TransformerInfluencer marketing is a fast-growing, multi-billion-dollar channel: Influencer Marketing Hub estimates the global industry at $32.55 billion in 2025, eMarketer forecast US spend to pass $10 billion in 2025, and Goldman Sachs projects the wider creator economy could approach $480 billion by 2027. Here are the main numbers and what they mean.
How big is the influencer marketing industry?
- Global market: about $32.55 billion in 2025, up from $24 billion in 2024, according to Influencer Marketing Hub's benchmark report. Statista's estimate for 2025 is similar, at roughly $33 billion. Different trackers count slightly different things, so figures vary, but they agree on scale and direction.
- United States: over $10 billion in 2025. eMarketer's March 2025 forecast put US influencer marketing spend at about $10.52 billion in 2025, after 23.7% growth in 2024, and said it would pass $10 billion a year earlier than previously expected.
How big is the creator economy?
Goldman Sachs Research estimates the creator economy's total addressable market at about $250 billion and projects it could reach about $480 billion by 2027. Its research also found:
- roughly 50 million creators worldwide, growing 10–20% a year;
- brand deals are the main income source for creators, at about 70% of revenue in survey data;
- only about 4% of creators earn more than $100,000 a year.
That last point matters for brands: most creators are small and independent, and brand deals are how they get paid. There's a large supply of creators with focused audiences who want sponsorships.
How many people want to be creators?
Morning Consult found in 2023 that 57% of Gen Z Americans would become an influencer if given the chance, about the same as in 2019 (59%). The supply of creators isn't shrinking.
Why is spending still growing?
- Attention keeps shifting to social feeds. GWI data reported by eMarketer shows Gen Z is more likely to look up a brand on social media than on a search engine.
- Measurement improved. Tracked links and server-side conversions let brands see which creators drive sales. See Influencer marketing is measurable now.
- Ads face headwinds. About one in five internet users regularly blocks ads (GWI, 2024).
Growth isn't unlimited or even. eMarketer expected US growth to slow to about 15% in 2025 as the market matures and platforms shift. But slower growth on a $10 billion base is still a lot of new money each year.
What do the numbers mean for brands?
- Competitors are already here. A channel growing this fast is not experimental anymore.
- The creator supply is large and mostly small. Smaller creators are plentiful and often more cost-effective. See why micro-creators outperform.
- Operations are the bottleneck. With millions of creators, the hard part is finding the right ones, agreeing terms, verifying posts and paying them. That is work software, and increasingly AI agents, can do. See AI agents will run influencer marketing.
Key figures at a glance
| Figure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Global influencer marketing, 2025 | ~$32.55 billion | Influencer Marketing Hub |
| Global influencer marketing, 2024 | ~$24 billion | Influencer Marketing Hub |
| US influencer marketing spend, 2025 | ~$10.5 billion | eMarketer |
| Creator economy by 2027 | ~$480 billion | Goldman Sachs |
| Creators worldwide | ~50 million | Goldman Sachs |
| Creators earning $100K+ a year | ~4% | Goldman Sachs |
| Gen Z who'd become an influencer | 57% | Morning Consult (2023) |
FAQ
How big is the influencer marketing industry in 2025?
Influencer Marketing Hub estimates it at about $32.55 billion globally in 2025, up from about $24 billion in 2024. Statista puts 2025 at roughly $33 billion.
How much do US brands spend on influencer marketing?
eMarketer forecast US influencer marketing spend at about $10.5 billion in 2025, the first year above $10 billion.
How big will the creator economy be by 2027?
Goldman Sachs Research projects the creator economy could approach $480 billion by 2027, up from about $250 billion.
How many creators are there?
Goldman Sachs estimates about 50 million creators worldwide, growing 10–20% a year. Most are small; only about 4% earn more than $100,000 a year.
Sources
- Influencer Marketing Hub: Influencer Marketing Benchmark Report
- Statista: Influencer marketing market size worldwide
- eMarketer: US influencer marketing spending will surpass $10 billion in 2025
- Goldman Sachs: The creator economy could approach half a trillion dollars by 2027
- Morning Consult: Gen Zers still really want to be influencers
- GWI via eMarketer and Press Gazette