Malaysia’s influencer marketing landscape is entering a more mature phase, with brands increasingly prioritising long-term consumer trust, awareness-building and diversified platform strategies, according to AnyMind Group’s Influencer Marketing in Malaysia 2026 report.
The report by AnyMind Group, a BPaaS (Business Process as a Service) company specialising in marketing, e-commerce and digital transformation solutions, analysed three years of first-party data from its AnyTag platform to examine trends shaping Malaysia’s creator economy.
The findings showed that Malaysia’s influencer marketing ecosystem differs from wider regional trends, where many Asian markets are moving rapidly towards performance-based campaigns.
Instead, Malaysian brands continue to place strong emphasis on awareness-driven campaigns, community engagement and authentic storytelling as key drivers of consumer connection.
Awareness remains the foundation of influencer campaigns
According to the report, awareness-led campaigns accounted for 70% of total influencer marketing activity in Malaysia.
Performance-driven campaigns, which focus on measurable outcomes such as engagement rates and link clicks, declined temporarily in 2024 to 21% before recovering to 30% in 2025.
The rebound indicates that while brands are increasingly seeking measurable returns from influencer partnerships, awareness and brand-building remain critical in influencing Malaysian consumers.
“While other regional markets are moving towards outcome-driven goals, local brands continue to see the immense value of awareness-led storytelling to build real consumer trust,” said Lee Chin Chuan, Country Manager, Malaysia, AnyMind Group.
He added that brands are increasingly looking for cross-platform strategies that combine TikTok’s reach, Instagram’s visual appeal and XiaoHongShu’s discovery-driven ecosystem.
TikTok closes gap with Instagram as brands diversify platforms
The report highlighted a significant shift in Malaysia’s influencer marketing platform landscape, with brands moving away from an Instagram-dominated environment.
TikTok’s share of influencer marketing campaigns surged from just 8% in 2023 to 44% in 2025, placing it almost on par with Instagram, which accounted for 48% of campaigns.
Brands are now adopting dual-platform approaches, leveraging Instagram for lifestyle-oriented and premium visual content while using TikTok’s short-form video format to achieve wider reach and faster engagement.
XiaoHongShu emerges as key platform for high-intent consumers
Beyond TikTok and Instagram, XiaoHongShu has established itself as an important third pillar in Malaysia’s creator ecosystem, accounting for more than 7% of official brand influencer campaigns.
The platform has gained traction as a search and recommendation-driven community where consumers seek detailed reviews, practical information and authentic experiences before making purchasing decisions.
XiaoHongShu captured more than 28% of campaign spending in the Lifestyle & Home category, reflecting its growing influence among consumers making higher-consideration purchases.
The platform also differs from mainstream social media channels in terms of content preferences.
While Instagram and TikTok campaigns remain concentrated around broad-interest categories such as Entertainment (23%), Fashion & Beauty (23%) and Food & Drink (14%), XiaoHongShu focuses more heavily on Lifestyle & Home (31%) and Travel (23%), alongside Fashion & Beauty (25%).
Creator partnerships shift towards long-term brand building
AnyMind said the findings suggest that successful influencer marketing strategies in Malaysia increasingly depend on trusted creator communities, particularly nano- and micro-influencers, rather than short-term promotional campaigns.
Brands that combine TikTok’s mass awareness capabilities, Instagram’s brand storytelling strengths and XiaoHongShu’s lifestyle-focused discovery model are better positioned to build consumer confidence and convert interest into purchasing decisions.
As Malaysia’s creator economy continues to develop, the report noted that brands are likely to view influencer partnerships as an ongoing strategic investment rather than seasonal marketing activities, with authenticity and trust becoming central to long-term brand equity.
