Indian influencer-marketing firm Buzzoka has published the results of a survey conducted with more than 500 brands and influencers in its home market.

The survey found that 51% of brands had used influencer marketing for branding purposes in 2017, with 28% saying they’d used it for reach; 15% for sustained engagement; and 5% for ‘short burst’ campaigns.

When asked why they think influencer marketing is important, 46% said for better reach and engagement; 23% said it’s a good alternative to traditional advertising; while 15% saw it as a good medium for storytelling.

The study also found that only 29% of brands in India are currently using influencer agencies when making contact with social stars for campaigns, versus 71% that are reaching out to them on their own.

The influencer-marketing space is still emerging in India, with 54% of brands who use it saying their annual spend is just $10k, versus 21% who said $20k, 15% who said $50k and 10% whose annual budget is more than $50k.

Interestingly, Twitter is the most popular platform for influencer-marketing campaigns in India according to Buzzoka’s survey, with 88% of brands – those that have done influencer marketing – having used it.

It was followed by Facebook (84%), Instagram (72%), blogs (46%) and WhatsApp (38%) in the top five platforms. Business-focused services LinkedIn (36%) and Quora (22%) outgunned Snapchat (20%) in the study too – although this may reflect the kind of brands surveyed.

Overall, 78% of marketers surveyed said they plan to spend more on influencer marketing in 2018. One concern for the Indian market, though, is the finding that 44% of brands running influencer campaigns don’t require their partners to disclose sponsored content.

You can read the full survey results here.