81% of UK Businesses Say They’ll Increase Influencer Marketing Budgets in 2026

For years, influencer marketing was treated like the cool younger sibling of advertising: exciting, chaotic, but rarely invited to the grown-ups’ table when serious budget decisions were being made. A Roman Roy vs Succession’s steely Siobhan – if you will. That era is officially over.

According to The State of Influencer Marketing in Europe 2025, a new benchmark study from Kolsquare produced in partnership with NewtonX, influencer marketing is now one of the most confident, well-funded and technologically advanced areas of brand investment – and the UK is leading the charge.

A striking 81% of UK marketers plan to increase influencer marketing budgets in 2026, putting Britain ahead of the European average and firmly positioning it as the continent’s most ardent market for creator-led growth. 

The UK: Europe’s Confident Accelerator

If influencer marketing were a race, the UK wouldn’t just be ahead – it would be setting the pace.

The report describes Britain as “the most bullish market in Europe,” with 84% of UK brands and agencies expecting to work with more creators next year. More than a quarter (27%) expect to significantly increase the number of influencers they collaborate with by over 50% in the next 12 months – far above the European average of 17%.

What makes the UK particularly fascinating is its polarised spending profile. While 28% of brands invest under £75,000 annually, a powerful 14% spend more than £1 million, matching Germany at the top end of European investment. It’s a market where agile start-ups coexist with deeply resourced global brands – and both are leaning into influence as a growth lever.

“The UK is setting the tempo for Europe’s influencer marketing evolution. British brands are moving fast, scaling partnerships with confidence and embracing technology, creativity, and performance measurement,” explains Quentin Bordage, Founder & CEO of Kolsquare.

Micro-Influencers Are the Main Character

While mega-influencers may still dominate headlines, the real power shift is happening further down the follower count.

The UK ranks number one in Europe for micro-influencer partnerships, with an astonishing 93% of marketers working with creators who have between 10,000 and 100,000 followers. That’s well above the European average and signals a market that values trust, community and credibility over raw reach.

Nano-influencers are also gaining ground, with 60% of UK brands collaborating with creators who have between 1,000 and 10,000 followers. The message is clear: audiences don’t want polished perfection – they want relatability, niche expertise and creators who feel embedded in real life.

As one Italian Senior Brand Manager quoted in the report notes, “Consumers’ trust in influencers, especially mega influencers, is decreasing.” The UK appears to have internalised this shift faster than most.

Platforms: Instagram Still Reigns, TikTok Keeps Winning

Despite endless speculation about “the next big platform,” the influencer marketing ecosystem remains anchored to familiar territory.

In the UK, Instagram dominates influencer campaigns at 92%, followed closely by TikTok at 80%, with YouTube used by 59% of marketers.

What’s changing isn’t where brands show up – it’s how they activate creators across the funnel. Short-form video, platform-native content and social commerce integrations are becoming central to strategy, especially as TikTok Shop and in-app purchasing continue to blur the line between content and conversion.

Technology Is the Growth Engine

Perhaps the most defining characteristic of the UK influencer market is its relationship with technology.

One in three UK marketers now uses a dedicated influencer marketing platform, the highest adoption rate in Europe. Another 40% rely on general marketing tools, signalling a market that is actively professionalising workflows rather than improvising campaigns via spreadsheets and DMs.

These platforms are primarily used for influencer discovery, audience authenticity checks and performance tracking – areas where AI and machine learning are increasingly indispensable.

As one UK- based beauty industry ‘Head of Social’ explains in the report, “Paid media spend will allow for the influencer content to reach further and work harder. The use of AI and automation is key in identifying the right influencers to work with in a sea of plenty.”

The UK’s early adoption of influencer tech reflects a broader truth: influence is no longer just creative – it’s operational, data-driven and increasingly accountable.

ROI, But Make It Realistic

For all its momentum, influencer marketing still wrestles with one persistent challenge: measurement.

Across Europe, 34% of marketers now track ROI, a figure that continues to rise year on year. In the UK, engagement rate remains the most important KPI for 55% of marketers, while 63% prioritise the quality of influencer content and 48% say authenticity – whether the influencer already knows and likes the brand – matters deeply.

There’s also a notable emphasis on ethics and inclusion. 23% of UK marketers say diversity is a key factor when selecting influencers, the highest level across Europe.

Where the Money Is Going – and What’s Being Left Behind

Looking ahead to 2026, UK brands are becoming increasingly selective about where they place their bets.

Investment is rising sharply in:

• Paid media amplification (66%)
• Long-term influencer partnerships (61%)
• User-generated content (55%)

Meanwhile, spending is being pulled back from:

• In-person influencer events (20%)
• Affiliate marketing (16%)
• Short-term ambassador programmes and one-off campaigns (14%)

This marks a decisive shift away from fleeting activations towards scalable, always-on influence that can be repurposed across paid, owned and earned channels.

What This Means for Brands and Agencies

Influencer marketing in the UK has officially crossed the threshold from experiment to infrastructure.

To stay competitive, brands and agencies will need to:

• Build long-term creator relationships, not transactional campaigns
• Lean into micro and nano influencers for trust and engagement
• Use technology platforms to streamline discovery, compliance and reporting
• Establish clear ROI frameworks without stripping creativity from the process
• Prioritise ethics, diversity and brand safety as non-negotiables

With Britain now leading Europe on tech maturity and AI adoption, the opportunity isn’t just to grow – it’s to grow well.

As the report makes clear, influencer marketing’s next chapter isn’t louder or flashier. It’s smarter, more structured and far more powerful.

And in 2026, the UK isn’t just participating in that future – it’s writing it.