In the spotlight – Influencer marketing in practice (part 1)

Have you ever wondered how influencer marketing actually works in the Netherlands? What started as simple product promotions has evolved into a mature, professional industry. Today, influencers are strategic partners for brands—ranging from FMCG and beauty campaigns on Instagram and TikTok to thought leadership on LinkedIn. In this article, we explore the Dutch influencer landscape. Priscilla Schaap, Client Advisor at OPRG, explains how influencer marketing has developed in the Netherlands and what makes this market unique.

This is the first installment of our three-part series on influencer marketing in the Netherlands.

How would you describe the current state of influencer marketing in the Netherlands?

Influencer marketing in the Netherlands is demonstrably mature, and that is no coincidence. The Netherlands was one of the first European markets where influencer marketing was deployed structurally. About eight years ago, OPRG was already working with influencers for Fitbit, at a time when many other markets were still in an experimental phase. This early adoption has led to a market that is both more professional and more discerning.

The development of influencer marketing is also visible in the numbers. In 2016, the Netherlands had only nine registered influencers; by 2025, that number has grown to 3,231 (BNR, 2021; KVK, 2025). This explosive growth reflects the transition of influencer marketing from a niche tool to a full-fledged, structural component of the marketing communications mix. Simultaneously, the ecosystem grew along with it, featuring specialized agencies, platforms, and increasing budgets (Marketing Report, 2025; Net Influencer, 2025).

Precisely because of this early maturity, the bar in the Netherlands is high. Authenticity and “brand fit” are crucial for credibility and effectiveness. Dutch consumers quickly see through superficial collaborations, meaning mismatches between an influencer and a brand can be counterproductive. As a result, influencers have evolved from reach-driven broadcasters to strategic content partners, with a clear focus on long-term collaborations, substantive relevance, and demonstrable ROI.

Which sectors in the Netherlands utilize influencers the most?

Sectors such as fashion, beauty, lifestyle, food, travel, and gaming use influencer marketing at above-average rates. These industries are highly visual and target a young, digitally active audience.

Within the Dutch beauty market, influencer marketing has become a major growth factor (see NOS-article). Brands use creators structurally to connect brand storytelling, product experience, and community building, with authenticity and relatability at the core.

A concrete Dutch example is HEMA, which won an award last fall for the effectiveness of its influencer marketing strategy in the women’s fashion category. The campaign not only strengthened brand preference but also demonstrably contributed to hitting revenue targets. The strength lay in working with relatable creators, consistent content, and a clear long-term strategy where commercial goals and brand identity reinforced each other. This underscores that influencer marketing is most successful when used structurally and aligned credibly with the brand’s DNA and the audience’s lifestyle (Marketing Report, 2025).

Influencer marketing is also rapidly gaining ground in B2B. Increasingly, companies are deploying thought leaders and experts as influencers on LinkedIn, ranging from sales staff to C-suite executives. By putting their people front and center, organizations not only build stronger relationships with customers and stakeholders but also show the human side of the brand. Research shows that authentic, consistent, and visually appealing posts from leaders significantly increase a company’s reach and credibility (Frankwatching, 2024).

How does the Dutch market differ from larger markets like Germany or the United States?

The Dutch market is relatively small, local, and heavily focused on personal credibility. Collaborations are more direct and are less about scale and more about trust. While larger budgets and rapid, large-scale deployment of UGC (User Generated Content) are common in the United States, success in the Netherlands develops more gradually.

UGC has been a staple in the U.S. for years, whereas this format only truly broke through in the Netherlands in 2024, now gaining serious recognition through awards like The Best Social Awards. As a result, international content cannot be translated one-to-one: what works in the U.S.—often grand, trend-driven, and highly polished—is quickly perceived as too commercial or detached in the Netherlands.

That doesn’t mean polished content never works. On the contrary, if executed professionally, it can be very effective. A good example is the video for Philips Lumea IPL in collaboration with &C and influencer Imaani Noelle. This production, featuring a professional video crew, resonated with the millennial target audience that values aesthetics and quality. Success came from total alignment: storyline, lighting, key messaging, and editing pace. Together with the &C brand studio, platform-specific tailoring was applied, with different edits for TikTok and Instagram to match the specific dynamics and audience of each platform.

Another great example is the collaboration with Cosmopolitan and Nina Houston. These TikTok videos (video 1 and 2) were shot on a phone and targeted Gen Z, for whom authenticity and speed are more important than perfection. The power lay in the synergy between storytelling, key messaging, and the editorial format of the media title. By combining the cultural relevance of the audience with the influencer’s authentic tone of voice, the resulting content felt natural and was not perceived as advertising.

The key is deeply understanding the audience and finding the “golden mean.” Polished content must not feel like an ad, and authentic content must remain sharp in its messaging. When the core message is packaged with the right ingredients: visual appeal, cultural relevance, and alignment with the platform and audience, the result is content that is engaging to watch and demonstrably effective.

Ultimately, what works in the Netherlands is relatable, down-to-earth, and cultural content: creators who stay true to themselves, integrate products naturally, and set a realistic, authentic tone. Campaigns are often smaller in scale but gain relevance and impact because they align seamlessly with the culture and expectations of the Dutch audience.