Influencer marketing will be Rs 900 crore market in India by the end of 2021: Report

• In India, out of 1.3 billion people, a third (more than 400 million) already had access to social media before the pandemic.
• This number has surely skyrocketed in the last 18 months and there is a significant shift in consumer behaviour that is the real fuel for the growth of the segment.

The influencer marketing industry is undergoing a transformation triggered by the pandemic as well as the rise of brands wanting to connect with consumers directly.

INCA, GroupM’s brand-safe influencer and content marketing solution unit today announced the release of The India Influencer Marketing Report. To be an annual highlight in the calendar, this industry report is the first ever to quantify the current and predict the future path of influencer marketing in India. The report looks at all aspects of the industry including trends and the impact of regulation.

In India, out of 1.3 billion people, a third (more than 400 million) already had access to social media before the pandemic. This number has surely skyrocketed in the last 18 months and there is a significant shift in consumer behaviour that is the real fuel for the growth of the segment.

Commenting on the report, Prasanth Kumar, CEO – GroupM South Asia said, “Over the last few years, brands have shown significant interest in influencer marketing. The pandemic has accelerated the adoption of influencer marketing by brands making it an integral part of the brand marketing strategy and is now an important part of our media mix recommendation to brands. The key factor that has got brands interested is the bond of trust and authenticity that influencers share with their audiences, thus helping brands associate with an influencer to leverage the same. This report is our effort to help marketers understand various aspects of influencer marketing in the country. Consumer behaviour is changing at a fast pace, and we want to empower marketers with the knowledge that can help them.”

According to the report, top 4 categories i.e., Personal care 25%, F&B 20%, Fashion & Jewellery 15% and Mobile and electronics 10%; contribute 70% volume of influencer marketing. On the influencer radar, celebrities contribute 27% while influencers contribute 73%. Nearly two-thirds of the Indian population follow an influencer. Brands can probably interpret that influencers and creative storytelling correlate with brand differentiation, a key advantage as attention spans get shorter.

Ashwin Padmanabhan, President – Partnerships and Trading of GroupM India said, “Influencer marketing industry is at a point of inflexion and can take off, subject to the industry initiating to measure, quantify and make investments in influencer marketing accountable. The ‘India Influencer Marketing Report’ is GroupM and INCA’s attempt to do the same. Not only have we tried to quantify the industry, but we have also attempted to define and standardize the various formats and industry terms. We hope this report will catalyse the industry and ensure the power of influencers is harnessed effectively!”