Influencer pay lacks transparency: Here's what the numbers say

"People say, if you don't have a creator marketing strategy, you're becoming invisible to a large segment of consumers, particularly like Gen Z and Generation Alpha, but even millennials as well. While it is a newer tactic and a newer channel, marketers see it as pretty essential."

"U.S. annual creator economy ad spend is expected to reach $43.9 billion in 2026, an 18% increase from the year prior, according to data from the Association of National Advertisers. The group's research shows that as more resources are directed to influencer marketing, industry professionals are beginning to reevaluate how they connect with and maintain relationships with both creators and agencies alike."

"Most marketers, 52%, take a mixed approach when it comes to managing influencer marketing, working with both in-house and external partners. Thirty-two percent of respondents primarily use external partners while 16% primarily handle relationships in-house, though the latter group appears to be growing, per ANA."

The creator economy advertising market is experiencing significant growth, with U.S. annual ad spend projected to reach $43.9 billion in 2026, representing an 18% increase from the previous year. Influencer marketing has become a critical strategy for advertisers seeking to engage consumers on social media. Industry professionals are reassessing their approaches to building and maintaining relationships with creators and agencies. Research from the Association of National Advertisers surveyed 106 client-side marketers, with 87% at manager or director level and 13% at vice president level or higher. Half had budgets exceeding $100 million. The majority of marketers, 52%, employ a mixed approach combining in-house and external partners for influencer marketing management, while 32% rely primarily on external partners and 16% handle relationships internally.

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