Day 2 of DMWF Asia sparked some interesting discussions on how brands adapt to revolutionary changes in the digital marketing landscape.

From influencer collaborations to data-driven decision-making, the conversations highlighted how businesses are navigating changing social media algorithms, leveraging AI and building authentic connections with their audiences.

Key takeaways from today’s sessions and discussions shed light on emerging trends, including the role of AI in influencer marketing, the importance of measuring brand health and strategies for maximising social media impact in an increasingly competitive space.

Trust over traditional ads

One of the biggest shifts in digital marketing is how influencer partnerships are reshaping the way brands connect with audiences.

Traditional advertising is no longer as effective as it once was, with consumers now relying on social proof before making a purchase. Instead of simply seeing an ad and buying a product, today’s consumers cross-check multiple platforms, look for reviews, and seek validation from influencers before making a decision.

“Traditional marketing still works, but it has to evolve,” said Joshua Mok, business development manager of Social Jet. “People now place more trust in recommendations. When they see something they’re interested in, they don’t just buy it immediately – they look for others talking about it, sharing their experiences. That’s where influencers play a huge role.”

This shift means brands need to move beyond polished ads and focus on authentic storytelling. Rather than treating influencers as just another ad channel, brands should position them as storytellers who bring a product to life in a way that resonates with real audiences.

Leveraging employee-generated content for authenticity

Alongside influencer marketing, employee-generated content (EGC) is emerging as a powerful trend. Instead of relying solely on external creators, brands are recognising the value of empowering their own employees as content creators.

“A big trend right now is leveraging employee-generated content,” said Shermaine Wong, CEO and co-founder, Cult Creative. “Brands can identify key employees who are great creators and train them to share their experiences in an authentic way. TikTok is an especially strong platform for this.”

One example Shermaine shared was a campaign where a company discovered a group of content creators among its own workforce. By training them to create better content and understand trends, the brand was able to turn employees into authentic advocates, leading to more organic engagement.

“People want authenticity,” she added. “There’s a lot of AI content out there, but human connection is more important than ever. When brands build creators within their own community, it builds trust and strengthens the brand-consumer relationship.”

Maximising social media reach

With social media algorithms favouring creator-driven content over brand posts, brands need a different approach to maximise their reach. A common two-pillar strategy being used successfully is:

1. Organic content testing – Brands publish organic content across platforms and track performance.
2. Boosting high-performing content – Once a post performs well organically, brands invest in paid ads to amplify its reach.

“Rather than guessing what will work, we post 10 pieces of content and watch how they perform. If 2 or 3 of them overperform, we double down and run ads on them,” Mok explained. “This ensures brands only invest in content that’s already resonating with audiences.”

This data-driven approach removes the uncertainty around paid campaigns, allowing brands to spend their ad budget more effectively while ensuring maximum engagement.

Choosing the right influencers

Selecting the right influencers is a crucial step in any successful campaign, but many brands still rely on surface-level metrics like follower count instead of real audience insights.

Shermaine emphasised the importance of looking beyond basic engagement metrics. “There are great tools available for this. At Cult Creative, we have a media kit feature where creators link their Instagram and TikTok. Beyond just tracking engagement and followers, we provide deeper insights into their audience demographics,” she explained.

“For example, if I’m a mother of three and a businesswoman, my audience might be 70% females in high-powered positions who are also becoming mothers. A brand working with me can clearly target that segment of consumers,” Shermaine said.

She also pointed out that brands should look beyond likes and engagement rates and analyse:

• Shareability – How often are posts being shared?
• Comment sections – Are there meaningful conversations happening?
• Watch time – Are non-followers engaging with the content?

By using data-driven insights, brands can ensure they partner with the right influencers and reach their ideal audience more effectively.

Measuring influencer campaign success beyond likes & shares

One of the biggest challenges brands face in influencer marketing is properly tracking success. Many still rely on vanity metrics like likes and shares, which don’t always reflect real impact.

“The biggest pain point we hear from brands is that they don’t have a proper system to measure influencer campaign success,” said Mok. “It’s not just about the influencers you work with, but about understanding what kind of results are directly attributable to them.”

To address this, more brands are turning to trackable performance indicators such as:

• UTM links to track traffic sources
• Promo codes to measure direct conversions
• Pixel tracking & integrations for deeper attribution data

By implementing these data-backed tracking methods, brands can accurately measure ROI and ensure their influencer partnerships are delivering real business value.

What’s next for influencer marketing in 2025?

As brands plan for the future, the buyer’s journey continues to evolve. Influencers—and even smaller content creators—are playing a bigger role in shaping purchasing decisions, and brands that fail to adapt risk falling behind.

“The biggest shift isn’t about whether influencer marketing will work – it’s already essential,” said Mok. “The key is for brands to fully embrace the fact that consumers now trust creators more than traditional ads. Whether it’s a big-name influencer or a micro-creator, they’re shaping brand perception and driving real engagement.”

For brands, the challenge in 2025 isn’t just about working with influencers – it’s about using the right data, selecting the right voices, and ensuring content feels authentic rather than promotional.

See also: Digital marketing leaders tackle AI integration at DMWF Asia 2025: Day 1 highlights

Interested in hearing leading global brands discuss subjects like this in person? Find out more about Digital Marketing World Forum (#DMWF) Europe, London, North America, and Singapore.