Report: Sponsored Posts By Instagram Influencers Grew By 189% In Asia

Analysing the trends of over 12 million influencers on Instagram, a new report from Socialbakers titled Must Know Influencer Marketing Trends Report for 2019 reveals that Instagram influencer-sponsored posts grew by 189% in Asia from 2018 to 2019.

Micro-influencers make up the majority, responsible for over 80% of Instagram influencers in Asia. From Q1 2018 to Q1 2019, the brand that received the most influencer mentions in Southeast Asia was watch brand Daniel Wellington, with over 1,500 mentions by 558 Instagram influencers, according to data produced by Socialbakers.

“Southeast Asia is the next big region for digital and influencer marketing,” said Natalie Chua, Director Digital and Social Strategy at Redhill. “Today, 58 percent of Southeast Asia’s 635 million population are online and over half of them are active social media users; making it the world’s third-largest for monthly social media usage.”

According to an Admap article by Ida Siow, Head of Planning at JWT Singapore and Southeast Asia, Instagram influencer marketing exploded in Asia off the back of youthful demographics, high smartphone penetrations and the spread of social platforms. She added advertisers have been seduced by the promise of reach and affinity at a lower cost.

Business moves across Southeast Asia in the past month included the likes of AnyMind Group acquiring Moindy and gaining access to over 35,000 micro and macro influencers in 17 APAC markets as well as Vietnam-based Hiip acquiring BP Network and gaining access to over 100,000 opinion leaders.

Singapore-based Gushcloud Marketing Group has also launched Ribbit, a new micro influencer network, in order to provide advertiser and agency partners to reach niche audiences.