J. G. Navarro
Research expert covering advertising and marketing with a focus on South America
Influencer marketing in Brazil – statistics & facts
Internet celebrities in Brazil are not only affecting consumer behavior but also convincing brands to invest increasingly in influencer marketing. By 2024 accounts, the Portuguese-speaking giant ranks fifth among the largest countries by number of social network users, a rising figure whose evolution pales in comparison to the influencer business' expansion. Between 2019 and 2024, the number of social media users in Brazil grew by an estimated 23 percent, surpassing 176 million people in the latter year. During that same period, Brazil's influencer advertising spending skyrocketed by over 160 percent. Since social networks' user base is forecast to continue swelling as the decade unfolds, companies and online personalities alike seem ready to bet on the format and boost this South American market even further.
Instagram remains the ultimate benchmark, with all companies participating in the poll stating that they used Meta's mobile app for influencer marketing. TikTok and YouTube rounded up the top three, mentioned by around 60 and 40 percent of respondents, respectively. Brands did not expect bankable internet personalities to display the highest counts in the business. About 70 percent reported always or almost always hiring influencers with a following between 10 thousand and 50 thousand. Only little more than one-fifth of participating companies could afford to bring in celebrities with over a million followers at that same frequency. Social media celebrities (or stars on the rise) also have parameters for a successful alignment. Besides the payment, Brazilian influencers' leading factor for closing a deal with a brand was an affinity with its values, according to the same study. Nearly half of them selected that option. Roughly one in five chose the second-placed element, freedom of content creation.
Advertisers and Brazilian influencers: More collabs to come
A late 2023 study helped to uncover the segment's dynamics. Over two-thirds of brands surveyed reported plans to raise their influencer marketing budget in Brazil for the following year; only three percent wanted to reduce it. Advertising agencies' advice on influencer marketing spending was even louder: More than four out of five recommended an increase to their clients, and none suggested a decrease. Advertisers also revealed their budget range. Half of the responding companies allocated over 50 thousand Brazilian reals to product or service promotion through social media personalities in 2024. That corresponds to nearly 38 times the country's minimum monthly wage that year. Almost one-fifth of the brands intended to invest over 500 thousand reals in the tactic.Instagram remains the ultimate benchmark, with all companies participating in the poll stating that they used Meta's mobile app for influencer marketing. TikTok and YouTube rounded up the top three, mentioned by around 60 and 40 percent of respondents, respectively. Brands did not expect bankable internet personalities to display the highest counts in the business. About 70 percent reported always or almost always hiring influencers with a following between 10 thousand and 50 thousand. Only little more than one-fifth of participating companies could afford to bring in celebrities with over a million followers at that same frequency. Social media celebrities (or stars on the rise) also have parameters for a successful alignment. Besides the payment, Brazilian influencers' leading factor for closing a deal with a brand was an affinity with its values, according to the same study. Nearly half of them selected that option. Roughly one in five chose the second-placed element, freedom of content creation.
