Claims that 2026 will be the year when influencer marketing is forced to prove its value as a mature, accountable channel have been reinforced by a new analysis which reveals that, while investment is rising, the C-suite is demanding clearer performance, integration and ROI.
According to the SAMY Marketing Trends 2026 report, which surveyed over 100 global CMOs, 87% of marketers are planning on maintaining or increasing their influencer marketing spend in 2026. In a year where many marketing budgets are under pressure or being cut, influencer marketing remains one of the most resilient investment areas – a significant endorsement for a channel that often comes under fire.
However, as budgets grow, marketers are under increasing pressure to prove the value of the influencer discipline. SAMY’s study, which features its proprietary Influencer Marketing Maturing Model, reported that 33% of marketers cite KPIs and reporting as their biggest challenge. Meanwhile, almost the same number, 30%, point to integration and strategic alignment with wider marketing and social media activity, as their biggest concern for the year ahead.
The data also shows marketers are recognising that there is a need to improve their influencer marketing strategy in the round. Some 28% said that they needed to completely rethink their influencer marketing approach, while 45% said that they need to strengthen collaboration with micro influencers. Only 15% believe their current strategy “doesn’t need changes”.
The report also suggests that influencer marketing can no longer be evaluated in isolation from other marketing disciplines. Over half of CMOs believe that data integration needs improvement, with data inconsistencies and unclear ROI being the biggest barriers. There are encouraging signs, however, with 64% of marketers saying that influencer marketing is already aligned with social strategy.
SAMY influencer marketing director Juliet Howes commented: “These findings are straight from CMO’s mouths – influencer marketing is no longer an experimental channel, but one that is a fundamental part of a brand’s marketing strategy. But to function properly in a brand’s ‘social universe’, it cannot work in isolation.
“As influencer marketing becomes more deeply embedded across social, commerce and culture, it needs to be judged and validated in the same way as more established disciplines. That’s why 2026 is such a pivotal year, because if influencer marketing is to be taken seriously by decision makers, then measurement, integration and accountability should be top of marketers’ priorities.”
The full report can be downloaded here>
Related stories
Influencer spend set to soar despite brands ‘flying blind’
Decision Marketing at 15: Rise of creators, warts and all
Ditch top-down models for bottom-up creators in 2026
Influencers ‘deliver in the long term’ says first ROI study
Marketers ‘must seed with precision’ for influencer gifts
Fools rush in: ‘Marketers clueless on influencer ROI’
Be the first to comment on "Influencer marketing ‘must grow up to thrive in 2026’"