Influencer marketing continues to rise. According to a Statista survey, the global creator market is expected to generate $33 billion in 2025, an amount that is nearly three times the value recorded in 2020 — when the segment was around $9.7 billion. The research shows that, more than a passing trend, influencers have established themselves as key players in advertising strategies, occupying an increasingly larger space in brand budgets.
The explosion of the sector is a direct reflection of digital transformation in consumer habits. Today, short videos, honest reviews, and emotional closeness with creators have more persuasive power than traditional ads. The pandemic accelerated this change, and since then, the sector has not stopped growing.
Viral Nation's talent director and influencer marketing market specialist for over ten years, Fabio Gonçalves explains that this expansion is driven by a combination of factors: "The internet has decentralized communication. People trust those they follow more than institutional advertising. This makes influencers play an increasingly important role, not only as promoters but as brand builders, culture creators, and behavior shapers."
According to the executive, the financial boom also brought new challenges: "The more money circulates, the greater the responsibility of everyone involved. Brands want returns, and therefore, the level of demand has increased. The influencer needs to go beyond charisma and deliver data, strategy, consistency, and professionalism. And this is only possible with structure and responsibility. The audience is increasingly demanding and can tell when a particular sponsored post is being done solely for money."
Fabio also emphasizes that this movement is shaping a new generation of creators, better prepared to face work with a long-term vision: "Those who treat content as a business tend to stand out. It's necessary to have clarity about positioning, audience, differentiators, branding, and reputation. the sector's growth is real, but the maturity of the influencer needs to keep up with this pace."
To address this new scenario, the role of agencies has become even more strategic. At Viral Nation, our work goes far beyond closing sponsorships. We help creators scale their digital presence based on data, purpose, and positioning. We work on personal brand development, relationships with large companies, and even financial education. We believe that the future will be dominated by influencers who have structure, strategy, and responsibility — and that is what we are focused on to ensure they are prepared for this new era of influencer marketing.
METHODOLOGY
The study was conducted by Statista, one of the leading global market data platforms. The survey tracks the annual growth of the value transacted by the influence marketing industry on a global scale since 2016. The projections for the coming years are based on trends in advertising investments, growth of social platforms, and transaction volume in the sector. The full research is available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1092819/global-influencer-market-size
