Influencer marketing statistics for Australia 2025

Influencer marketing will be pivotal in most brands’ marketing tactics in 2025. Recent research reveals a remarkable increase in Australian influencers, prompting digital marketers and brands to pour significant resources into this approach.

This strategy reaps rewards with higher conversions, engagement rates and connectivity, while raising brand awareness and allowing tailored strategies to forge stronger consumer connections.

In this article, we’ll dive into some important statistics covering growth stats, return on influencer investments and consumer trust. You’ll also find the latest growth rate trends and preferred platforms‌.

Statistics on the growth of influencer marketing in Australia

Influencer marketing is booming in Australia, and the future looks bright:

• A quarter of Australians aged between 18–44 consider themselves influencers. While 55% of adults aged between 18–60 say they’d be willing to give up their careers to become an influencer, according to the Influencer Aspirations report.
• Influencer marketing will likely be worth over US $800 million (AUD$1257m) by 2028, with an 11% year-on-year growth rate. Influencer recommendations and word-of-mouth marketing are factors fueling this growth.
• Forty-six percent of Australians have purchased an item after seeing an influencer promote it. For example, Chef Adam Liaw often showcases products on his Instagram, including the Samsung Smart Fridge and Noritake kitchenware.

• According to Hoozu’s Trust in Influencer Marketing report, consumers trust influencers over celebrities, with 59% saying they trust influencers’ sponsored posts.
• Fifty-two percent of Australians aged between 18 and 29 are likelier to purchase a product promoted by an influencer. An example is influencer Michaela Ludlow, who works with Olay.

• The Australian market provides fertile ground for influencer campaigns, with high internet and social media usage. As of January 2024, Australia has 25 million internet users and 20 million social media users. Statista also predicts a fresh peak in Australian social media users by 2029, increasing users to 26 million.
• Ad spending in the Australian influencer advertising market is likely to reach US $589 million (AUS $929 million) in 2025.
• Statista predicts the average ad spend per internet user in the Australian influencer advertising market will be US $22 (AU $35).

The takeaway: Influencer marketing in Australia shows rapid growth and a desire for authenticity, high social media engagement and consumer trust. As social media usage continues to rise, influencer marketing will be a key tool for brands to fuel confidence and engagement. Brands should use this shift to review how they connect with their customers and adapt their strategies accordingly.

Statistics on the platforms Australians prefer for influencer marketing

Australian influencers are finding their preferred platforms, and women are leading the way in the influencer field. Here are some stats around favourite platforms and demographics.

• Australian Android users spend 38 hours and 51 minutes per month on TikTok, according to We Are Social’s Digital 2025 report.
• Nano-influencers (1k-10k followers) make up 78% of Instagram users in Australia and have the highest engagement rates (12.6%) among all tiers. These higher engagement rates are likely due to their niche audiences, authenticity and relatability.
• Fifty-five percent of TikTok influencers in Australia are nano-influencers. Despite their smaller audiences, they have higher engagement rates and a deeper connection with their audience.
• Instagram Influencer Marketing is enormous. Some 78% of Australian marketers chose Instagram posts as the most effective for influencer marketing. Instagram Stories were the runner-up, followed by YouTube videos (56%) and Instagram videos (54%).
• The 2025 Sprout Social Index™ Australia found that 24% of users intend to increase their social media use in 2025.
• Ninety-four percent of Australian social media users agree most brands’ content does a good job of keeping up with online culture. That’s according to Australians interviewed for The 2025 Sprout Social Index. Some 93% also said they feel it’s important that brands keep pace with online culture.
• Eighty-nine percent of marketers feel their TikTok influencer ROI is comparable to or better than other marketing channels.
• Thirty percent of Instagram Australian influencers are females aged 18-24 years old. The most popular category for Australian influencers is lifestyle (16.4%).

The takeaway: Instagram and TikTok marketing are most popular among influencers, and brands recognise its effectiveness. As the stats show, eighty-nine percent of marketers report a robust ROI from TikTok marketing, reinforcing the network’s growing impact. By doubling down on influencer marketing on the right networks, brands can connect more directly with their audience, while increasing brand awareness.

Statistics on consumer trust in influencers in Australia

Consumer trust is crucial; buyers are confident in accepting influencers’ recommendations. But they also want authenticity.

• Authenticity in influencer marketing is the key to building trust between an audience and influencers. About 62% of consumers who regularly buy from influencers are also more likely to give the influencer product feedback.
• Forty-four percent of Australian consumers say transparency is crucial to trusting product recommendations from influencers. If an influencer works with a brand when endorsing a product, consumers expect the influencer to be clear about this.
• Followers prefer influencers to show how a product works, rather than simply endorsing it. For example, Australian chef Michael Finch shares cooking tutorials with his followers:

• Thirty-six percent of consumers trust an influencer if they’ve provided solid recommendations in the past. Australian fashion influencer Maxine Wylde, for example has over 450,000 Instagram followers and often gives shout-outs to top brands like Dulux.

• Nano influencers account for over 53% of brand collaborations. Although they have smaller audiences, they’re considered more authentic, and followers are more likely to trust and engage with them.

The takeaway: Consumer trust and transparency are two main pillars of influencer marketing that help foster credibility. This is especially true for nano influencers, which may explain why they top the board for brand collaborations. The stats show us that brands wanting to build and maintain loyalty and trust should prioritize nurturing authentic partnerships with nano influencers.

Statistics on influencer selection and return on influence (ROI) in Australia

Influencer marketing delivers a healthy ROI and compares favourably to more traditional types of advertising. Marketers and brands can also get more bang for their buck with careful influencer selection and working with various influencers. Let’s look at the top stats.

• Typical costs for a nano-influencer are US $2.50 – $250 (AU $3.03 – $393.09 per post). Micro-influencers charge anything from US $25 – $1,250 (AU $39.31 – $1965.46).
• Fifty-one percent of 18-29-year-olds research on TikTok before buying, while 38% of 30-44-year-olds prefer Facebook.
• In The State of the Influencer in 2024 report, 92% of brands surveyed said measuring influencer performance is essential for understanding ROI. The same report also found:
  • One in three brands say influencers drive engagement. This is due to their ability to reach niche audiences, build credibility, create dynamic content and develop social proof.
  • Seventy-eight percent of brands say the most significant benefit of working with influencers is landing key messaging.
  • Twenty-seven percent of brands interviewed said influencers help most with reach.
• By 2029, social commerce in Australia is likely to reach US $3 billion (AU ($4.6 billion). This is up from $1.63 billion (AU $251 billion) in 2023. This increase in social commerce will fuel the need for influencers.
• To succeed online, brands need to know what their audiences’ preferred networks. Research shows 88% of Australians prefer Facebook. YouTube is the second favourite, followed by Instagram and TikTok.
• The State of the Influencer in 2024 report shows 81% of brands have worked with influencers. One in five say they’ve worked on more than 20 influencer marketing campaigns. The same report found:
  • Eighty-six percent of brands surveyed say video resonates better with audiences when compared to more static formats. By combining influencer marketing with more traditional types, marketers have a more complete strategy.
  • Ninety percent of marketers say sponsored influencer content performs better in engagement, according to the Q1 2025 Sprout Social Pulse Survey.
• The Q1 2025 Sprout Pulse Survey also found that 83% of marketers say sponsored influencer content delivers more conversions compared to organic posts from brand accounts.
• Music and beauty are two of the most popular categories for influencers in Australia, with 8% of influencers focusing on the music niche and 5% on the beauty category.

The takeaway: Influencer marketing makes a sound investment alongside traditional marketing. Social commerce is on track to nearly double by 2029, meaning influencer marketing will become even more valuable. Measuring influencer marketing campaign performance is crucial if brands are to realize their true influencer ROI. Specifically, brands should focus on engagement and click-through rates, follower growth, CPA, conversions and lead generation.

Statistics on influencer marketing trends in Australia

Finally, let’s look at some of the latest influencer trends emerging in Australia.

• Past research showed that up to 81% of 118 high-profile Australian influencers may have broken advertising rules. Others failed to note that their content was an advertisement. As the sector grows, influencers will face more scrutiny, leading to a greater need to ensure legal compliance when your brand explores partnerships.
• A mainstay trend is the shift towards authenticity, which we talked about earlier. Authenticity creates more effective campaigns and greater engagement. To achieve this, brands should partner with content creators who share their values.
• Micro-influencer marketing is an emerging Australian trend. Brands are turning to micro-influencers, because although their audiences are comparatively small (10,000 – 100,000 followers), they’re highly influential. This is because they engage more and can share “real” content that connects with audiences.
• Social commerce is becoming a firm part of major social marketing platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat. By 2030, it’s on course to achieve over US $10 million (AU $15) million in revenues. Between 2024 and 2030, it’s forecast that social commerce will show a compound annual growth rate of 21.4%.
• Other emerging trends include using emerging platforms, creating and publishing relatable content, social commerce and considering new hybrid payment models.

The takeaway: Australia’s influencer marketing landscape is evolving with social commerce, hybrid payment models and microinfluencers being core trends. Microinfluencers are the main winners here, as their smaller audiences mean deeper engagement and connections. By working with microinfluencers and aligning campaigns with emerging trends, brands can get themselves in front of their ideal audience and maximize revenue.

What regulations are in place for influencer marketing in Australia?

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) ensures businesses comply with fair trading practices. Also, the Audited Media Association of Australia (AMAA) has established an influencer marketing council (AiMCO) to develop a code of practice and ethics for influencers. The code also covers influencer vetting, brand safety and contractural considerations such as content and intellectual property rights. Sociallawco.com.au has a detailed breakdown of what this means for businesses.

As for influencers, one of the most essential best practices is disclosure. The guidelines from AiMCO are pretty simple: Influencers need to label their posts as an ad if they’re:

• Getting paid for promoting a product/brand/service.
• Including a discount code or hyperlink as part of an affiliate programme and earn a commission.
• Receiving a free holiday, product or other benefit.

Posts must also be labeled as adverts with hashtags, such as #Ad, #PaidPromotion, #PaidPartnership and #Promotion.

Other potential problems for influencers include copyright issues, misleading or uniformed statements, compliance with security laws and defamation risks.

Navigating the Australian influencer landscape in 2025

Influencer marketing in Australia is experiencing a considerable surge, and this trend shows no signs of stopping. The above statistics serve as a helpful guide, highlighting the potential of influencer marketing, preferred platforms and the importance of authenticity.

Finding and building relationships and understanding ROI when working with influencers can seem overwhelming. But it doesn’t need to be. Check out the Sprout Social Influencer Marketing platform to run campaigns with ease.