# Influencer Marketing Benchmark Report 2026

Marketers plan to use more small creators and more AI in 2026. Cause campaigns can use both, if they also measure impact.

By Victor Ramayrat. Published September 23, 2026. Under 2 min read. Web page: https://socient.ai/insights/influencer-marketing-benchmark-report-2026/

## Key takeaways

1. About half of the respondents plan to use more nano (51.43%) and micro (52.83%) creators in 2026.
2. Creator discovery is the most common use of AI, at 36.67% of responses.
3. Promo codes are the top way to measure results (45.9%). Cause campaigns also need impact measures.

## Small creators keep growing

About half of the marketers in the survey plan to use more small creators. Influencer Marketing Hub surveyed more than 600 respondents. 52.83% plan to expand their use of micro creators, and 51.43% plan to expand nano creators.

Interactive chart on the web page: What marketers plan for 2026.

**Creator size. Share of respondents who plan to expand their use of each creator size in 2026.**

| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Micro creators | 52.8% |
| Nano creators | 51.4% |

**AI use. Share of responses about how teams use AI in influencer marketing.**

| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Creator discovery | 36.7% |
| Content generation | 21.1% |
| Brief development | 13.9% |
| No AI use | 10.6% |

**Measurement. Share of respondents that use each tool to measure results.**

| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Promo or discount codes | 45.9% |
| Affiliate links | 26.0% |
| Native shop features | 25.0% |

This trend helps cause campaigns. A small budget can pay more small creators than large ones.

## AI starts with discovery

Creator discovery is the most common use of AI, at 36.67% of responses. AI can find creators fast. It cannot tell you if a creator cares about your cause. Check the fit yourself, or use a score that shows its evidence.

## Sales tools do not measure impact

Promo codes (45.9%), affiliate links (26.0%), and native shop features (25.0%) lead the list of measurement tools. These tools count sales. A cause campaign also needs impact measures, such as meals funded or volunteers who signed up.

## Read the numbers with care

The survey covers brands and agencies, not nonprofits. Each figure counts only the people who answered that question. Some figures do not match across sections. For example, the report gives both 72.22% and 70.20% for the same budget group.

## Common questions

### Will brands use more nano and micro creators in 2026?

About half of the respondents plan to. 52.83% plan to expand their use of micro creators, and 51.43% plan to expand their use of nano creators.

### How do marketers use AI in influencer marketing?

Creator discovery is the most common use, at 36.67% of responses. Content generation (21.11%) and brief development (13.89%) follow. 10.56% say they do not use AI.

### How should a cause campaign measure results?

Promo codes are the top measurement tool in the survey (45.9%), but they count only sales. A cause campaign also needs impact measures, such as meals funded or volunteers who signed up.

## Sources

1. [Influencer Marketing Benchmark Report 2026](https://influencermarketinghub.com/influencer-marketing-benchmark-report/). Influencer Marketing Hub.