iCubesWire has released its Influencer Marketing Consumer Report 2026, highlighting how influencer credibility has continued to shape consumer trust, brand perception, and buying behavior. The report has found that influencer marketing has evolved beyond visibility to become a key driver of credibility, consideration, and conversion.
The findings have shown that 61% of consumers believe influencer content has become more credible in 2025, while 70% have said influencer recommendations have significantly influenced their purchase decisions. Compared to earlier years, the report has indicated that consumers have started evaluating influencer endorsements more critically before making buying decisions.
The study has revealed a shift in trust toward micro-influencers, with 35% of consumers placing the highest trust in creators with 10K–100K followers, followed by those with under 10K followers at 30%. Only 20% have expressed the highest trust in influencers with over one million followers, signaling a move away from high-reach creators toward perceived authenticity and relatability.
The report has also underscored the risks influencers pose to brand reputation. It has found that 83% of consumers have stopped buying from a brand after encountering a negative influencer review. Trust erosion has been primarily linked to controversies around influencer behavior (76%) and misleading content (20%), reinforcing the importance of ethical alignment and long-term creator partnerships.
Brand loyalty has emerged as another key expectation, with 79% of consumers stating that influencers should demonstrate consistent affiliation with brands rather than one-off endorsements. The findings have suggested that audiences are becoming more skeptical of transactional promotions and more receptive to sustained, credible collaborations.
The research has indicated that influencer content often serves as a starting point rather than the final trigger in the purchase journey. After viewing influencer content, 41% of consumers have visited brand websites, 31% have searched on YouTube or Google, and only 11% have made decisions without further research. This has highlighted the growing importance of strong post-click experiences, landing pages, and clear brand messaging.
In terms of content format, the report has found that short-form video continues to dominate consumer attention, with 42% preferring videos under 15 seconds and 28% favoring videos between 15 seconds and one minute. Long-form content has attracted only 10% of viewers, suggesting brands should prioritize concise, high-impact formats while using longer content selectively for deeper engagement.
Platform preferences have shown Instagram leading influencer content consumption at 55%, followed by YouTube at 25% and LinkedIn at 20%. The rise of LinkedIn has pointed to expanding opportunities in B2B, professional, and thought-leadership-focused creator strategies.
The report has further revealed a shift toward silent content consumption, with 65% of users watching videos without sound. As a result, visual storytelling and captions have become more critical, with 62% of viewers actively reading captions to understand the message.
Additionally, the findings have highlighted the growing influence of local language and authenticity, with 72% of consumers stating they are more likely to purchase when influencers communicate in their regional language. The insights have emphasized an increasing preference for honest reviews, cultural relevance, and consumer-first storytelling over overtly promotional messaging.
