How Much Should You Budget for Influencer Campaigns in 2026?

Influencer marketing has long grown beyond a shiny add-on. One minute, it is a “nice to have”, and the next, it is sitting among the core channels that brands need to harness when it comes to strengthening credibility and putting out compelling content. 

But before we get the ball rolling, you might be wondering: What does an influencer budget really buy for the brand?

To settle that question clearly, let’s break it down and get on the same page. Here’s what’s fueling the surge in spending, how much of your marketing budget should you put on the table for creators, and what you can expect in return.

Why Influencer Spend Keeps Rising

Several shifts in how social media plays a role in marketing have pushed brands to invest in influencers more seriously. This surge in working with content creators is making waves across every industry, and those who ride the tide could really hit a home run. But why is that?

1. Consumers trust influencers more than a well-polished ad. Their job is to influence people to buy the things that they use or promote, and with how influencer campaigns are rapidly rising currently, they are good at it.

2. Content expectations now are higher. With how creative content creation is at the moment, there is a high demand for multi-format, platform-native trends—and those are these content creators’ expertise.

3. Influencers serve multiple functions to brands. They are content producers, testers, reviewers, and community builders. It is multiple wins that ultimately drive loyalty. 

How Much of the Marketing Pie Should Go Toward Influencers?

The percentage of your budget allocated to influencer campaigns depends on the company size, industry, and goals. Want a clearer benchmark for this? We recommend consulting with an expert influencer manager to guide you. 

Some topline benchmarks: 

• For emerging brands, a good starting point would be 10-15% of your total marketing budget. This will give you enough leeway to work with microinfluencers and test various content formats without long-term commitment. 

• When it comes to established brands, the recommended percentage is 20-30%, especially if your niche focuses on social discovery. This is most applicable, but not limited to, beauty, lifestyle, tech, and health brands.
• If you’re in a campaign-heavy industry, it’s not unusual to go beyond 35% during major launches or seasonal pushes. So, don’t worry about going overboard with it! Creators play a key role in driving conversions or producing reusable content, so this is well-justified.

What That Budget Actually Buys You

The budget for influencer campaigns is directly tied to the creator tier, deliverables, and campaign goals. So, what are these influencer tiers, and what do brands typically gain at different levels? 

Nano Creators (1k–10k followers)

• Lower fees and flexible content options
• Great for UGC-style videos, reviews, and organic conversation
• Authentic, tight-knit audiences
• Ideal for brands building credibility

Micro Creators (10k–50k followers)

• Strong community trust
• High engagement relative to cost
• Solid mix of quality content and reach
• Excellent for product demos, tutorials, and conversions

Mid-Tier Creators (50k–500k followers)

• More polished content and reliable production value
• Steadier reach
• Great for campaign themes, product launches, and multi-post storytelling
• Ideal for brands wanting professional-level assets without celebrity pricing

Macro + Established Creators (500k–1M+)

• Mass visibility and strong persona-driven influence
• Strategic placements during launches
• Expert creator-brand-aligned direction
• Strong brand lift and multi-format content packages

How to Build a Budget That Matches Your Goals

Your budget becomes way clearer if you know what your goals are. You can easily justify every peso you put out on the campaign. Now, here’s a simple way to map goals to a budget.

If you want brand awareness, nano, micro, and mid-tier influencers are for you. They can offer you steady reach and consistent visibility for flexible budgets. Invest in multiple posts in different formats across creators to establish familiarity. They have a solid audience base that trusts their recommendations and product reviews. Once you have them in your marketing roster, you not only gain customers, but you also make your brand influencer-worthy. 

When it comes to conversion or sales focus, direct your budget towards creators who have a strong audience trust and are aligned with your brand. For instance, if you are a cosmetics company, then connect with budding creators who come up trumps for posting comprehensive and honest reviews of the products that they try. 

For building a content library, work with creators who excel in content production quality. Mid-tier and macro creators are perfect for this. Consult a PR agency with influencer management capabilities so you can explore allocating proper budgets to things like usage rights.

If your goal is long-term advocacy, prioritize multi-month partnerships. This will enable the creators to tell a full story to their audience and foster deeper trust between their community and your brand. Remember that influencer partnerships shape brand perception. Long-term partnerships also often come with more favorable pricing than one-off posts. 

Let Experts Turn Your Budget Into Momentum

Influencer marketing works best when you are sure that every piece of your budget serves a purpose. If you are planning to engage with influencers for your next campaigns, having the right guidance becomes an advantage.

Build and keep your momentum going with PR experts at your side who have already mastered their way around choosing the right influencers for campaigns. If you’re ready to build an influencer plan that moves with clarity, strength, and direction, reach out to NGP IMC. 

Let’s turn your budget into real progress!