Comprehensive data compiled from extensive research on creator motivations, brand collaboration trends, and influencer marketing performance metrics
Key Takeaways
- Brand partnerships dominate creator income: 70% of creator revenue comes from brand collaborations, making these relationships the economic foundation of the $32.55 billion influencer marketing industry—yet 48% of marketers still struggle to identify and connect with the right creators.
- Smaller creators are the clear preference: 73% of brands now favor micro and mid-tier creators over celebrity influencers, with 44% specifically seeking nano-influencers (1,000-10,000 followers) who deliver higher engagement rates and more authentic connections.
- Long-term partnerships outperform one-off campaigns: 49% of creators say long-term campaigns are their favorite way to work with brands, while 63.2% of brands repeatedly work with the same influencers—signaling that relationship-building beats transactional approaches.
- Gifted collaborations drive stronger engagement: Gifted partnerships deliver 2.19% engagement rates, 12.9% higher than paid collaborations at 1.94%, explaining why 83% of influencers willingly work with brands for free products when they genuinely love the brand.
- CPM costs are dropping dramatically: Average influencer marketing CPM dropped 53% year-over-year, making creator partnerships increasingly cost-effective while affiliate revenue grew 71% for creators on leading platforms.
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Market Size and Creator Economics
1. The influencer marketing industry reached $32.55 billion in 2025
The creator economy continues its rapid expansion, reaching $32.55 billion in 2025 with a 33.11% compound annual growth rate since 2014. This growth trajectory positions the industry to approach $480 billion by 2027, making creator partnerships an increasingly essential component of modern marketing strategies. Brands investing in social listening and creator discovery tools position themselves to capture value in this expanding market. Source: Influencer Marketing Hub Benchmark Report
2. Brand partnerships account for 70% of creator income globally
Creator revenue streams depend heavily on brand collaborations, with 70% of creator income coming from brand partnerships according to Goldman Sachs research. This economic reality shapes creator motivations and explains why authentic brand alignment matters—creators protect their primary income source by partnering selectively with brands their audiences will respond to positively. Source: Goldman Sachs The Creator Economy
3. 63.8% of brands confirm plans to partner with influencers in 2025
Despite economic uncertainty, nearly two-thirds of brands plan to maintain or expand their influencer marketing investments in 2025. This commitment reflects consistent ROI evidence and the growing recognition that creator content outperforms traditional brand-created content in driving engagement and conversions. Source: Influencer Marketing Hub Benchmark Report
Creator Tier Preferences
4. 73% of brands prefer micro and mid-tier creator partnerships over celebrities
The shift away from celebrity influencers continues accelerating, with 73% of brands now preferring micro and mid-tier creators for their partnerships. This preference reflects higher engagement rates, greater authenticity perception, and more cost-effective campaign economics compared to mega-influencer collaborations. Platforms like Archive help brands find influencers who match their specific audience and budget requirements. Source: Archive Growth Statistics
5. 44% of brands prefer to work with nano-influencers
Nearly half of all brands specifically target nano-influencers with 1,000 to 10,000 followers for their creator partnerships. These smaller creators deliver higher engagement rates, more authentic audience relationships, and cost-effective collaboration opportunities that scale effectively across product seeding and gifting programs. Source: SociallyIn Influencer Marketing Statistics
6. 25.7% of brands prefer micro-influencers for partnerships
Beyond nano-influencers, an additional 25.7% of brands prefer micro-influencers in the 10,000 to 100,000 follower range. Combined with nano-influencer preference data, this means roughly 70% of brands target creators with fewer than 100,000 followers—a fundamental shift from the celebrity-focused strategies of earlier influencer marketing eras. Source: SociallyIn Influencer Marketing Statistics
7. 75.9% of Instagram influencers are nano-influencers
The Instagram creator ecosystem skews heavily toward smaller creators, with 75.9% of all influencers falling into the nano-influencer category (1,000-10,000 followers). This composition makes effective creator discovery critical—brands need tools that can identify high-performing nano-creators from the massive pool of available partners. Source: Influencer Marketing Hub Benchmark Report
8. 87.68% of TikTok's influencer base consists of nano-influencers
TikTok's creator ecosystem demonstrates even stronger nano-influencer concentration than Instagram, with 87.68% of the platform's influencer base in the smallest tier. This distribution creates opportunities for brands to partner with emerging creators before they grow—and challenges for teams without sophisticated social listening to track mentions across this fragmented creator landscape. Source: Archive Growth Statistics
Partnership Types and Relationship Preferences
9. 49% of creators say long-term campaigns are their favorite way to work with brands
Nearly half of all creators prefer extended partnership relationships over one-off sponsored posts. Long-term campaigns allow creators to authentically integrate brands into their content strategy, build genuine product familiarity, and deliver more convincing endorsements to their audiences. Source: SociallyIn Influencer Marketing Statistics
10. 63.2% of brands work with the same influencers across different campaigns
Brand behavior mirrors creator preferences, with 63.2% of brands repeatedly partnering with proven creators across multiple campaigns. This pattern validates the importance of campaign reporting that identifies top performers worth re-engaging and lookalike creators who share their characteristics. Source: SociallyIn Influencer Marketing Statistics
11. 52% of brands focus on long-term campaigns with influencers
Beyond repeat partnerships, 52% of brands deliberately structure long-term campaign relationships rather than transactional single-post collaborations. This strategic shift reflects recognition that sustained creator relationships deliver compounding returns through authentic endorsement development. Source: SociallyIn Influencer Marketing Statistics
Creator Compensation Preferences
12. 83% of influencers are willing to work with brands for free products if they love the brand
Influencers compensation flexibility surprises many brands: 83% of influencers willingly collaborate for product gifting alone when they genuinely appreciate the brand. This statistic validates gifting program strategies and explains why authentic brand-creator fit often matters more than budget size. Source: Cropink Influencer Marketing Statistics
13. Performance-based compensation emerged as the most frequently used model at 53%
Compensation structures are shifting toward accountability, with 53% of partnerships now using performance-based models. This trend demands robust tracking capabilities to measure creator contribution to conversions, clicks, and revenue outcomes. Source: Archive Growth Statistics
14. 96% of influencers prefer flat-rate payments over performance-based compensation
Despite brand preference for performance models, 96% of creators prefer guaranteed flat-rate payments. This preference gap creates negotiation dynamics that brands must navigate thoughtfully to attract top creator talent while maintaining ROI accountability. Source: SociallyIn Influencer Marketing Statistics
ROI and Performance Metrics
15. Gifted collaborations deliver 2.19% engagement rates, 12.9% higher than paid partnerships
Gifted creator partnerships outperform paid collaborations on engagement metrics, delivering 2.19% engagement rates compared to 1.94% for paid posts. This 12.9% engagement premium validates product seeding strategies and suggests authentic enthusiasm generates stronger audience response than compensated endorsements. Source: Archive Growth Statistics 2025
16. Average influencer marketing CPM dropped 53% year-over-year
Creator partnership costs are becoming more accessible, with average CPM declining 53% year-over-year. This cost reduction expands partnership opportunities for smaller brands and enables larger programs for established players—making efficient campaign reporting essential to capitalize on improved economics. Source: Post Affiliate Pro Influencer Marketing
Creator Discovery Challenges
17. 48% of marketers cite finding ideal influencers as their biggest challenge
Nearly half of all marketers identify creator discovery as their primary obstacle—specifically "identifying, qualifying, and connecting with ideal influencers." This widespread challenge creates competitive advantages for teams using creator search tools that surface relevant partners based on audience fit, content style, and performance history. Source: Archive Growth Statistics
18. 60.4% of brands manage influencer campaigns internally
Most brands handle creator partnerships in-house rather than through agencies, with 60.4% managing campaigns internally. This preference for direct control increases demand for influencer marketing platforms that enable lean teams to execute effective programs without agency overhead. Source: Influencer Marketing Hub Benchmark Report
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of brand partnerships do creators prefer most?
Creators strongly prefer long-term partnerships over one-off collaborations—49% cite extended campaigns as their favorite way to work with brands. Long-term relationships allow creators to authentically integrate products into their content, build genuine familiarity, and deliver more convincing endorsements that resonate with their audiences.
How important is compensation structure to creators in brand collaborations?
Compensation matters, but not always in expected ways. While 96% of creators prefer flat-rate payments over performance-based models, 83% willingly work for free products when they genuinely love the brand. This flexibility means authentic brand-creator fit often outweighs budget size in securing partnerships.
Do creators prefer working directly with brands or through influencer marketing agencies?
Most brand partnerships happen directly rather than through agencies, with 60.4% of brands managing influencer campaigns internally. From the creator perspective, this direct relationship often enables faster communication, clearer creative briefs, and stronger long-term relationship development.
Why are nano-influencers becoming the preferred choice for brand partnerships?
Nano-influencers (1,000-10,000 followers) deliver higher engagement rates, more authentic audience relationships, and cost-effective collaboration economics. With 44% of brands specifically targeting nano-creators and 87.68% of TikTok's creator base falling into this category, smaller creators represent the dominant partnership opportunity in 2025.
How do gifted collaborations compare to paid partnerships in performance?
Gifted collaborations outperform paid partnerships on engagement metrics, delivering 2.19% engagement rates compared to 1.94% for paid posts—a 12.9% premium. This performance gap, combined with 83% influencers willingness to accept product-only compensation, makes gifting programs highly effective when paired with proper tracking to measure post rates and content quality.
