Where to next for influencer marketing?

There’s an industry estimated to be worth $32.55 billion (Influencer Marketing Hub, 2025) this year — and it’s not going anywhere soon.

Once seen as merely a hobby, influencer marketing has become the world’s largest marketing sector, ahead of paid search. And, although 98% of marketers feel that influencer marketing is effective, less than 1% of agencies are spending a proportional amount on it, says a new report by the IAB South Africa.

This means that brands must find new methods of harnessing this channel creatively, effectively and ethically.

The influencer marketing landscape in South Africa

What’s driving this exploding growth in South Africa and worldwide? South Africa varies in some respects: A high mobile penetration rate of 196% – nearly two mobile devices for every single consumer – means there are huge opportunities for influencers to reach the marketer’s audience.

Our vibrant tradition of storytelling, combined with an entrepreneurial spirit, is fertile ground for exciting co-creation between brands and personalities. Some factors are applicable worldwide:

Data-protection regulations. With the decline of third-party cookies, marketers have to rethink how they connect with their audiences. When it comes to influencers on social media, consumers have chosen to follow them and opt in, allowing greater access to data.
Platform innovation. Social media apps such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok are placing the creator first by introducing subscription models. This reduces ad clutter and encourages users to stay on the platform, driving a need for more content.
Consumer behaviour. Today’s consumers are savvy — they want content that reflects their real lives. Influencers can help bring authenticity to the brand message.
Social commerce. The social media ecosystem has become transactional. TikTok Shop, Instagram Checkout and YouTube Shopping allow consumers to buy products conveniently without ever leaving the platform.

Key trends in influencer marketing for 2025

IAB South Africa, an independent regional chapter of the global network empowering the digital media and marketing industries to thrive in the digital economy, has gathered data from brands and agencies in South Africa that explores the sector’s spend and viewpoints on influencer marketing.

In this new report that examines both the challenges and the massive untapped opportunities that exist in this market, six key trends have been identified:

Marketers see the value of influencer marketing, but aren’t investing in it. This could be partly because of capacity (ad spend is already going to other media) and partly because of skill set (marketers lack the expertise and experience to launch an influencer campaign).
Brands and agencies have different expectations of influencers. A marketer may treat an influencer like any other creative, being satisfied by professionalism and efficiency, while the brand may have a more conservative outlook. Careful relationship management between a creator and the agency can help with this, although the time investment can be expensive.
Influencer marketing is seen as a byproduct of the main channel. Only 52% of brands have a dedicated influencer marketing budget. However, these campaigns need to be as carefully curated and planned as TV, print or radio, requiring more spend in some instances.
61% of marketers aim to increase their efforts in the influencer world. Despite the current lack of budget, marketers recognise that authentic content that engenders trust and delivers value takes investment.
SA tends to rely on KPI rates, whereas ROI is more important in other countries. ROI is difficult to track without the appropriate technology, but marketers can use metrics such as comparative engagement rate.
TikTok and YouTube are the biggest growth areas. Platforms that prioritise video content are thriving. Instagram now has a popular Reels function that allows users to post videos.

Influencer relations = trust, transparency and ethical standards

Marketers can launch the best-designed influencer plans, but these are no good without principled implementation.

Launched in 2024, the South African Content Creator Charter is endorsed by the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) and is a guiding document that focuses on ethical standards and best practices for influencer marketing.

The goal is a three-way relationship of trust between the marketer, influencer and consumer. The key principles guiding the Charter include:

Be respectful and inclusive. This includes encouraging diversity and telling stories that appeal across gender, race and background.
Be authentic. The audience can tell if the influencer isn’t being true to their own identity. Are they talking marketing speak or using their own voices?
Be clear. Marketers need to specify exactly what they expect from creators. Let them know about any relevant legislation and what they can and cannot say about the brand.
Be honest and grow organically. The creator cannot buy followers.
Be transparent. Creators need to disclose to their followers when they receive freebies or other benefits.
Be truthful and ethical. Never make false or misleading claims.

Collectively, the SA Content Creator Charter and the Influencer Marketing Perceptions Report represent a significant step forward in reshaping South Africa’s unregulated influencer marketing industry.

In the absence of formal regulatory frameworks, these documents lay the groundwork for self-regulation and help define a shared vision for a trustworthy and ethical advertising landscape.

The IAB South Africa Influencer Marketing Perception Report is now available at iabsa.net, while marketers, brands and content creators are encouraged to commit to the Content Creator Charter here.

Casey Mantle is a digital marketing leader with more than 10 years of experience. Currently the Head of Digital at Special Effects Media SA, she is also the Chair of the IAB SA Influencer Marketing Committee, a Bronze Bookmark Award winner and was nominated as the New Gen Digital Marketer of the Year 2024.

Dashni Vilakazi is Managing Director of The MediaShop, one of South Africa’s top media agencies, awarded Media Agency of the Year in 2023. With more than 20 years of experience in marketing and strategy across global markets, she is also a thought leader, lecturer and the co-host of Thought Leading Market Trends on Hot FM and Fine Music Radio.

Jolene Roelofse is the founder of Fluence Africa and a seasoned marketing strategist with extensive experience across marcomms, influencer marketing and team leadership. Backed by an MBA from CBS, she brings innovation and excellence to every campaign she touches.

Sanesh Maharaj is Managing Partner: Consumer PR, Influencer and Social CM at Ogilvy South Africa, leading the agency’s Influence practice. He is a dynamic and creative professional with a passion for creative culture, diversity and digital.

This article is based on the IAB South Africa Insights Series webinar titled ‘Transparency & Trust: Shaping the Future of Influencer Marketing’. Insights is a webinar series that focuses on innovation, technology and trends in the digital media and marketing industries. The webinars are free to attend, with previous episodes available to IAB South Africa members on the IAB portal. To become an IAB South Africa member, visit iabsa.net.

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