Keepers presents “Influencer Marketing Trends 2026: Creative Influence Wins Over the Algorithm” in Barcelona

Keepers, the influencer marketing agency, presented its study “Influencer Marketing Trends 2026: Creative Influence Wins Over the Algorithm” this week in Barcelona. The event brought together content creator Andrea Gandrom, Leyre Pedrol, Senior Communications Manager at DANONE, and Manuela Nerini, Influencer Marketing Manager at WALLAPOP.

The session opened with a presentation of the report by Sergio Barreda, CEO and founder of Keepers, who shared its key findings and underlined the need for brands and creators to invest in narratives that are more human, relevant and culturally connected. “The algorithm is a tool, but it cannot replace judgement, creativity or social awareness. Real influence is built on human connection,” he said.

The event put one clear idea on the table: in a landscape shaped by content saturation, algorithmic fatigue and the rise of artificial intelligence, creativity, authenticity and human connection are becoming the true engines of influence. The study is designed to guide brands and creators towards the most effective ways to connect with audiences in an increasingly dynamic and competitive digital ecosystem.

Manuela Nerini, Influencer Marketing Manager at WALLAPOP, said authenticity is what enables people to connect with brands on social media: “At Wallapop, we work with influencers over the long term. That means they understand the brand and its values very well, and users recognise the content as authentic.”

Content creator Andrea Gandrom echoed this during the roundtable: “Today, going viral is easy. But influence works when a creator’s content is consistent with what they have done before — and users recognise that.”

The speakers discussed several priorities for the future of creative influence: co-creation as the foundation of authenticity, building with talent to preserve each creator’s genuine voice; relatability over perfection, with real, everyday stories where the brand fits naturally; and cultural relevance, understood as the ability to add something legitimate and meaningful to the conversation.

As Sergio Barreda, CEO of Keepers, put it: “What matters is cultural relevance, not virality. Some influencers have a million followers because they had one viral video, but that doesn’t make them culturally relevant.”

The conversation highlighted that influence is no longer measured by reach alone, but by credibility, affinity and the ability to generate cultural impact. The creators who stand out are those who build their own narratives, create community and establish lasting relationships with their audiences. The brands that lead are those that understand influence as a strategic exercise in connection and shared value.

At the same time, the discussion made clear that technical factors mean creativity must be paired with strategy in order to influence audiences effectively. Leyre Pedrol, Senior Communications Manager at DANONE, added: “As engagement continues to fall, what we now measure is attention. In influencer marketing strategies, paid media is also essential, especially for brands in our category.”

About the report

The report identifies ten major trends set to shape influencer marketing in 2026. These include the humanisation of content in response to artificial perfection; the rise of user-generated content as a driver of ROI; the growing importance of brand safety; the return of long-form content; the consolidation of podcasts as premium content; the growth of social commerce; polarisation as a cultural force; and the strategic role of AI and data intelligence as tools to support, rather than replace, human judgement.