Influencer Marketing Is Maturing. It’s Time Agency Fees and Contracts Did Too.

For many marketers the use of influencers and creators has become a key part of their marketing mix, with some sources suggesting that the influencer economy may reach $43.9 billion in 2026(1).

With this growth has come a number of high-profile announcements and debates surrounding the scale and nature of influencer marketing spend. Notably, the CEO of Unilever announced that the FMCG giant plans to allocate 50% of its media budget to social channels and increase its investment in influencer marketing twentyfold(2).

What is clear though, is that for many scopes, agency fees, tech fees, and payments to influencers are still anything but clear.

A recent study from the ANA(3) found:

52% of marketers use a hybrid approach to influencer marketing, combining in-house teams with external partners. Meanwhile, 32% rely mainly on external agencies and 16% manage influencer relationships primarily in-house, though in-housing is increasing.
One-third of marketers now managing influencer marketing in-house previously used agencies. The main drivers for bringing it in-house are better brand knowledge, greater control, and cost efficiency.
Among marketers who work with agencies, influencer and creative agencies dominate, used by 83% of respondents. PR agencies follow at 36%, while media, creative, and talent agencies are the least commonly used.
Project-based payment models the most common, used by 55% of marketers, compared with 45% who work on retainers. However, only 25% tie agency compensation to specific KPIs.
Transparency remains a challenge, with only 51% of marketers having full clarity on influencer fees. On the agency side, 39% report transparent compensation methods, while 31% acknowledge the use of non-transparent practices.
Satisfaction with compensation agreements is mixed: 27% are dissatisfied, 48% are somewhat satisfied, and only 25% report being very satisfied.

At Flock, we’ve been helping bring transparency, accountability and effectiveness to the often complex and sometimes murky world of influencer marketing. Our team has extensive experience across KPIs, remuneration models, agency and influencer contracts, and payment structures. We’ve developed scope and fee benchmarks through our agency management platform, Optima, and have practical hands-on experience operationalising influencer marketing programmes. We’ve also been leading the charge in integrating influencer marketing with sister disciplines such as PR and Social in many of our recent agency ecosystem projects.

So, what is our advice when it comes to the commercial aspects of influencer marketing?

Look three years ahead. What will your consumers and the business demand of you? Define the KPIs that will truly measure success.
Write scopes with the future in mind. Develop agency, technology and influencer scopes that reflect where your influencer marketing programme is heading, not just where it is today.
Design the right ecosystem. Build an agency, technology and influencer ecosystem that supports those future ambitions.
Conduct a benchmarking exercise. Compare your agency scopes, remuneration models, contracts, rates and pass through costs alongside those influencer contracts, and costs.
Drive transparency and accountability. Change what is necessary to make your influencer marketing spend accountable, transparent, and effective.
Audit and appraise regularly. Review agency performance and commercial arrangements to ensure they remain effective, competitive and aligned with your objectives.

Not sure where to start? Book a quick 30 minute meeting here, or fill in our contact form below with your specific needs and we’ll be in touch!

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Influencer Marketing Is Maturing. It’s Time Agency Fees and Contracts Did Too.

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