Influencer marketing continues to be one of the most profitable segments for brands to invest in.
Studies tell us that the influencer market in Germany, Switzerland and Austria is set to cross the one-billion-Euro revenue barrier.
We’ve curated the most recent and relevant statistics about influencer marketing in the DACH region to keep you up to date on this powerful branch of marketing.
Work with Kingfluencers, the pioneers of influencer marketing in the German-speaking market
Kingfluencers has been in the influencer marketing game since 2016, helping brands like yours get outstanding results from their campaigns. Let’s have our vetted influencers elevate your brand in the DACH region to trigger new growth for your business.
Check out Kingfluencers’ influencer marketing services.
Influencer Marketing in Germany: 12 Surprising Statistics
Influencer marketing is a mature market in Germany. The country is ranking 5th in Europe for number of influencers. Here are the most important statistics you need to know about influencer advertising in Germany:
How many influencers are there in Germany?
According to a study done by Influencity, 0.7% of the population, or 587,744 people in Germany are influencers. 2.35% of all German Instagram users are influencers.
This makes Germany the country in Europe with the 5th-most influencers.
Influencers are reaching 61 Million users in Germany
Each year, German influencers’ reach is increasing: From 46 million users reached in 2018 to 61 million in 2022. Statista predicts that in 2026, influencers from Germany will reach 71 million people with their social media posts.
59% of German brands are using influencer marketing
The majority of brands in Germany have understood the power of influencer marketing: By using popular and trusted influencers to represent them, they’re gaining loyal followers and new customers for their business.A 2018 study by statista discovered that 59% of brands in Germany are already using influencers in their marketing. This figure is expected to keep increasing as more and more consumers are following social media influencers – and they prefer buying from familiar faces they already trust.
Almost a quarter of German social media users say they’ve been influenced to buy within the last 12 months
In a study by statista, 24% of surveyed German internet users said that within the last 12 months they’ve purchased a product or service because it was recommended by a YouTuber. 19% said they’ve been influenced to buy at least one product by someone they’re following on Instagram.
Influencer marketing market share in Germany is set to reach over €600M by 2024
Since 2019 and forecast into 2024, the compounded average year-over-year growth of the influencer marketing market size in Germany is 22.7%.
The German influencer advertising budget has grown from €223M in 2019 to €477M in 2022, and is predicted to hit €622M in 2024.
Düsseldorf has the most influencers of any German city (per square kilometer)
Despite being smaller and having a lower total number of influencers than the other cities in the top 3, the German city Düsseldorf has the most influencers per square kilometer. This was established in a study done by casinoonline.de.
The cities with the most influencers per square kilometer in Germany are:
1. Düsseldorf, 10,72
2. Munich, 10,46
3. Berlin, 8,69
Fashion, Home, Design – the types of influencers Germans love to follow
In the 2020’s, almost any industry now has social media influencers. But certain topics are more popular than others – as per statista, German users are no exception here.
These are the categories Germans most love to follow influencers in:
1. Fashion: 71%
2. Home and Design: 62%
3. Cosmetics & Make-up: 49%
4. Travel: 45%
5. Fitness & Sports: 42%
6. VIPs: 40%
7. Health & Nutrition: 38%
44% say German Influencer Marketing is increasing in quality
In a survey of German social media and influencer marketing professionals, 44% said that within the last two years quality in the influencer marketing segment has skyrocketed.
Only 11% were of the opposite opinion and believed quality to have decreased significantly.
A third of young Germans are influencers or want to become one
YouGov Germany found out that among those born between 1997 and 2010 – also known as “Generation Z” – almost one third are full-time influencers or plan to become one. 6% of respondents had already been earning a living from being an influencer in 2021.
Followers of German influencers skew younger – but a good amount of “Boomers” are still in the mix
50% of German social media users are following influencers.
According to statista, the percentage is highest among 16- to 29-year-olds, at 81%. But the rate of 30- to 49-year-olds following influencers is still high at 57%.
And while the percentage goes down in higher age groups: Even among over 65-year-old German users of social networks, 21% claim to subscribe to influencer accounts.
How much do influencers charge in Germany?
A sponsored post from a German influencer with between 1.000 and 5.000 followers costs between €10 and €60 on average. A German mega-influencer with over 1M followers might charge €15.000 and more per post. Most German-speaking influencers working with our agency are making between €200 and €2000 per post.
The top 5 influencers in Germany with the most followers on Instagram
These are Germany’s top five Instagram influencers:
1. Lisa und Lena Mantler @lisaandlena – 18.4M followers
2. Pia Wurtzbach @piawurtzbach – 13.9M followers
3. Pamela Reif @pamela_rf – 8.9M followers
4. Bianca Claßen @bibisbeautypalace – 8.2M followers
5. Dagmar Kazakov @dagibee – 6.7M followers
Influencer Marketing in Switzerland: 9 Interesting Stats
Relative to its population size, influencer marketing is stronger in Switzerland than it is in Germany. Swiss influencer advertising market share is around 1/6th that of Germany, despite the country having only 1/10th of the population.
Per square kilometer, Switzerland also has 40% more influencers than Germany. Ever since Kingfluencers pioneered Swiss influencer marketing in 2016, the industry has been thriving in the country.
How many Swiss influencers are there?
According to Influencity, there are currently 47,321 influencers in Switzerland.
55% of Swiss brands are using influencer marketing
A 2020 survey showed that around 55% of Swiss brands are already using internal or external influencers. Another 12% are planning to start investing into influencer marketing soon.
60% of Millennials are following influencers on social media
According to a survey conducted by the University of Lucerne in Switzerland at the end of 2019, 60 percent of the millennials surveyed – that is, people aged 13 to 30 – said they follow influencers or are friends with them on social platforms.
Swiss influencers have a higher engagement rate
Swiss Instagram influencers have a significantly stronger bond with their followers than the global average. In September 2019, the engagement rate among Swiss micro-influencers (between 5,000 and 20,000 followers) was around three percent.
For comparison: the global engagement rate in this segment was 1.83 percent.
Influencer marketing market share in Switzerland is set to reach almost CHF200M by 2027
Currently the market share of influencer marketing in Switzerland is around CHF150M. The Swiss influencer marketing market size is set to grow even further, by around 30 percent until the year 2027.
12% of young Swiss social media users count influencers in their top 3 sources for making buying decisions
A 2019 study found that 12% of 13- to 30-year-olds in Switzerland look to social media influencers as one of their top 3 advisors on which products to buy.
Geneva, by far, has the most influencers per square kilometer
It was found that per square kilometer, Geneva has many more influencers than any other Swiss city. The top five cities in Switzerland with the most influencers per square kilometers are:
1. Geneva: 55,59
2. Zurich: 20,08
3. Basel: 14,72
4. Bern: 14,18
5. Lausanne: 7,74
58% say influencer marketing in Switzerland will strongly increase its market share until 2025
According to a study by Datatrans 18 of 31 surveyed marketing professionals expect purchases made directly from social media or influencer accounts will grow significantly until the year 2025.
The top 5 influencers in Switzerland with the most followers on Instagram
These are Switzerland’s top five Instagram influencers:
1. Dean Schneider: 10,24M
2. Nicocapone: 9,7M
3. Pamela Alexandra: 5,6M
4. babymama: 3,6M
5. RICH NANA: 3M
8 Essential Statistics about Influencer Marketing in Austria
How many influencers does Austria have?
According to Influencity, there are currently 57,624 influencers in Austria.
31% of Austrian brands have used influencer marketing
In a survey on the use of influencer marketing conducted among communications managers in Austria in May and June 2018, 30.8 percent of communications managers stated that they had already worked with influencer marketing several times.
33% of Austrians say they’ve bought something because of an influencer’s recommendation
In the 16-60 age group, 8.9% have bought multiple times, even directly from the influencer. 8% have bought multiple times because of the influencer’s recommendation, but not directly from them. 16.4% have bought, but only once. This was established in a study by mindtake, commissioned by Handelsverband.
The top 5 influencers in Austria with the most followers on Instagram
The top influencers in Austria with the most followers are Stephanie Davis, Manuel Bechter, Johannes Bartl, LM. Inspo Creative & Mindful and Doina Barbaneagra, according to statista.
Salzburg has the most influencers per square kilometer in Austria
It was found that per square kilometer, Salzburg has many more influencers than any other austrian city. The top five cities in Austria with the most influencers per square kilometers are:
1. Salzburg: 11,76
2. Vienna 6,87
3. Innsbruck: 3,04
4. Linz: 2,20
5. Klagenfurt: 0,77
Food, Fitness, Beauty – The types of influencers Austrians love to follow
The most popular product categories or topics for which influencers are followed are food (56 percent), fitness (41 percent) and beauty (33 percent). The MindMinutes study by Mindshare also shows that 30 percent of Austrians aged 15 to 59 are interested in influencers in the field of fashion.
Presenting the product in a convincing way is the no. 1 criteria for 82% of Austrians buying from influencers
Influencers have a decisive influence on the purchasing decisions of many Austrians. 82 percent of the Austrians surveyed named a convincing product presentation by the influencer as the decisive criteria for the purchase decision.
20% of Austrians follow influencers on social media
Statista reports on a survey on the perception of influencers conducted in Austria from July to September 2018. 20 percent of those surveyed stated that they currently follow one or more influencers.
Harness the power of influencer marketing in the DACH-region
Kingfluencers has been in the influencer marketing game since 2016, helping brands like yours get outstanding results from their campaigns. Let’s have our vetted influencers elevate your brand in the DACH market to trigger new growth for your business.
Check out Kingfluencers’ influencer marketing services.
Author: Yoeri Callebaut, @Kingfluencers