Instagram continues to be platform of choice for APAC influencers

Source: Emplifi’s Asia Pacific: State of Influencer Marketing Report

Key findings: 

• Instagram has long been the leading platform for influencer marketing, with 90% of influencers active on the social network. However, TikTok is making its mark, with 66% of influencers active on the app, and is projected to become a strong contender for influencer marketing campaigns. Only 4% of the influencers look to Twitter or Pinterest as a platform for potential brand partnerships. 
• 6% of influencer content is sponsored, peaking in the months leading up to festive holidays. There has been a slight decrease in sponsored content year-over-year which is likely the result of marketing budget cuts.  
• Comparing influencers of different audience sizes, the larger the influencer, the less frequently they share sponsored content on Instagram. On average, XS influencers (10,000 followers or less) post 80% more sponsored content than L influencers (100,000 - 1 million followers) or XL influencers (1 million followers or more) on Instagram. 
• XL influencers (1 million followers or more) and L influencers (100,000 - 1 million followers) post most frequently on Instagram in Asia. Though larger influencers post a higher volume of content, brands shouldn’t shy away from influencers with a small base of followers as they have the potential to help stretch a brand’s campaign budget even further. 

Methodology: Emplifi surveyed 16.5% of the 1,000 influencers in the Pixlee TurnTo creator network who were invited to participate in multiple-choice surveys with a variety of questions regarding their social media habits, brand partnership preferences, and overall influencer experience. Data in this report around social media platform usage, influencers’ preferred payment types, and top factors when selecting brand partnerships reflects answers from the 165 influencers who participated.

Emplifi focused on Instagram influencer profiles who have more than 1000 followers and at least one sponsored post during the given time period. Influencer profiles were classified into five size buckets based on their follower count: XS, S, M, L, and XL. The classification criteria are as follows: XS: < 10k followers, S: < 50k followers, M : < 100k followers, L : < 1M followers and XL: > 1M followers. 

Other findings: 

• TikTok and Instagram Reels have emerged as highly sought-after platforms for a diverse range of demographics seeking entertainment, education, and brand discovery.  
• L (100,000 - 1 million followers) and XL (1 million followers or more) influencers favour video on Instagram, sharing, on average, 31% more video content compared to XS (10,000 followers or less) and S (10,000 to 50,000 followers) influencers.  
• This trend could be attributed to resource availability, as video content creation typically demands more resources. The widespread demand for short-form video content from users has led brands to increase the number of Instagram Reels, and a subsequent boost in sponsored posts from influencers via Reels. 
• Some industries are more likely to benefit from an influencer marketing strategy than others. For example, alcohol brands in Asia have the potential to gain 25-times their current reach by partnering with an influencer.  
• Data reveals that collaborating with influencers can significantly boost the effectiveness of campaigns, as influencers achieve approximately 4.8-times more audience engagement (likes, comments, shares, etc.) on their average posts compared to those of alcohol brands. 
• Close behind accommodation, Asian healthcare brands, including those specialising in medical products like eyewear, medtech, and medication, could potentially increase their current reach by 20-times through influencer collaborations and 3.4-times the engagement compared to non-influencer campaigns. 
• While it’s still early days for virtual influencers, one Asian personality attracting a large followership is Thalasya Pov (@thalasya_) from Indonesia.  
• Virtual influencers appeal to brands for a variety of reasons, from connecting with the modern consumer to being a cost-effective strategy that provides more flexibility than investing in real-life influencers and creators.