Brands worldwide invested $32.55 billion in influencers in 2024, with U.S. leading in collaborations.Marketers prefer Instagram and TikTok to engage with Gen Z and millennials.Verticals like fashion, beauty, lifestyle, AI, and technology are high adopters of influencer marketing.Brands paid an average of $200 for influencer projects, with pricing variations across platforms.YouTube influencers charged $675 on average, whereas Instagram influencers settled for $212 last year.Pricing differs by verticals; influencers in comedy and entertainment niche are paid more.Approximately 72% of influencers are female, with TikTok and Instagram having predominantly female influencers.Realizing ROI challenges, brands are turning to small campaigns with niche influencers for targeted audiences.User-Generated Content (UGC) is gaining popularity, with brands paying around $198 per use.AI is being used for influencer campaigns to manage costs, but authenticity concerns persist.