Influencer Marketing in Southeast Asia:
The Power of Authentic Voices

Published on December 24, 2024

The State of Influencer Marketing in Southeast Asia 

Influencer marketing isn't just another trend—it's reshaping how Southeast Asian brands drive results. As the region's market hits $693.70 million in 2024, smart companies are moving beyond surface-level metrics to tap into what really works: authentic community voices that convert.

With 527.23 million social media users in Southeast Asia spending over 2 hours daily online, traditional advertising isn't cutting it anymore. Major players like Philippine’s ZALORA and Indonesia’s Tokopedia, along with multinational corporations like Unilever, are already capitalising on this shift.

The numbers tell the story: while only 33% of users trust mobile ads, 92% trust recommendations from real people. This gap isn't just a statistic—it's your competitive advantage.

The State of Influencer Marketing in Southeast Asia 

With 70% of Southeast Asia's population active on social media, micro and nano-influencers are proving their worth through engaged communities and genuine content. 

These smaller-scale influencers deliver higher engagement rates while maintaining authenticity—making them valuable partners for brands seeking meaningful connections. What makes these voices so effective in building consumer trust?

In Southeast Asia, influence isn't just about follower count—it's about trust. With 55% of consumers citing authenticity as their key reason for following influencers, the landscape has shifted towards more genuine connections.

Why Micro-Influencers Drive Higher Engagement

The numbers back this up: Nano-influencers with 5,000-20,000 followers achieve 3.69% engagement rates, while micro-influencers (20,000-60,000 followers) maintain 2.25%—both significantly outperforming macro-influencers' 1.61% rate.

Here's how different influencer tiers shape brand engagement in the region:

Source: Forbes

The impact speaks for itself: 80% of Asian consumers who follow influencers make purchases based on recommendations, while 70% of Filipino consumers have bought products through influencer marketing. Micro and nano-influencers consistently generate higher engagement rates as Their authenticity resonates deeply with audiences looking for genuine recommendations rather than polished advertisements.

1. Build Trust Through Authenticity

Trust stems from relatability—46% of Southeast Asian consumers rely on nano-influencer recommendations, while only 20% trust celebrity endorsements.

Unlike polished celebrity endorsements, these everyday influencers share genuine experiences that resonate with their communities. Their authentic approach creates meaningful connections that naturally drive purchasing decisions.

2. Understanding Local Market Impact

These influencers are known for their deep cultural understanding. They speak the language and cultural cues of local communities, understand regional nuances, and create content that truly connects with specific audience segments.

As consumers become increasingly discerning, this culturally-relevant approach becomes even more valuable for brands to create targeted marketing campaigns with better engagement rates and generate higher social buzz among their key market segments.

Data-Driven Influencer Marketing Success Stories

1. Skin Inc: Driving Beauty Market Growth

In Malaysia and Singapore's competitive beauty market, here's how crowd influence transformed a global skincare brand's local presence.

The Challenge: Skin Inc, a global leader in customised skincare, needed to increase brand awareness and drive app downloads for their Sabi+ skin analysis platform in Malaysia, as well as grow their app usage in their home country Singapore. The key was connecting with beauty-conscious mothers who value personalised skincare solutions.

The Strategy

Through Supermom's platform, Skin Inc activated:

• 300 Key Opinion Moms (KOMs) across Malaysia and Singapore
• Target reach of 600,000 across Instagram and Facebook communities
• Focus on authentic product experiences and real skincare journeys

Campaign Results

The impact exceeded expectations across all metrics:

• Total Reach: 1,036,697 (5.8x target)
• Total Impressions: 3,110,091
• Instagram Engagement: 17,097 meaningful interactions
• Facebook Group Activity: Over 90 active parenting communities engaged
• Brand Following: Grew from 3 to 295 followers during campaign period
• Media Value: Generated $720,730 in earned media value

What made this campaign particularly effective was how KOMs authentically shared their personalised skincare experiences. The emphasis on real results and genuine testimonials resonated deeply with the target audience, creating natural conversations around skincare routines.

Also Read: AI in Skincare: How Skin Inc Singapore Reached 3M+ Users 

2. Royco: Engaging Indonesian Communities

  A household name for over 30 years, Royco faced a modern challenge: creating meaningful engagement with Indonesian urban moms. Despite leading the seasoning market, the brand needed to strengthen its connection with local audiences through authentic voices.

The Strategy

Through Supermom's platform, 399 Key Opinion Moms (KOMs) shared their real cooking experiences using Royco products. These home cooks recreated signature recipes from renowned chefs, bringing professional-level dishes into everyday kitchens.

• 300 Key Opinion Moms (KOMs) across Malaysia and Singapore
• Target reach of 600,000 across Instagram and Facebook communities
• Focus on authentic product experiences and real skincare journeys

Campaign Impact

• 601,614 reach across social platforms
• 1,583,458 meaningful engagements
• 19% average engagement rate
• 399 active KOM participants

The campaign demonstrated how authentic content from real Indonesian moms could transform brand conversations. These trusted voices showed how Royco's seasonings simplify complex dishes like Gulai, Rendang, and Rawon—making traditional cooking accessible to modern families.

Also Read: Data Driven Influencer Marketing: How Royco Reaches 600K+ 

Measuring Influencer Marketing ROI

Southeast Asia's influencer market is rapidly approaching $700 million, pushing brands beyond vanity metrics into hard performance data. While 78% of marketers now prioritise conversion rates over follower counts, 65% focus specifically on direct revenue attribution from their influencer campaigns.

Moreover, this emphasis on measurable outcomes isn't just a passing trend. According to recent market studies, 82% of Southeast Asian brands now require detailed performance analytics from their influencer partnerships.

Despite the industry average ROI for influencer marketing standing at 5.78x, data-driven influencer marketing consistently achieves 11x higher returns than traditional digital media – a testament to the power of combining market insights with targeted community engagement.

Transform Your Southeast Asian Marketing Strategy

Partner with Supermom's Crowd Influence platform to connect with authentic voices that drive real results. Our platform connects brands with micro and nano-influencers, turning everyday consumers into authentic brand advocates.

Our Network Reach:

• 10+ million profiled parents across Southeast Asia
• 500,000+ Key Opinion Mothers (KOMs)
• 90% female and millennial demographic
• 1,000,000+ successful KOM activations
• 5.3M+ campaign engagement (likes and comments)

The impact of authentic parent voices speaks through our performance data:

Contact Supermom today to start creating meaningful connections with your audience.