A Vero survey of Southeast Asian influencers reveals insights about what works, what needs to improve, and what’s next for influencer marketing in 2025.

SINGAPORE, 20 DECEMBER 2024 – Influencers have long officially taken over the marketing game in Southeast Asia, but not all brands’ influencer marketing strategies are made equal. Vero, recently hailed the region’s Influencer Marketing Agency of the Year by Campaign Asia, set out to investigate where influencers stand as we head into 2025.

The communications consultancy released a new white paper entitled, “Impact, Engagement, and the Future of Influencer Marketing: Insights from Influencers,” which outlines key findings from a survey of nearly 150 Indonesian, Thai, Singaporean, Filipino, and Vietnamese influencers across ages, experiences, niches, and follower bases.

Exploring the present and future of the influencer marketing game, the findings highlight what brands must know about the needs and motivations driving today’s digital superstars, and how best to work with them for impactful influencer marketing in 2025 and beyond.

“In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, continuous research is essential to stay ahead of trends and make the most of industry shifts,” said Umaporn Whittaker-Thompson, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Influence at Vero. “Our survey explores the current state, anticipated changes, and strategic adaptations among influencers in the region, with a goal of enhancing brand-influencer collaborations.”

As influencer marketing is only set to grow bigger and more complex—72% of influencers surveyed, for instance, saw an increase in sponsored content requests this past year, with this number rise significantly in the coming year—the white paper offers indispensable insights for building healthy influencer-brand relationships that both maintain influencer-follower trust and promote brand-audience connection.

Here are some key findings from Vero’s survey:

In a saturated digital playground, it’s storytelling that sets influencers apart. 78% of influencers surveyed are on Instagram while 82% said they also use TikTok as either primary or secondary platform for their content. As these platforms get overcrowded, those who stand out are those who can tell stories that captivate and connect. In fact, 34% of influencers believe that storytelling is the most important part of the job. This is especially true among Thai (43%) and Filipino (41%) respondents. Quizzes is ranked second most effective strategy for influencers from Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam (15%), and the Philippines, while Thai influencers pointed out user-generated content as another top content format for audience engagement.

Authenticity is an influencer’s main currency. More than half (58%) of influencers in the Vero survey prioritize maintaining their personal style while aligning their content with brand messaging. They take great lengths to ensure that all posts stay true to who they are, with 37% even preferring to politely decline an offer for collaboration when faced with potential conflicts on ideals and values. It’s worth noting that 38% are still willing to propose alternative ideas to meet brands halfway. An open mind and healthy conversations can help ensure that each campaign translates well with an influencer’s followers and that their authenticity remains intact.
Influencers thrive on creative freedom—let them be. A lack of creative freedom is the top challenge faced by 29% of Southeast Asian influencers, a number that reaches as high as 37% in Thailand. The freedom to be themselves is not just about the right to expression; for brands, it is also good business. Unrealistic expectations (20%) are the second most common challenge faced by influencers, and even top challenge for Singaporeans at 29%. In the Philippines (30%), Vietnam (23%), Singapore (19%) and Indonesia (19%), influencers are affected by delayed payments. These challenges represent a clear call for brands looking to improve influencer relations, but the good news is that influencers are more than happy to find solutions: 69% of respondents said that open communication with brands often enhances their sense of value and loyalty to them, and 38% are willing to offer alternatives to resolve potential conflicts.
In brand collaborations, lasting relationships matter most. Though higher compensation is on the wishlist of most influencers, especially in Singapore (31%) and Indonesia (30%), a significant number of influencers cited long-term partnership opportunities as a major consideration for prioritizing brand collaborations. This number is higher in Thailand (32%, Vietnam (28%), and the Philippines (26%), and reflects a desire among influencers for enduring relationships with brands. Influencers in Vietnam (28%) and Singapore (23%) also consider invitations to brand events and trips as key triggers for collaboration. Fostering long-term partnerships with influencers can help enhance authenticity and ensure consistent brand messaging over a longer time.

Influencers have their eyes on community, authenticity, social commerce, and AI for 2025. Building passionate communities through influencer-led events (28%) and collaborations with other influencers (23%) will be key for influencers in the coming years, along with a greater emphasis on authenticity (28%). Many influencers are also closely watching the rise of artificial intelligence (36%) and social commerce (33%) in the region, and how these might disrupt the world of influencer marketing. Brands today have the opportunity to be a leader in shaping how these emerging trends unravel in the coming years.

Every good influencer-brand partnership begins with finding the right match. Finding the right influencer-brand fit is the first step towards forging a connection that is both natural and mutually beneficial. And as competition continues to grow, it is more crucial than ever to start any influencer marketing campaign right. To ensure the right partnerships are made, Vero created TrueVibe, a proprietary data-led solution to influencer marketing. As part of InFluent, Vero’s in-house methodology and solution stack, TrueVibe works by scoring influencers for brand fit based on six criteria, namely: Reach, Interests, Engagement, Content Quality, Authority, and Values.

To keep pace with the fast-changing digital landscape, brands and influencers must be flexible, continuously adapting to new trends and platform updates. It is essential to anchor these adaptations in both influencers and brands’ core values to ensure authenticity and long-term connection with the audiences.

To read the full study, visit the Vero website.

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ABOUT VERO
Vero is an award-winning strategic communications consultancy, advising some of Southeast Asia’s leading brands, corporations, and non-profit organizations.

B Corp certified across all its offices, and a signatory of the Clean Creative pledge since 2022, Vero adopts a forward-thinking approach to public relations and marketing, striving to enact meaningful change for clients and society at large.

Vero’s team of over 260 PR, social, digital, influence, and creative professionals in Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and its partnership in Myanmar, brings unique perspectives to earned media, prioritizing digital technology, creative storytelling, and stakeholder engagement in championing stories of progress. This includes the newest units: Vero IQ, which digs deep for data-driven insights, Vero Xperience, dedicated to redefining brand events in the region, and Vero Advocacy, a government-engagement focused strategic advisory.

Listed among the Global Top 250 Agency Ranking by PRovoke Media and winner of numerous Southeast Asia Consultancy of the Year awards, including the 2024 Influencer Marketing Agency of the Year award from Campaign Asia, Vero designs integrated marketing and communications strategies that resonate within and across this vibrant region’s digital ecosystems and fast-growing economies.

Visit https://vero-asean.com/