Top influencer marketing platforms across APAC according to AnyMind 2026 report
Influencer marketing works differently across Asia, with each market favoring different platforms, creators, and campaign strategies.
Influencer marketing strategies in Asia are far from uniform. While TikTok dominates discovery in Southeast Asia, other markets such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan follow very different platform ecosystems.
New data from the State of Influence in APAC 2026 report highlights how platform preferences, engagement patterns, and creator strategies vary widely across countries. For brands expanding into Asia, understanding these local dynamics is essential.
This article explores how influencer marketing works across key APAC markets and what marketers should know before launching regional creator campaigns.
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Here’s a table of contents for quick access:
- Why Southeast Asia is becoming a TikTok first influencer market
- How Hong Kong and Taiwan rely on Instagram led ecosystems
- Japan’s unique influencer ecosystem built around Instagram and X
- Why Xiaohongshu is rising as a discovery and research platform
- What marketers should know before running influencer campaigns in APAC
Patrecia Meliana
Why Southeast Asia is becoming a TikTok first influencer market
Across Southeast Asia, TikTok has become the dominant platform for influencer campaigns. Markets such as Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, and the Philippines rely heavily on short-form video for both discovery and engagement. In Cambodia, for example, TikTok accounts for over two-thirds of influencer campaign usage, making it the primary channel for brand awareness and viral reach.
Indonesia shows a similar pattern. TikTok and Instagram together account for nearly all influencer activity, but TikTok plays the leading role in trend-driven campaigns and high-volume consumer engagement.
Several factors explain TikTok’s dominance across Southeast Asia:
- Mobile-first audiences that favor short-form content
- Rapid growth of social commerce and in-app shopping
- High engagement rates among nano and micro influencers
- Platform algorithms that reward creative, authentic storytelling
In many cases, brands now treat TikTok as the primary awareness engine, while other platforms support deeper engagement or conversion.
How Hong Kong and Taiwan rely on Instagram led ecosystems
In contrast to Southeast Asia, influencer marketing in Hong Kong and Taiwan remains heavily centered around Instagram.
In Hong Kong, Instagram captures the largest share of influencer campaigns and maintains strong engagement rates across creator tiers. At the same time, Xiaohongshu has emerged as a major secondary platform, attracting audiences who use it to research products before making purchases.
Taiwan also follows a visually driven influencer ecosystem. Instagram dominates creator activity and marketing investment, particularly in sectors such as fashion, beauty, and lifestyle products.
However, Taiwan differs slightly from Hong Kong because Facebook still plays an important role. Many brands use Facebook communities to drive trust, discussion, and conversion among older demographics.
For marketers, this means that visual storytelling and aesthetic branding remain critical in these markets, particularly for lifestyle and beauty brands.
Japan's unique influencer ecosystem built around Instagram and X
Japan stands out as one of the most distinct influencer markets in Asia. Unlike most Southeast Asian countries, Japan relies heavily on a combination of Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). These platforms together account for the majority of influencer marketing activity in the country.
Instagram serves as the primary channel for visual storytelling and brand collaborations, particularly in fashion, beauty, and lifestyle sectors.
Meanwhile, X plays a unique role in Japan’s social media landscape. The platform supports fast-moving conversations, trending topics, and real-time discussions, making it a valuable tool for announcements, product launches, and community engagement.
Although TikTok usage continues to grow in Japan, it currently plays a more specialized role focused on short-form entertainment and viral content rather than mainstream campaign activity.
For international brands, Japan’s platform mix requires a multi-format approach combining visuals, video, and real-time social conversation.
Why Xiaohongshu is rising as a discovery and research platform
Beyond the major global platforms, Xiaohongshu is becoming one of the most influential discovery platforms in parts of Asia.
The platform has gained traction in markets such as Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore, where consumers increasingly use it to research products, read creator reviews, and explore lifestyle recommendations.
Unlike TikTok’s fast entertainment format, Xiaohongshu is known for:
- High-intent product discovery
- Detailed reviews and tutorials
- Community-driven recommendations
- Strong influence in beauty, fashion, and travel categories
Because users often arrive on Xiaohongshu with purchase intent, brands are beginning to treat the platform as a performance channel for conversion, not just awareness. This trend is expected to accelerate as the platform expands its social commerce features.
What marketers should know before running influencer campaigns in APAC
For marketers planning regional campaigns, the biggest takeaway is that Asia is not a single influencer marketing market. Instead, each country has its own platform dynamics, audience behavior, and creator ecosystem.
Here are several strategic lessons for brands expanding across APAC:
- Local platform dominance matters
TikTok dominates Southeast Asia, while Instagram leads in markets like Hong Kong and Taiwan.
- Creator strategies must adapt by country
The mix of nano, micro, and macro influencers should vary depending on audience behavior.
- Multi-platform campaigns are often necessary
Consumers frequently discover products on one platform and research them on another.
- Commerce integration is accelerating
Platforms like TikTok and Xiaohongshu increasingly support direct purchases and affiliate marketing.
- Authenticity is critical across markets
Relatable creators and community-driven storytelling outperform highly polished brand campaigns.
Understanding these differences allows brands to build influencer strategies that feel native to each market instead of applying a single global playbook. Influencer marketing across APAC is evolving quickly, but the region’s diversity means marketers must avoid one-size-fits-all strategies.
While TikTok dominates discovery in Southeast Asia, Instagram remains central in several markets, and platforms like Xiaohongshu and X introduce unique dynamics depending on the country.
Brands that succeed in Asia will be those that combine local platform expertise, authentic creator partnerships, and commerce-driven influencer strategies. In a region defined by cultural diversity and rapidly changing platforms, adaptability is the most valuable marketing skill.
