Influencer marketing is set for strong growth in 2026, with 81% of UK brands planning to increase their budgets, according to The State of Influencer Marketing in Europe 2025, a new benchmark study from Kolsquare, produced in partnership with NewtonX.
The UK stands out as one of Europe’s most active markets: 84% of UK brands and agencies expect to work with more creators next year, and while 28% spend under £75,000 a year, 14% invest more than £1 million annually – matching Germany at the top end of European spending.
Technology is helping to accelerate this growth. One in three UK marketers use an influencer marketing platform, the highest adoption rate in Europe.
The UK also ranks number one for micro-influencer partnerships (10k–100k followers), with 93% of marketers working with them, which is well above the European average.
The UK leads…
The UK leads the field in influencer marketing for:
- Tech maturity
- Early adoption of AI
- Scaling quickly
- Micro-influencer dominance
“The UK is setting the tempo for Europe’s influencer marketing evolution,” said Quentin Bordage, Founder & CEO at Kolsquare. “British brands are moving fast, scaling partnerships with confidence and embracing technology, creativity, and performance measurement. The UK’s blend of innovation and maturity makes it one of the most exciting influencer markets in the world.”
Other key UK findings
- 39% manage influencer marketing in-house with agency support
- 38% use a dedicated influencer marketing platform; 40% use general marketing tools
- Instagram (92%), TikTok (80%) and YouTube (59%) are the top campaign platforms
- 60% work with nano influencers (1k–10k followers)
- 43% mostly work with influencers who are new to them
- 32% spend between £100k–£499k per year on influencer activity
Authenticity, ethics and ROI drive decision making
UK marketers are increasingly focused on brand safety and clear results:
- 34% now track ROI, although it remains a challenge
- 55% say engagement rate is the most important factor when selecting influencers
- 63% say the influencer’s content is key
- 48% say authenticity matters, the influencer should already know and like the brand
- 23% value diversity when they select influencers, which is the highest level across Europe
UK investment going up in 2026 –
- Paid media (66%)
- Long-term influencer partnerships (61%)
- UGC (55%)
UK investment going down in 2026 –
- In-person events (20%)
- Affiliate marketing (16%)
- Ambassador programmes and short-term campaigns (14%)
UK pain points
- Balancing influencer freedom and brand control 42%
- Measuring ROI effectively 39%
- Rising costs and unclear pricing 33%
What this means for brands and agencies
For UK brands and agencies, these findings indicate that influencer marketing is now a crucial component of any effective marketing strategy.
To stay competitive, marketers will need to embrace creator partnerships, lean into micro and nano influencers for authenticity and engagement, and build clear frameworks for ROI measurement, brand safety and ethics.
With the UK now leading Europe on tech maturity and AI adoption, there is a real opportunity for brands and agencies to professionalise their approach and streamline workflows with dedicated platforms like Kolsquare to implement more creative, data-driven campaigns with measurable impact.
Source: Kolsquare
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