The Zagreb-based agency Dialog komunikacije has presented the results of DIABLOG, the latest and most comprehensive overview of the domestic creator economy.
Marina Čulić Fischer, Director of Dialog, stated: “The last study was conducted in 2020, and the comparison between the two periods clearly shows that Croatian influencer marketing has undergone significant professionalisation and revenue growth in the past five years, but is also facing new challenges such as negative public sentiment and regulation, particularly in the context of brand collaborations and the use of AI tools.”
Influencer marketing is led by young women
According to the study, 47.6% of creators in influencer marketing have been active for more than five years, confirming that the scene has evolved into a stable and professional industry. At the same time, as many as 90.5% of creators monetise their content, and 38.1% list influencer marketing as their main source of income.
The industry remains predominantly female and urban: 89.2% of respondents are women, and 69% live in Zagreb. Both creators and their audiences are most dominant in the 25–34 age group, clearly positioning influencer marketing as a market driven by young adult women.
Instagram remains the first choice
All creators who participated in the study (100%) are active on Instagram, which remains the key platform for collaborations and community growth. TikTok is used by 78.6% of respondents, making it the second most important platform. The dominant content trend is short-form video. The most popular topics continue to be lifestyle, beauty, fashion and travel.
Income growth expected next year
More than 46% of creators earn over €1,000 per month from their online activities, and 73.8% expect further income growth in the next year. The biggest obstacle to continued business development, according to respondents, is algorithms — specifically, the decline of organic reach.
AI usage must be disclosed
More than half of creators (54.8%) welcome the regulation of influencer marketing. In addition, most agree that transparency is essential, both regarding brand collaborations and the use of AI tools in content creation. Creators believe AI should be disclosed whenever it forms a significant part of sponsored content.
Authenticity is the currency of trust
Authenticity is a core personal value for respondents: 82.1% consider it “very important”, and most say they build audience trust primarily by choosing to collaborate with brands they personally believe in. As many as 93% of content creators have rejected a brand collaboration at least once due to a mismatch with their own values.
The biggest issue is negative public sentiment
The vast majority of respondents (74.7%) believe that negative public sentiment is the biggest problem facing the domestic influencer scene. Creators point out that this sentiment affects perceptions of professionalism, content quality and business opportunities.
Looking ahead, creators see their development in higher-quality production, stronger connections with the media and expanding into offline activities, confirming that the domestic scene is entering a new phase of growth that will shape the next period of influencer marketing in Croatia.
