Influencer marketing has become an integral part of brands’ everyday strategies. Formats are diversifying, practices are becoming increasingly professional, and real-time, AI-powered analytics are growing more sophisticated. Above all, the wide range of influencer profiles makes this form of digital word-of-mouth accessible to brands of all sizes and budgets. According to Reech’s 2026 study, 69% of brands plan to increase their influencer marketing budgets. Their priorities are clear: building trust between content creators and their audiences (67%), producing creative content (67%), and achieving precise, targeted reach (52%). [1]
One of the most popular formats is seeding — a practice that involves sending complimentary products or samples to influencers in the hope that they will share their experience with their audience. With no obligation to post, this approach is particularly prevalent in the niche sector, as it preserves creators’ freedom of expression.
Facilitating platforms
Creators With Benefit, an agency specializing in influencer marketing for niche perfume brands, notes that some clients — once reluctant to entrust their storytelling to influencers — have now recognized the value of authentic voices in driving engagement.
“The audience is looking for authenticity. We don’t give briefs to perfume-focused influencers. We provide information about materials to others, whose communities aren’t necessarily well-versed in this subject. They approach perfume from angles such as design, brand history, or the moment they wear the fragrance. It works well,” says Nicolas Pieri, founder of the agency. “When selecting influencers, one of our primary criteria remains the format. For example, vlogs or candid FaceTime content create a very strong connection with the audience.”
To support the goals of marketing and communications teams, various solutions make it possible to manage campaigns either independently or with expert guidance. They enable the identification of influencer profiles based on data processed by AI. The Kolsquare solution features a semantic search engine that allows for refining the search and then measuring “audience sentiment” after analyzing comments left following a post. These technologies are increasing the professionalization of the sector. They deliver reliable indicators, with real-time performance dashboards (organic reach and engagement).
Other KPIs not to be overlooked, according to Nicolas Pieri, include increased traffic to the brand’s website and sales in stores or on Shopify. "However, our agency recommends long-term, in-depth work rather than one-off campaigns," he emphasizes.
Expert or lifestyle profiles
In France and internationally, some influencers belong to the professional ecosystem, such as @nissouparfum, co-founder of the Uni/vere perfumery, or @manotedecœur, a sales agent for independent brands. Based in London, @funmimonet is a graduate of ISIPCA. She recently announced the creation of her own brand, Influxious, incubated by Sephora Accelerate.
"Alongside these profiles highly valued by niche brands, other fashion, beauty, and lifestyle influencers are increasingly spotlighting exclusive perfume houses, helping to broaden and rejuvenate their audiences,” observes Nicolas Pieri. Influencer marketing is reshaping the discovery process: “Consumers are now willing to purchase discovery sets or travel sizes sight unseen. Some even walk into perfume boutiques with a TikTok screenshot in hand.”
Each account retains full control over its editorial direction. Among micro- and nano-influencers, creativity, authenticity, expertise, and often a distinct artistic vision align naturally with the niche fragrance market, which operates with different goals and budgets than mainstream perfumery.
For example, @monsieurparfum_offdelivers reviews and advice to a combined community of 575,000 followers across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. @clemenceccfragrance alternates between educational carousels and more personal reels. @elle_au_parfum adds a very personal narrative dimension to his discoveries. @theperfumeguy is an authority on YouTube recommendations; he is also the driving force behind ScentFest SF, a new festival in San Francisco. @angelo.danmade, a passionate enthusiast, approaches perfume from an artistic perspective, expressing it through a rich interplay of visual and pictorial correspondences.
The agency Creators With Benefit focuses its efforts on Instagram (40%), TikTok (40%), and YouTube (20%), while also noting the rise of the Substack platform, which allows for the creation of high-value content. “Since 2020-2022, TikTok has evolved into a mainstream platform reaching all socio-demographic groups. Luxury and niche perfume brands were initially slow to adopt it due to concerns about the content being published. By 2026, the TikTok creator ecosystem is mature, and average engagement is significantly higher than on Instagram,” the agency explains.
Along with sincerity, the other key quality of creators lies in their mastery of social media codes and their agility, as exemplified by @Quodo_. A fragrance creator and cultural commentator, he is active on Instagram while also sharing content on Reddit, TikTok, Discord, and through his newsletter — a truly impressive reach!
