Influencer marketing in the Gulf has firmly established itself as a central growth driver for brands across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, and Lebanon. Social platforms now define how people discover products, trends, and lifestyles. Marketers no longer ask whether to invest in creators; they ask how to invest wisely.
Drawing from over a decade of experience in digital marketing, influencer strategy, and brand communications, I have seen the Gulf evolve into one of the world’s most dynamic creator economies. From shaping campaigns for global fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands to working with mobile giants and e-commerce disruptors, one truth stands out. Audiences in this region reward authenticity, and brands expect accountability.
As 2025 enters its final quarter, six powerful shifts are defining influencer marketing across the GCC.
1. Short-Form Video Continues to Dominate
Short-form video remains the most powerful format for engagement. TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts command the largest share of attention, outperforming long-form videos across most categories. Quick tutorials, fashion tips, unboxings, or bite-sized travel diaries generate stronger results than TVC-style edits repurposed for social.
In Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, TikTok is increasingly treated as a search engine, while Instagram remains the aspirational platform in Lebanon. Attention spans are shorter, and the content that succeeds hooks viewers within the first three seconds. Brands that invest in entertaining, visually striking, and platform-native content see stronger resonance than those recycling legacy assets.
2. YouTube Collaboration Unlocks Cross-Audience Growth
One of the most significant updates of 2025 is YouTube’s new collaboration feature, which allows a video creator to invite up to five other channels to join a single video or Short. Once live, the content surfaces in the subscription feeds and often the home pages of all participating audiences.
For GCC marketers, this is a breakthrough. A beauty brand can partner with five influencers across fashion, skincare, and lifestyle in one drop. A travel brand can unite food, culture, and adventure creators into a single short travelogue. A tech launch can achieve multi-channel unboxings in one coordinated release.
This shift turns collaborations from one-off shoutouts into true co-visibility. Having worked closely with YouTube creators in both India and the Gulf, I see this as one of the most impactful updates in years. It allows brands to tap into diverse yet engaged communities, while creators gain exposure to new audiences without losing ownership or revenue.
3. Micro-Influencers and Local Voices Gain Ground
Celebrity influencers still hold weight, but the GCC is increasingly embracing micro and nano creators. Their smaller, tightly knit communities foster trust and relatability, two factors that now outweigh sheer reach.
Food bloggers in Saudi Arabia, fashion creators in Kuwait, and lifestyle storytellers in Lebanon who post in local dialects or infuse culturally relevant humor consistently outperform big names in engagement. Brands are moving away from follower counts as the primary filter and focusing instead on creators whose audiences genuinely believe in them.
4. Metrics That Matter Are Evolving
Vanity metrics are losing importance. In Q4, brands are measuring campaigns through deeper signals of impact.
- Accounts Reached: the number of unique viewers who actually saw the content
Accounts Engaged: a stronger measure of interaction beyond passive viewing - Average Watch Time (AWT): completion rate as a signal of true attention
- Views vs Engagement Rate: views show consumption, while ER without context can mislead
The takeaway is clear. Single viral posts are no longer enough. Brands now want sustained engagement and measurable contribution to business goals. Having built strategies around these evolving KPIs for global and regional clients, I see this shift as a healthy professionalization of the industry. It is now less about hype and more about impact.
5. Social Commerce and Performance Partnerships
The intersection of social and commerce continues to deepen. Shoppable posts, affiliate links, live shopping, and promo codes are now standard in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Performance-based models are gaining traction, with influencers compensated not just per post but also based on sales or leads generated. This model benefits both sides. Brands gain accountability and clear ROI, while creators with real influence are rewarded proportionately for driving results.
6. Seasonal and Cultural Themes Shape Q4 Content
The final quarter of the year in the GCC brings unique cultural and lifestyle triggers that brands are aligning with.
- National Day Pride: Campaigns tied to the UAE on Dec 2, Qatar on Dec 18, and Oman on Nov 18 resonate strongly when rooted in heritage, unity, and local pride
- Travel and Winter Escapes: Cooler weather makes destinations like Red Sea resorts, European getaways, and Moroccan coasts popular themes for travel and lifestyle content
- Wellness and Year-End Reset: As the year closes, audiences shift toward fitness, nutrition, mindfulness, and personal development. Health, F&B, and wellness brands gain strong engagement when they connect with this mindset
The Way Forward
Influencer marketing in the GCC is no longer experimental. It is strategic. The strongest campaigns in Q4 2025 are those that choose the right creators, enable genuine culturally rooted storytelling, and measure results through metrics that truly matter.
Over the past 10 years, I have seen influencer marketing in this region evolve from simple endorsements to an integrated, ROI-driven discipline. From launching disruptive campaigns in fashion and beauty to building regionally nuanced strategies in mobile and lifestyle, one lesson has remained constant. Success comes not from chasing every trend but from aligning campaigns with culture, credibility, and measurable outcomes.
Brands that embrace this shift in Q4 2025 will not only capture attention but also earn long-term trust in one of the fastest growing digital markets in the world.
