Influencer Marketing in 2025: Complete Guide for Australian Businesses

While influencer marketing has been around for quite a while now, the demand for it isn’t slowing down anytime soon. It’s set to hit over US $800 million (AUD $1.25 billion) by 2028, growing at 11% every year¹. Why the hype? Simple. People trust people more than ads.

If you’re a business in Australia looking to kickstart or improve your influencer game, this guide covers it all.

Table of contents
What is influencer marketing? Types of influencers How much does influencer marketing cost? Managing & paying influencers Influencer marketing strategies Top influencer marketing platforms Influencer marketing trends in 2025 Tips for an effective influencer marketing campaign Wise Business - Global influencer payments made simple

What is influencer marketing and how does it work?

Influencer marketing typically means collaborating or partnering with individuals (often referred to as influencers) who already have a loyal online following in a specific niche. These influencers leverage their following to promote a brand through posts, videos, or stories.

What sets influencer marketing apart is that it feels more like a personal recommendation, rather than an ad. Their followers trust them, so interest and sales often follow. From announcing a product launch to sparking interest in a service, it’s all about connection over cold outreach.

Take cricket legends David Warner and Adam Gilchrist. Tourism Australia brought them in to showcase the best of the country. The campaign was aimed at Indian travellers, and it was delivered. Their familiar faces drew people in, lifted engagement, increased brand visibility, and built real excitement for visiting Australia. This is influencer marketing.

Types of influencers

Big followings don’t always mean big results. It is important to find an influencer who would fit your brand in terms of vision and budget. Let's take a look at the types of influencers.

Nano influencers (1K–10K followers)

Nano influencers post almost every day, and they have an audience. They’re not big celebrities; they’re people whose opinions carry weight with their smaller circles. Nano influencers on Instagram average an engagement rate of about 2.19%, higher than any other².

Take a local footballer in the state league. He shares match clips, training routines, and the occasional game-day post. One week, he casually mentions the small sports store where he gets his shoes. A few days later, the store starts getting more customers asking for that exact pair, mostly from his football circle. That’s the kind of quiet but effective impact nano influencers can have.

Notable:

• Feels like a friend’s recommendation, not an ad
• You don’t need a six-figure marketing budget
• Followers actually talk back
• Great for small businesses targeting a specific city or community

Micro-influencers (10K–100K followers)

Micro-influencers have a good number of followers with whom they maintain a close, personal connection. On Instagram, those in the 10K–50K range see an average engagement rate of 0.99%³. That’s lower than nano influencers, but still good considering their wider reach.

They’re a practical choice if you want a defined audience without the high costs or polished distance that can come with celebrity endorsements. The connection they maintain with their followers feels genuine, while still offering strong visibility for your brand.

Notable

• Good mix of reach and relatability
• Clearly defined audience segments for accurate targeting
• Affordable when compared to macro or celebrity influencers

Macro-influencers (100K–1M followers)

Macro-influencers are well-known in their niche, with a big reach. On Instagram, they average 0.86% engagement³, lower than smaller creators, but their advantage is scale. A single post can put your brand in front of hundreds of thousands of people.

If you need your message to spread quickly but still feel more personal than a celebrity ad, they’re a strong option.

Notable:

• Big audience for instant exposure
• Professional-looking content
• Buzz across different regions
• Trendsetters in their niche
• Selective with partnerships, making their “yes” worth more

Celebrity influencers (1 million+ followers)

These are the big names: athletes, actors, musicians, whose influence goes far beyond their social channels. One post from celebrity influencers can reach millions in a matter of hours. The trade-off is cost and a lack of niche targeting, but the sheer reach and name recognition can be unmatched.

A well-known example is Nespresso’s campaign with George Clooney. It resulted in a 22% jump in global sales, with the UK market alone seeing a 35% boost⁴.

Notable:

• Massive reach, often global
• Instant credibility from name recognition
• Media coverage can amplify their posts
• Ideal for big product launches or brand repositioning
• Less personal engagement compared to smaller influencers

How much does influencer marketing cost?

In Australia, the average cost for influencer marketing⁵ depends upon the platform, niche, and audience size. For smaller creators and nano-influencers, you might pay anywhere from $7 to $145 for a post. Micro-influencers usually charge in the range of $145 to $2,900.

If you are looking at macro-influencers, rates can run from about $7,250 to $29,000 per post. And, if you’re planning on working with mega-influencers with over a million followers, expect around $29,000 or more for a single post.

Influencer Type	Instagram5	TikTok5	YouTube5
Nano	AUD$16–A$156	AUD$5–A$75	AUD$30–A$300
Micro	AUD$150–A$750	AUD$75–A$1,800	AUD$300–A$7,500
Macro	AUD$7,500–A$15,000	AUD$7,500–A$15,000	AUD$15,000–A$30,000
Mega	AUD$15,000+	AUD$15,000+	AUD$30,000+

rounded off values, approximated at the time of publishing this article

Things like usage rights, video length, exclusivity, and how long the campaign runs can all affect the price. Long-term partnerships may cost more at the start, but they often deliver better value over time.

How to manage and pay influencers

Good collaborations start with clarity. Give influencers a clear brief that covers the content style, timelines, and your goals. Then, keep a light record of their posts and results. It’s the easiest way to see what’s working and plan your next move.

Paying them is usually simple, too. You agree on a price, decide if you’ll pay before or after they deliver, and send the money using whatever works best for them, a bank transfer, PayPal, or another payment service.

The problems usually start when you bring in influencers from other countries. Aussie businesses going global often hire creators who know the local audience overseas, which means paying in different currencies like USD, GBP, EUR, or whatever’s local for them. That’s when you run into conversion fees, shifting exchange rates, and different processing times, all of which make budgeting and tracking harder.

This is where solutions like Wise Business takes a lot of that stress away. From one AUD account, you can send money in over 40+ currencies at the real exchange rate. The payment lands in the currency your creator prefers, USD for someone in New York, GBP for one in London, IDR for one in Bali, and it’s all tracked in one place, so you don’t have to bounce between platforms to keep your costs straight.

Sign up for the Wise Business account! 🚀

Building an influencer marketing strategy for your business

When you plan on working with influencers, here are a few things to remember:

• What do you really want? Be clear. More people knowing your brand, more folks on your website, or simply more sales?
• Know your audience. Who are you trying to reach, and where do they hang out online?
• Find the right creators. Look for people who already connect with that audience. Instagram or TikTok hashtags are a good starting point, or try tools like Upfluence.
• Figure out the deal. Will it be a paid post, a product they try, an affiliate link, or a longer-term partnership?
• Watch your results. Keep an eye on clicks, conversions, saves, shares, and what you're actually getting back for your money.

Top influencer marketing platforms (for Australian brands)

Here are a few reliable platforms to find or manage influencer partnerships:

Here are three big influencer marketing trends in 2025, based on the latest insights:

Heepsy: Easy to use if you’re hunting for both micro and macro influencers.

• Best for: Instagram, YouTube, TikTok
• Perks: Search by niche, location, or engagement level to find your match

TRIBE: Homegrown in Australia and perfect for teaming up with everyday creators.

• Best for: Instagram, TikTok, Facebook
• Perks: Post campaign briefs, discover creators, and manage content licensing all in one spot

Influencity: Big on data, with over 170 million influencer profiles to explore.

• Best for: Pretty much every major platform
• Perks: Track campaigns, get detailed reports, and find influencers using smart filters

The Right Fit: Sydney-based and ideal for brands looking for models, photographers, and lifestyle influencers.

• Best for: Fashion, beauty, lifestyle niches
• Perks: Project management tools, easy payment handling, and contract support

Upfluence: A global platform that also works well for Aussie campaigns.

• Best for: Instagram, YouTube, Twitch
• Perks: Tap into a huge influencer database, run outreach, and keep tabs on analytics

Influencer marketing trends in 2025

• AI-powered workflows: In 2025, 66% of marketers say AI has improved their influencer campaigns, with 73% expecting most processes to be automated soon⁶.
• Rise of micro and nano influencers: 73% of brands prefer creators with under 100K followers for their authentic engagement and strong ROI⁷.
• Performance driven platforms: In 2025, brands are optimising influencer campaigns based on the cost per engagement (CPE)⁷ of different content formats. Data shows Instagram Reels lead in engagement with an average CPE of $2.65, Instagram Posts perform strongly in lifestyle niches at $1.52 CPE, and TikTok Videos excel for discovery and product demos but at a higher average CPE of $14.61.

Tips for an effective influencer marketing campaign

Getting started

You don’t have to be a huge brand to work with influencers. If you know what your brand stands for and have at least one product or service you’re ready to promote, you’re good to go. The aim is simple — get your name in front of people you wouldn’t normally reach. Influencers make that possible, whether they’re in the next suburb or on the other side of the world.

Track ROI

ROI should also be a guiding factor during negotiation. Use:

ROI% = (Expected Gain – Cost) / Cost × 100

Example: If you spend AUD 5,000 on a campaign and expect AUD 18,000 in value, your ROI is: 260% ROI. Which means you’re getting $2.60 back for every $1 you invest, a strong indicator that the rate is worth agreeing to.

Build the bond

Don’t just send a pitch. First, show up. Like a few posts. Reply to a story. Show your interest in working with them. Once there’s comfort, the work talk becomes easy. Partnerships last longer that way.

Consider affiliate commission

Affiliate deals pay influencers a percentage of each sale they generate. It’s performance-based, which means they’re motivated to deliver results, and you pay in proportion to the success of the campaign. You can run custom affiliate agreements with creators across blogs, YouTube, podcasts, or social media.

Wise Business: Global influencer payments made simple

Paying influencers should be quick and easy, but in reality, it can be a bit hard. Different currencies, high bank fees, and slow transfers can turn what should be a simple job into a drawn-out process. Sometimes, the amount you send and the amount they actually receive aren’t the same, and that’s a fast way to lose trust.

With Wise Business, it’s straightforward. From one account, you can pay influencers in more than 40+ currencies, all at the real mid-market exchange rate, with low and upfront fees. Your creators shouldn’t have to wait around for their payment. Don’t keep your creators waiting. Paying them quickly shows you value their effort and respect their time, and that kind of dependability helps build trust and keep partnerships strong.

Wise Business helps streamline overseas business payments without foreign transaction fees, saving up to 3x compared to other providers.

• Free to register — Send money to 140+ currencies with no hidden exchange rate markups
• Make up to 1,000 transfers at once with the Wise batch payments feature
• Fast, low-cost payouts to customers, freelancers, employees, investors, and suppliers globally
• Automate invoice payments, recurring transfers, and international payroll
• Fast and fully secure payments through Wise, even for large amounts

Tired of hidden fees and complex processes when making overseas payments?

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This general advice does not take into account your objectives, financial circumstances or needs and you should consider if it is appropriate for you.

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Sources:

1. Influencer Marketing stats
2. Nano influencer
3. Micro & Macro Influencer
4. Celebrity Influencer
5. Influencer cost
6. AI in influencer marketing
7. Engagement metrics