According to Anda Vlasaku, founder of Saku Agency, the future of influencer marketing lies in long-term partnerships, not one-off collaborations. By 2026, the right fits will be fully integrated into marketing strategies, evolving into authentic brand ambassadorships. With Saku Agency now in its fifth year, Vlasaku reports managing record multi-million-dollar budgets in 2025, delivering influencer campaigns across the U.S., U.K., and wider Europe.

Vlasaku has cultivated strong brand partnerships and an incredible community of influential individuals through a value-based approach. “Human-centricity is commercially valuable,” she says, a belief that has shaped her success and set her apart as a leader in the industry.

Her winning formula is to double down on the right creators, identifying genuine alignment and investing in relationships that evolve, deepen, and deliver sustained impact far beyond a single campaign.

The Influencer Marketing Challenge 2026 Is the Long Game

“One-off content is easy to overlook as audiences become more selective in an age of ad fatigue; they value creators who show up consistently,” Vlasaku explains. “Real influence comes from credibility, consistency, and long-term collaboration. The future belongs to brands that play the long game, nurturing creator partnerships and turning influence into lasting brand equity.”

She believes the next phase of influencer marketing will be defined by storytelling. “In 2026, it will be all about storytelling,” she says. “Authenticity takes time; it's built when a creator consistently brings a brand into their world. That’s when audiences start to see the brand as a genuine part of their lives.”

Balancing AI With Human Connection

AI and data can help identify opportunities, but they can’t replace instinct or real relationships. “Our edge comes from truly knowing the creators we work with seeing them as real people with real stories to tell,” says Vlasaku. “That’s something technology can support, but never replicate.”

#PRontheGO