Influencer marketing: French brands are increasing their budgets

Influencer marketing is no longer an accessory line in the advertising budgets of French brands. According to the latest study by France Pub carried out with the Autorité de Régulation Professionnelle de la Publicité (ARPP), advertisers invested €587 million in this channel in 2025, an increase of 13.1% in one year. A figure that confirms a structural shift: this advertising format, long perceived as experimental, is now firmly established in companies' media plans, including SMEs that until now were seeking growth levers less costly than traditional display advertising.

Budgets that triple in three years

The progression is spectacular over time: investments rose from €323 million in 2022 to €587 million in 2025, an increase of 81% in three years. Influencer marketing now represents 5.2% of all digital advertising spending in France. According to the study, 18% of national advertisers worked with content creators in 2025, a proportion that rises to 26% among companies with a digital budget greater than €150,000 per year. A sign that the channel convinces more as resources grow, 16% of advertisers now invest more than €50,000 annually in influence, compared with only 2% in 2022.

The end of improvisation: remuneration and intermediaries

The sector is becoming markedly more professional. In 2022, only 33% of advertisers paid creators financially, the rest relying on product or service allocations (“gifting”). In 2025, this share reaches 84%, a sign that brands now treat influence as a full-fledged advertising channel, with its contracts and valuation. Another notable development: 65% of campaigns go through an agency or a specialized intermediary, compared with 37% in 2022, which reflects a growing complexity of the profession and increased compliance requirements.

An additional study conducted by the agency Reech confirms this dynamic: 83% of the brands surveyed ran at least one influencer campaign over the past two years, and 94% of them consider this channel effective. On satisfaction, brands give an average score of 7.4/10 to their collaborations, versus 8.2/10 from creators. Creator-generated content (UGC) now establishes itself as the preferred partnership format, ahead of traditional sponsored posts.

What this means for companies

• A budget to set aside : influence moves out of the off-media “test” phase to be integrated into annual plans, with dedicated and measurable allocations.
• Stricter selection criteria : value alignment (82%) and engagement rate (79%) now take precedence over audience size alone.
• Increased regulatory vigilance : 79% of the agencies surveyed are aware of the Certificat de Responsabilité de l'Influence Commerciale carried by the ARPP, a signal of the sector's rising ethical requirements.
• A growing role for micro and nano-creators, considered more affordable and often more engaging than a partnership with a celebrity.

For businesses and startups looking to professionalize their communication strategy, these figures offer a concrete benchmark: influence is no longer a gamble, but a channel whose return on investment is documented and comparable to other advertising channels.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is influencer marketing reserved for big brands?

No. While large budgets are increasing, the Reech study shows a rise in micro and nano-creators, who are more financially accessible, allowing SMEs to test the channel with smaller budgets.

Why do brands pay more in cash rather than in products?

The professionalization of the sector pushes creators to demand contractualized, measurable compensation that complies with tax and advertising obligations, which explains the shift from 33% to 84% in financial remuneration between 2022 and 2025.

Is there an ethical framework for these campaigns in France?

Yes, the ARPP carries a Certificat de Responsabilité de l'Influence Commerciale, known to 79% of the agencies surveyed by Reech, which aims to frame the transparency and ethics of partnerships between brands and creators.

Sources

• Journal du Net — €587 million invested by brands in influencer marketing
• Reech — Influencer marketing in 2026: maturity, performance and new standards
• Viuz — 69% of companies plan to increase their influencer budget

This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence. Editorial policy