Dubai Influencer Marketing News

An Industry at a Turning Point

By Tatum Greig – Head of Influencer, Bees & Honey

Dubai’s Creator Economy Is Evolving Fast

Influencer marketing in the UAE is experiencing a shift. What once felt like a gold rush—rapid growth, new creators emerging daily, brands allocating large experimental budgets—is now becoming more strategic, more scrutinised, and more connected to bottom-line results.

As a founder working with brands and creators across the region, I’ve had a front-row seat to how the market is changing. The stakes are higher. Budgets now demand accountability. And the UAE audience is becoming more sophisticated in how they consume creator-led content.

Brands Are Under More Pressure to Prove ROI

With tighter performance benchmarks and rising industry competition, marketers want more than reach—they want conversion and measurable business outcomes. Content alone is no longer enough; creators must influence behaviour.

This shift isn’t a negative—it represents the maturation of an industry moving from vanity metrics to commercial evaluation. Campaigns today need to demonstrate a path to revenue: leads, online sales, restaurant covers, bookings, app installs or datapoints that matter to decision-makers.

The UAE Audience Is Smarter Than Ever

Consumers in the region scroll faster, analyse harder, and shop more consciously. They know when content is meaningful and when it’s manufactured. Creators who succeed here are:

• Authentic in tone
• Expert in their niche
• Transparent with their audience
• Story-led rather than sales-first

This makes performance marketing more challenging, but also more exciting—because the content that works is the content that deserves to.

Dubai Creators Are Building Long-Term Ventures

The creator-as-founder era has begun in the UAE. Instead of one-off brand collaborations, we are now seeing:

• Creators launching products and services
• Brand x influencer co-ownership ventures
• Long-term ambassador roles over one-time fees
• Partnerships based on shared upside, not just payment

This is where the market is heading over the next 24 months—creators evolving from media channels into business operators.

The Future Playbook Will Be Built on Strategy, Not Luck

Brands that treat influencer campaigns like content boosters will struggle. Those who treat them as commercial growth tools will win. The next stage of success in this region will be built upon:

• Better creator selection
• Data-focused briefs
• Realistic ROAS frameworks
• Influencer CRM and audience segmentation
• Always-on programs instead of one-off flights

Creators with specialised audiences will outperform creators with large generic audiences. Micro-influence will become just as commercially valuable as mega-reach.

Retail, Dining & Hospitality Benefit First

Few global regions are positioned like Dubai—where social behaviour, lifestyle spending and tourism turnover directly influence revenue. In categories such as:

• Hotels
• Dining
• Leisure
• Retail

Influencer marketing can directly translate into measurable sales, bookings, covers, or footfall. When campaigns are structured effectively, the commercial payoff can be fast and meaningful.

The Industry Needs Better Tools and Standards

For the market to continue maturing, the ecosystem needs:

• Transparent media buying benchmarks
• Clearer ROI measurement frameworks
• Audited audience authenticity
• Professionalised workflows across agencies and brands

This is not about making the industry rigid—it’s about giving brands confidence to invest more, and creators confidence to charge fairly.

Bees & Honey’s View on Where Things Are Heading

At Bees & Honey, our conviction is simple: the UAE is just getting started. We are seeing the early signs of a market evolving from experimental to established. The next phase will belong to:

• Creators who understand influence as a business
• Brands who value sustainable partnerships
• Agencies who deliver strategic, data-led planning

We are building an ecosystem that supports both sides with transparency, industry standards, and a focus on commercial outcomes.

A Market That Rewards Those Who Play the Long Game

The industry is moving away from quick wins and into something more durable—one that rewards consistency, professionalism and earned trust. For brands, creators and agencies willing to mature with the market, the upside is enormous.

The next two years will determine who adapts—and who gets left behind.