively collaborate with macro influencers across platforms—highlighting their importance in sectors where wide reach and scale are key.
Mergers, Funding, and Startup Momentum
The influencer marketing space is also experiencing consolidation and innovation. In 2024 alone, more than 20 mergers and acquisitions were recorded in the Indian media and marketing landscape, with both traditional and digital-first agencies ramping up their influencer capabilities.
Investor interest in influencer marketing startups has surged, particularly for platforms offering campaign management, analytics, and ROI tracking. Several startups secured multi-million-dollar seed and Series A funding rounds last year. Adding further momentum, the Indian government announced a $1 billion fund to support content creators—aimed at boosting innovation, production quality, and global reach.
Evolving Industry Dynamics
Influencer-brand relationships are maturing. More marketers are now opting for long-term partnerships rather than one-off campaigns, leading to more authentic and sustained consumer engagement.
Emphasis on Transparency and Compliance
The growth of influencer marketing has also brought stricter regulations. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs has issued comprehensive guidelines for celebrities, influencers, and even virtual influencers on social media platforms. These rules mandate clear disclosures, due diligence, and appropriate warnings or disclaimers, ensuring that content is transparent, trustworthy, and consumer-friendly.
