LLMs have become hugely influential in consumer decision making, but that impact doesn’t stop at ecommerce. Nearly half of all prospective college students are using AI to help decide which institution is right for them, according to one survey. For universities, that begs the question of what these students are seeing. 

We used GenAI Lens, Meltwater’s AI Visibility Tracking capability, to dig into the data behind LLM recommendations to UK and US students seeking schools with strong alumni networks and the promise of high salaries. 

What we found highlights just how dynamic AI visibility is, shifting across markets, prompts, and even the LLM models themselves. For all organizations, including schools, understanding how that landscape operates is a key capability for remaining competitive.

Stanford and Harvard dominated LLM responses across both prompts and markets analyzed.

How do LLMs recommend the top universities for alumni networks?

How do LLMs recommend the top universities for future earnings?

How do college recommendations vary across LLM models?

How Meltwater AI Visibility Tracking helps universities own their AI visibility

FAQ: AI Visibility in Higher Education Recommendations

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        Capability
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        AI Visibility Tracking
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        Analysis window
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        April 27 – May 18, 2026
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        Markets
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        US &amp; UK
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        Data sources
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          <li style="margin-bottom:1px;">Claude</li>
          <li style="margin-bottom:1px;">DeepSeek</li>
          <li style="margin-bottom:1px;">ChatGPT</li>
          <li style="margin-bottom:1px;">Grok</li>
          <li style="margin-bottom:1px;">Llama</li>
          <li style="margin-bottom:1px;">Google AI Mode</li>
          <li style="margin-bottom:1px;">Google AI Overviews</li>
          <li>Perplexity</li>
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        Prompts
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            “Which universities have the best alumni networks?”
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            “Which universities lead to the highest salaries?”
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        Key term definitions
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        <p style="margin:0 0 5px 0; font-size:12px;">
          <span style="font-weight:700;">Visibility / Visibility Score:</span>
          A score from 0 to 99 measuring how prominently an entity appears in AI-generated responses
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        <p style="margin:0; font-size:12px;">
          <span style="font-weight:700;">Mentions:</span>
          the number of instances when key words and phrases appeared within a piece or collection of content
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Download a one-page pdf summarizing the findings of this analysis.

Across models in both the US and UK, the US-based Stanford and Harvard Universities have the highest visibility scores, followed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). With all three being internationally recognized schools that have among the highest numbers of billionaire alumni, their prominence highlights how much LLM recommendations currently reflect established prestige, with few surprises in the top rankings. 

More revealing is how each school’s prominence shifts based on prompt and geography, as seen in the table above. Overall, Stanford is the most consistently strong institution across all four prompt breakdowns.

Notably, a non-US competitor only emerges when we narrow our focus to the UK. There, the Institut Européen d'Administration des Affaires, a graduate business school in France better known as INSEAD, achieves an aggregate 43% Visibility Score on the alumni network prompt. On ChatGPT alone, however, its visibility jumps to 94%.
INSEAD’s AI narrative consistently emphasizes a multinational alumni network spanning 90+ nationalities with strong European consulting and finance placement. Among the content informing that narrative is up-to-date, AI-crawlable content, including owned assets like its employment statistics and UK-based alumni network websites.

Why this matters: AI visibility is highly shaped by prompt context and intent, with established reputation playing a large part. In the case of higher education, schools looking to improve their prominence and mention frequency need to build up their online footprint with published assets that speak to their target audience’s biggest concerns. Websites with content like data-backed salary reports and alumni network resources can prove to be the strongest LLM magnets.

Sources featuring user-generated content (UGC) and niche expertise are most influential in LLM recommendations for schools with the top alumni networks. Meanwhile, owned and earned media are largely absent. 

Because “best alumni network” is a relatively subjective distinction, LLMs seek out first-person testimonials to determine its answers. As a result, Reddit tops the source list in the US with 188 citations, followed by Almabase, an alumni engagement CRM, with 177 citations. That top two ranking is swapped in the UK, with 179 citations for Almabase and 174 citations for Reddit.

Almabase’s prominence is particularly notable as it is the only B2B higher education brand with this level of influence. Its website features a robust ecosystem of public-facing blogs and other resources with structured information focused on alumni engagement. Thanks to this established footprint on the topic, LLMs trust it for focused expertise. 

Why this matters: In this higher education use case, prompts that lean more subjective, LLMs prioritize sources where real people can share their lived experiences and subject matter experts can share their insights. For organizations, driving alumni engagement on platforms like Reddit, LinkedIn, and Facebook can have a meaningful impact on AI visibility.

Finance-focused, data-rich, and niche information sources are most influential on LLM responses to the prompt "Which universities lead to the highest salaries?"

Unlike the alumni network prompt, the question of earnings comes down to hard numbers. So, instead of looking to user-generated content, LLMs rely on news and statistical reporting. Specifically, CNBC was the top source in the US and the UK with 199 and 143 citations respectively. Statista was also a trusted source, generating 102 citations in the US and 71 in the UK. 

Interestingly, results for each region also leaned on student-focused websites alongside broader media and data sources. In the UK, Save the Student, a UK-based student deals website, was cited 94 times, making it the second leading source. In the US, Poets & Quants for Undergrads, a news and resource hub for undergraduate business students, achieved 85 citations and ranked third. The prominence of both speaks to the importance of including niche, expert-led digital outlets in earned media strategies.

Another meaningful geographic difference emerged in the terms LLMs used in their responses. In the US, answers primarily associated higher salaries with leading tech, followed by finance (288 vs. 215 mentions). In the UK, finance and tech were almost equally visible (301 vs. 302 mentions). This variation highlights how LLMs adapt recommendations to regional economic and employment priorities.

Why this matters: In the above example, prompts seeking more objective information and data tend to lean on structured content rich with statistics and figures. Organizations looking to influence LLM responses around measurable outcomes should prioritize publicizing relevant data and research, complete with tailored messaging, in the financial and student-focused media outlets that influence them most.

DeepSeek has the most polarized recommendations while others, including ChatGPT (a college student favorite) offer more measured, distributed visibility between the top schools.

For example, in the above visibility score heatmap for US and UK LLM responses to our alumni network prompt, three schools achieve over 90% visibility on DeepSeek, more than on any other model. But while MIT and Stanford score high there, their visibility plunges on ChatGPT, where no school scored above 58%.

Similar discrepancies emerged in our salary prompt, with Stanford scoring 99% in DeepSeek versus just 17% in ChatGPT in the US, and 99% versus 16% in the UK.
Why this matters: There is no single AI search result or visibility score. Instead, different models cite and weigh sources differently, creating meaningful narrative variations. Identifying and addressing these gaps are possible, but it all begins with model- and prompt-specific analyses instead of aggregate ones. 

Use Case 1: Identifying influential LLM sources

Meltwater AI Visibility Tracking, also known as GenAI Lens, automatically identifies the most-cited sources as it analyzes prompts. 

Identify leading sources, including individual websites and leading journalists 

Determine topic strengths and narrative gaps

Highlight opportunities for GEO optimization

The result: Stronger GEO and earned media strategies that boost AI visibility for the prompts that impact you most. 

Use Case 2: Identifying and benchmarking AI visibility against competitors

Outstrategize your peers with GenAI Lens’s competitive benchmarking across prompts, models, and regions.

Benchmark AI Visibility Scores against established and emerging competitors

Pinpoint the narratives and content that drive competitor visibility

Track visibility shifts across models like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and DeepSeek

The result: Spend less time doing exploratory research and more time executing the strategies that will have measurable impact on your LLM share of voice. 

Use Case 3: Tailoring LLM strategies to geographic markets

GenAI Lens’s geolocation capabilities highlight the nuances organizations need to know to shape their strategies for different regions.

Compare how organizations perform across prompts and markets

Identify regional differences in source influence and audience priorities

Shape GEO strategies for market-specific prominence

The result: Smarter market-specific communications and messaging strategies that meet the needs of different audiences and industries.

Want to understand how your institution appears in AI-generated recommendations? Explore how Meltwater AI Visibility Tracking helps colleges, universities, and brands strengthen their AI visibility across models and markets.

Why colleges and universities need an AI visibility strategy

Regardless of sector, LLMs are the new battleground for reputation management, especially considering how college-aged students and younger are key audiences for AI usage. For all brands, including universities, understanding and owning AI narratives is a make-or-break capability that spans owned content and earned media strategies. As the competition for prominence heats up, investing in GEO and data-rich storytelling is crucial for institutions seeking their target audience’s buy-in, whether that means clicking “Add to Cart” or “Apply”.

How are LLMs influencing prospective college students?

AI tools are increasingly shaping university discovery and evaluation. With Meltwater’s GenAI Lens AI Visibility Tracking capability, organizations can analyze how LLM responses are shaping institutions’ reputations. 

Which universities had the strongest AI visibility in prompts about alumni networks and future earnings?

Stanford, Harvard, and MIT dominated AI-generated recommendations across prompts and markets. According to Meltwater’s GenAI Lens analysis, their visibility was reinforced by longstanding prestige, strong online footprints, and highly cited salary and alumni-related content.

How do LLM college recommendations change based on the prompt?

Prompt intent changes which sources LLMs trust and prioritize. Meltwater’s GenAI Lens analysis found that subjective prompts about alumni networks leaned heavily on Reddit and expert commentary, while salary-focused prompts prioritized structured financial reporting and statistics.

What types of content influence AI visibility the most for colleges and universities?

Structured, crawlable, and topic-specific content has outsized influence on LLM recommendations. According to Meltwater’s GenAI Lens analysis, salary reports, employment statistics, alumni resources, and niche expert content consistently shaped university visibility across models.

Do different AI models recommend different universities?

Yes, AI recommendations vary significantly across models. Meltwater’s GenAI Lens analysis showed that DeepSeek produced more concentrated visibility scores, while ChatGPT distributed visibility more evenly across institutions depending on the prompt and region.

Why does geography affect AI-generated university recommendations?

Regional priorities shape the narratives LLMs produce. According to Meltwater’s GenAI Lens analysis, the UK showed finance and tech as near-equally prominent (301 vs. 302 mentions), while US responses leaned more clearly toward tech (288 vs. 215 mentions).

How can universities improve their AI visibility?

Universities can improve AI visibility by strengthening GEO strategies and publishing authoritative, data-rich content. Meltwater’s GenAI Lens analysis shows that institutions with accessible salary data, alumni resources, and strong earned media presence appeared more prominently in LLM responses.

What is Meltwater AI Visibility Tracking?

Meltwater AI Visibility Tracking, powered by GenAI Lens, measures how organizations appear across AI-generated responses. It helps brands and universities benchmark visibility, identify influential sources, and optimize content strategies across prompts, markets, and LLM models.

See which strategies help leading universities achieve high visibility in LLM recommendations.

AI Visibility in Higher Education Recommendations

Consumer and media discussions of TikTok Shop have surged significantly since late 2025, according to new data from Meltwater Explore+. Despite being a relative newcomer in the ecommerce platform landscape, TikTok Shop is now a genuine force to be reckoned with, generating about a fifth of all social commerce sales in the US in 2025. 

That revenue growth has helped attract bigger brands, with Samsung, Philips, Glossier, Crocs, and more all setting up their own storefronts on the platform over the past couple of years. More recently, Ulta made headlines when it became the first major beauty retailer to set up a TikTok Shop, followed by Mac Cosmetics soon after, signaling a new era in the platform’s commercial legitimacy. 

Our Meltwater Consumer Intelligence & Trend Detection analysis revealed just how much the buzz around TikTok Shop has really grown, along with what this increased popularity means for marketers and brands. The findings point to a platform largely shaped by creators and audience behavior, not to mention the algorithm, rather than traditional brand marketing alone.

Mentions of TikTok Shop increased by 110% in just six months

Why unbranded content dominates TikTok Shop discussion and demonstrable products win

Which platforms have the most meaningful TikTok Shop discussions?

How Meltwater Consumer Intelligence and Influencer Marketing helps brands win with TikTok Shop

FAQ: Brand Visibility and Perception with TikTok Shop

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  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td style="padding:12px; border:1px solid #ccc; font-weight:bold; width:30%;">Capability</td>
      <td style="padding:12px; border:1px solid #ccc;">Explore+</td>
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    <tr>
      <td style="padding:12px; border:1px solid #ccc; font-weight:bold;">Analysis window</td>
      <td style="padding:12px; border:1px solid #ccc;">November 1, 2025 – April 30, 2026</td>
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    <tr>
      <td style="padding:12px; border:1px solid #ccc; font-weight:bold;">Data sources</td>
      <td style="padding:12px; border:1px solid #ccc;">
        30 sources, including broadcast television and radio, online and print news, blogs, comments, reviews, forums, podcasts, TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, Facebook, Pinterest, X, Douyin, Red, YouTube, and more.
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      <td style="padding:12px; border:1px solid #ccc; font-weight:bold;">Brands / entities tracked</td>
      <td style="padding:12px; border:1px solid #ccc;">TikTok Shop</td>
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      <td style="padding:12px; border:1px solid #ccc; font-weight:bold; vertical-align:top;">Key term definitions</td>
      <td style="padding:12px; border:1px solid #ccc;">
        <p><strong>Engagement</strong>: the number of shares, comments, likes, retweets, replies, direct messages, etc.</p>
        <p><strong>Mentions</strong>: the number of instances when key words and phrases appeared within a piece or collection of content</p>
        <p><strong>Share of Voice (SOV)</strong>: the percentage, or share, of total mentions attributed to a particular brand, market, or entity</p>
        <p><strong>Estimated Media Value (EMV)</strong>: a metric quantifying the ROI of influencer marketing by showing what it would cost to achieve the same reach and engagement through paid media</p>
        <p><strong>Subreddit</strong>: a user-created community on Reddit dedicated to a particular interest or topic</p>
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Mentions of TikTok Shop increased by 110% in just six months 

Discussions of TikTok Shop more than doubled across traditional, digital, and social media sources between November 2025 and April 2026, compared to the six months prior. During the same time period, however, overall engagement actions fell by nearly a third, even despite a 24% surge in January 2026.

Still, the global conversation around TikTok Shop has grown dramatically in recent months, suggesting three factors:

increased popularity, with more buyers trusting the platform for shopping

higher saturation, with more sellers competing for attention 

more scrutiny, with wider audiences evaluating the platform’s ecommerce experience

Why this matters: For brands, the opportunities to be found in TikTok Shop are growing more numerous and competitive. Standing out will rest on creative differentiation, particularly the visual demonstrability of featured products, along with strong influencer partnerships that lead with creativity.

1.83 million — TikTok Shop mentions from November 1, 2025 to April 30, 2026

+36.7% — Mentions increase in March 2026, higher than any other month

149 million — Engagement actions at their peak in January 2026

Only 7.5% of the top 160 TikTok Shop posts mentioned a specific brand. Instead, the overwhelming majority of the top performing posts are completely brandless. About 24% mentioned a general product type, but nearly 70% had no commercial specificity whatsoever. Instead, they featured unrelated content, like dance and humor videos, using the hashtag #tiktokshop solely for algorithmic reach.

However, those leading posts that did feature specific brands drew engagement with clearly, quickly demonstrable items with some kind of wow factor. One standout example comes from family content creator @familytalesdiary. Her post using SheGlam’s hair curler to do her daughter’s hair generated over 2.04 million engagement actions. 

The post worked through a combination of authentic, unfiltered presentation and clearly conveyed efficacy. No glam squad or curated set, just a real mom doing her daughter’s hair in the bathroom and getting great results. As a result, the post generated over $5 million in EMV for the Shein-owned cosmetics brand.

Why it matters: TikTok Shop audiences reward product-led moments, not brand presence. Creator posts succeed when products are instantly, visually demonstrable; extra points for an element of surprise or emotional resonance. In this ecosystem, brand presence may lend posts some element of trust, but only after attention is already won.  

TikTok Shop brand and product category stats:

68.8% — of the top 160 posts mentioning TikTok Shop didn’t feature a product or brand 

32% — of the 25 highest-performing posts featured toys and novelties

20% — of the 25 highest-performing posts featured beauty and hair products

16% — of the 25 highest-performing posts featured gadgets

Mainland China saw the most dramatic surge in TikTok Shop mentions, with its share of the global conversation increasing by 77% from November 2025 to April 2026. That rise outpaced other strong increases, like Germany’s 55% growth and Brazil’s 48%. So while the United States is still by far the leading market for TikTok Shop mentions by volume, the conversation has grown more dispersed. 

Notably, in Mainland China, where the ecommerce platform doesn’t even operate (its regional equivalent being Douyin Shop), the conversation focus is on supply chains, cross-border order fulfillment, and other seller and exporter concerns. 

The strong growth of TikTok Shop mentions in Brazil is particularly striking given otherwise low representation in South and Latin America. As a result, the nation stands to be one of the most promising for brands and creators looking to claim early mover advantage in the region. Across the Atlantic and the Equator, Germany emerged as the standout market, contrasting with France, whose SOV sank by 27%. Overall, Europe remains early-stage with uneven adoption across the region. 

Why it matters: TikTok Shop visibility and awareness is dispersing rapidly beyond its anchor audience in the US, with Brazil and Germany being the standout markets to watch. Brands that establish creator relationships and localized strategies early will be better positioned as adoption keeps accelerating around the world.

TikTok is the leading platform for consumer discussions about TikTok Shop, accounting for about half of all mentions from November 2025 to April 2026. However, that dominance is a recent phenomenon. In November, TikTok represented 33% of all TikTok Shop mentions. By April, it represented 67%.

As TikTok’s share of Shop conversations grew, every other platform’s declined, with X going from 20% SOV in November to only about 5% in April. To be clear, it’s not that X’s audience stopped talking about TikTok Shop. It’s that the discussion on TikTok itself has grown so much that it has dwarfed conversations happening everywhere else. 

Still, X’s audience of early tech adopters, journalists, and media-adjacent commentators are worth paying attention to for their role in shaping brand perception. More than other platforms, it is a hub of enthusiasm for TikTok Shop, with 76% positive sentiment. 

By the same token, Reddit is also a platform to keep an eye on despite its relatively low SOV of about 4%.  Unlike X’s optimism, Reddit discussion had one of the highest negative sentiment rates at 16%. Its active communities of TikTok Shop buyers and sellers concentrated in focused subreddits aren’t breathless cheerleaders of the ecommerce platform. Instead, each one offers brands important insight into the TikTok experience “on the ground”: 

r/TikTokShop (~15% of Reddit mentions) is the core buyer/seller community. Its mix of product wins with complaints about counterfeits, delivery issues, and misleading listings offers brands the clearest view of real user experience.

r/tiktokshopreferrals (~6%) focuses on affiliate links and referral codes, highlighting how central creator incentives have become to TikTok Shop’s ecosystem.

r/DigitalIncomePath (~5%) features discussion of TikTok Shop from the perspective of creators interested in the monetization opportunity, surfacing practical concerns around commissions, collaborations, and product reliability. 

r/TiktokHelpers (3.5%) and r/TikTokMonetizing (1.4%) surface ongoing technical challenges of monetization, from setting up shops and managing fulfillment to mastering the algorithm. 

Why it matters: The most meaningful TikTok Shop conversations aren’t happening just on TikTok. Brands need cross-platform intelligence strategies to understand sentiment, behavior, and motivations of sellers and buyers alike, along with emerging trends and risks.

Use Case 1: Identifying emerging TikTok Shop audiences and markets

Jump on emerging opportunities before your competitors do.

Identify rising regional conversations and breakout growth markets

Detect emerging product trends and audience behaviors before they peak

Analyze platform-specific sentiment and creator activity across global markets

The result: Faster, smarter market expansion strategies informed by real consumer and creator behavior.

Use Case 2: Understanding what content resonates, and what doesn’t

Analyze which messaging and content wins over audiences.

Explore+ delivers actionable insights with:

Real-time monitoring across social, news, forums, reviews, and creator content

AI-powered sentiment and narrative detection to surface emerging risks and opportunities

Competitive benchmarking to track share of voice, engagement, and audience perception

The result: Always-on intelligence that helps you stay ahead of market trends and consumer preferences.

Use Case 3: Finding the best TikTok creators to work with

Build partnerships with influencers that can deliver on your goals.

Meltwater influencer marketing streamlines campaigns with:

AI-powered creator discovery based on audience fit, engagement, and brand alignment

Performance tracking across EMV, engagement, and conversion metrics

Relationship management tools for scaling creator partnerships efficiently

The result: More powerful creator collaborations that drive visibility and trust alongside sales.

Want to understand how your brand is showing up in TikTok Shop conversations? Explore how Meltwater Consumer Intelligence and Influencer Marketing can help you track trends, identify creators, and stay ahead of shifting consumer behavior.

With global conversation rising and growing more dynamic, TikTok Shop has become a legitimate ecommerce powerhouse. Success on the platform goes hand in hand with social media virality, making it a critical venue for brands courting cultural relevance as much as sales.

As established, global brands continue to join TikTok Shop over the next year, its popularity and consumer trust will only continue to grow. Brands that develop their marketing and creator partnership strategies now will be best positioned to adapt to consumer shopping behavior evolutions later, both on TikTok and beyond.

What does TikTok Shop’s growth mean for brands?

TikTok Shop is becoming a major ecommerce discovery engine for brands. According to Meltwater Explore+ analysis, mentions of TikTok Shop increased by 110% between November 2025 and April 2026, signaling rapidly growing consumer awareness, competition, and creator activity across the platform.

Which product categories perform best on TikTok Shop?

Visually demonstrable products dominate TikTok Shop engagement. Meltwater Explore+ data shows that toys, novelties, beauty products, hair tools, and gadgets consistently drove the highest-performing creator content because their value could be understood instantly on video.

Why does unbranded TikTok Shop content outperform branded posts?

Audiences engage more with creator-first storytelling than overt brand promotion. According to Meltwater Explore+ analysis, nearly 69% of top TikTok Shop posts featured no specific brand or product at all, relying instead on entertainment to capture attention.

Which platforms have the most meaningful TikTok Shop conversations?

TikTok drives the largest share of TikTok Shop discussion volume, but Reddit and X provide additional context around the consumer and seller experience. Meltwater Explore+ data shows that Reddit communities surface buyer frustrations, creator monetization concerns, and fulfillment challenges, while X hosts highly positive conversations among tech-forward audiences.

What markets are emerging fastest for TikTok Shop?

Brazil and Germany are two of the fast-growing TikTok Shop conversation markets outside the US. Meltwater Explore+ analysis found TikTok Shop mention growth increased by 48% in Brazil and 55% in Germany during the six-month analysis window.

How does creator content affect TikTok Shop success?

Creator partnerships strongly influence TikTok Shop visibility and purchase behavior. Meltwater influencer marketing analysis shows that authentic, emotionally resonant creator videos can generate significantly higher engagement and Estimated Media Value than polished branded campaigns.

Why does Meltwater Explore+ matter for TikTok Shop strategy?

Meltwater Explore+ helps brands identify emerging TikTok Shop trends before competitors do. By combining social listening, consumer intelligence, sentiment analysis, and creator monitoring across platforms, brands can better understand audience behavior and adapt their ecommerce strategy in real time.

How should brands prepare for the future of TikTok Shop?

Brands should invest early in creator partnerships, social commerce intelligence, and localized strategies. Meltwater Explore+ data suggests TikTok Shop is evolving into a mainstream retail ecosystem where cultural relevance and audience trust will increasingly determine ecommerce success.

Discover what the rise of TikTok Shop, key trends, and user behavior mean for consumer brands. 

How Popular Is TikTok Shop? Data Insights & Trends 2026

Coachella has long been a proving ground for brands looking to drive visibility via influencer marketing, but in 2026, the festival’s content creator presence and performance seemed to reach new heights. Between superstar performances, we saw elaborate brand activations and countless influencer partnerships, giving far-flung audiences a lot to chew on throughout the two-weekend event. However, not every influencer post managed to break through the noise. Some drove major value for brands and audiences alike. Others cycled through the algorithm without making a mark. 

We used Meltwater’s AI-powered influencer marketing solution to see which content from 1,000 influential creators achieved the highest ROIs for their brand partners, including estimated media value (EMV). 

Note: EMV is a metric that quantifies the ROI of influencer marketing, showing what it would cost to achieve the same reach and engagement through paid media. It combines two components: 1) Benchmarks that show what each engagement action would cost in paid media across social channels, and 2) An earned multiplier that reflects the higher trust and impact of influencer content compared to traditional ads.

The social media posts that stood out most were native to each creator’s style and engaged viewers with giveaways, tutorials, heartwarming moments, and more. As a whole, the resulting top 10 list offers a clear takeaway for marketers: With the right creator and the right moment to share, brands across sectors can derive meaningful value and impact from influencer partnerships pegged to major cultural events. 

Read on for inspiration, tips, and takeaways that marketers can use as they plan for summer festival season, the World Cup, and beyond.

Methodology: The below list is based on Meltwater data analyzing Coachella posts from the top 1,000 content creators related to the festival across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, X, Twitch, and Pinterest from April 1 to April 20, 2026. 

The Top Branded Influencer Posts of Coachella 2026

9. Tabitha Swatosh for The Kacey Welch Method

Honorable Mention: Matt Newman for Cécred and Arachne

Key Takeaways: Influencer Partnerships for High-Profile Events

FAQ: Influencer Marketing for High-Profile Events

All 10 of the top-performing Coachella posts from influencers partnering with brands came from TikTok. This proportion contrasts with the makeup of overall posts from 1000 of some of the most influential content creators at the festival, of which 42% came from Instagram and 41% from TikTok. Here are the branded influencer posts that stood apart from the rest and what marketers can learn from each of them.

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    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">1.4M</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Likes</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">18.4K</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Comments</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">116K</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Shares</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">52.7K</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Saves</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">52.9%</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Eng. Rate</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">$24.9M</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">EMV</div>
    </div>

  </div>
</div>

Influencer Nicole Sahebi filmed her visit to fashion retailer Revolve’s gifting suite at Coachella, where she grabbed a slew of products, including cosmetics, apparel, and even some Diesel sunglasses. At the end of the TikTok video, she asks viewers to enter a giveaway for the free items by naming their favorite Coachella artist in the comments. That invitation to participate helped the above post collect more than 18,400 comments. Those, along with hundreds of thousands of shares and saves, helped this post generate nearly $25 million in EMV for Revolve. 

Steal this tactic: Using comments as entries gives followers a low-barrier way to participate in contests while drumming up engagement. Brands can empower influencers to create these opportunities by using platforms like Meltwater to coordinate logistics and cover details like choosing winners and mailing out prizes.

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  <div style="height:3px;background:#28bbbb;margin:-12px -12px 10px -12px;border-top-left-radius:10px;border-top-right-radius:10px;"></div>

  <div style="font-size:18px;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:10px;">
    @more.dejankat for Revice
  </div>

  <div style="display:flex;gap:6px;width:100%;">
    
    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">8.7M</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Reach</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">1.2M</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Likes</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">3K</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Comments</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">15.2K</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Shares</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">37.9K</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Saves</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">20.93%</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Eng. Rate</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">$14M</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">EMV</div>
    </div>

  </div>
</div>

Teen fashion and lifestyle influencer Deja Clark created a simple but effective transformation video featuring Revice Denim for the second day of Coachella. It was a hit with her 16 million followers on the platform, 41% of whom are between the ages of 18 and 24, according to Meltwater’s Influencer Discovery tool. The above post (one of two on this list) generated an impressive $14 million in EMV for the Los Angeles-based apparel brand.

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  <div style="height:3px;background:#28bbbb;margin:-12px -12px 10px -12px;border-top-left-radius:10px;border-top-right-radius:10px;"></div>

  <div style="font-size:18px;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:10px;">
    @kayla.ryann for Rhode
  </div>

  <div style="display:flex;gap:6px;width:100%;">
    
    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">4.1M</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Reach</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">730.7K</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Likes</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">698</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Comments</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">6.2K</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Shares</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">24.8K</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Saves</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">69.31%</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Eng. Rate</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">$7.9M</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">EMV</div>
    </div>

  </div>
</div>

Justin wasn’t the only Bieber winning fans at Coachella 2026. Hailey Bieber’s cosmetics brand Rhode hosted a pop-up at the festival, which fans got to experience vicariously through beauty and lifestyle influencer Kayla Ryan’s video for Day Two of the festival. In the video, Kayla captures all the activation has to offer, including a look at specific Rhode products and even a special appearance from Mrs. Bieber herself. It may have been that celebrity appearance that helped this post punch above its weight with a nearly 70% engagement rate, the highest of any post in our top 10.

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  <div style="height:3px;background:#28bbbb;margin:-12px -12px 10px -12px;border-top-left-radius:10px;border-top-right-radius:10px;"></div>

  <div style="font-size:18px;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:10px;">
    @more.dejankat for Revice
  </div>

  <div style="display:flex;gap:6px;width:100%;">
    
    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">4.2M</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Reach</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">578.5K</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Likes</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">2.3K</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Comments</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">5.5K</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Shares</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">17K</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Saves</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">10.05%</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Eng. Rate</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">$6.7M</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">EMV</div>
    </div>

  </div>
</div>

Deja Clark scored another top 10 hit TikTok for Revice Denim with a Day Three post that generated about $6.7 million in EMV. Like the previous post of hers, this one is a short and simple take on her signature get-ready-with-me (GRWM) posts showing off Revice items in a festival-ready outfit. Plus, this example also featured a celebrity appearance, though this one was digital. Deja’s TikTok uses the hashtag #laufey and audio from the song “Lover Girl” by Coachella performer Laufey, who then left a comment on the video that garnered over 83,100 likes of its own.

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  <div style="height:3px;background:#28bbbb;margin:-12px -12px 10px -12px;border-top-left-radius:10px;border-top-right-radius:10px;"></div>

  <div style="font-size:18px;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:10px;">
    @kayla.ryann for Kopari Beauty
  </div>

  <div style="display:flex;gap:6px;width:100%;">
    
    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">3.1M</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Reach</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">490.8K</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Likes</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">865</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Comments</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">4.2K</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Shares</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">11.9K</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Saves</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">42.31%</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Eng. Rate</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">$5.4M</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">EMV</div>
    </div>

  </div>
</div>

Another influencer with two posts on our top 10 list, Kayla Ryan took her 1.2 million TikTok followers through the process of creating her outfit for the first day of Coachella. She waits until the end of her GRWM video to highlight the brand tagged, using Kopari Beauty’s mineral SPF powder as the finishing touch on her look. As a result, the post avoids the kind of hard sell that social media users have grown tired of from content creators. It’s that kind of authenticity that helps Kayla’s sponsored posts resonate with her audience. In this one, Kayla’s soft sell approach drove about $5.4 million in EMV for the cosmetics brand.

Steal this tactic: Sponsored influencer content resonates most when it is integrated seamlessly into a creator’s established style and digital language. Instead of providing word-for-word scripts or insisting on front-loading brand mentions, give content creators license to do what they do best: introducing your brand to an audience that already trusts them. Enlist influencers as creative partners, and watch that approach pay off in high ROI. 

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  <div style="height:3px;background:#28bbbb;margin:-12px -12px 10px -12px;border-top-left-radius:10px;border-top-right-radius:10px;"></div>

  <div style="font-size:18px;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:10px;">
    @priscyescoto for Huda Beauty
  </div>

  <div style="display:flex;gap:6px;width:100%;">
    
    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">2.6M</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Reach</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">285.9K</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Likes</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">929</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Comments</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">2.9K</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Shares</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">12.6K</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Saves</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">7.37%</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Eng. Rate</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">$3.4M</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">EMV</div>
    </div>

  </div>
</div>

Huda Beauty hooked fashion and lifestyle influencer Priscila Escoto up with an entire branded house for her stay at Coachella, complete with beauty blender-shaped pillows and even a portrait of the influencer on the wall. Hosting Priscila allowed the beauty brand to organically be part of high-engagement moments like the above GRWM TikTok, which tags Huda Beauty but only visibly features the brand through the creator’s makeup look. As a result, the brand shares in the Day One post’s 286,000 likes and about $3.4 million in EMV. 

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  <div style="height:3px;background:#28bbbb;margin:-12px -12px 10px -12px;border-top-left-radius:10px;border-top-right-radius:10px;"></div>

  <div style="font-size:18px;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:10px;">
    @tarayummy for JSX
  </div>

  <div style="display:flex;gap:6px;width:100%;">
    
    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">2.1M</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Reach</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">296.5K</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Likes</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">421</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Comments</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">649</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Shares</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">4.5K</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Saves</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">3.05%</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Eng. Rate</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">$3.2M</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">EMV</div>
    </div>

  </div>
</div>

The above video by Tarayummy stands out for being one of the few posts in our top 10 featuring a brand outside of the beauty and fashion sector. Instead, the nightlife influencer partnered with JSX, a charter jet service, for a vlog-style TikTok that drew back the curtain on the premium flight experience. The novelty of the video, which takes viewers through the terminal lounge, boarding process, and jet cabin, likely helped it generate about 297,000 likes and about $3.2 million in EMV. 

Steal this tactic: Cultural events aren’t just for beauty, fashion, food, and beverage brands. Companies in tangential sectors like transportation, hospitality, outdoor gear, pet-sitting, and beyond can partner with influencers to make unexpected, engaging content. Use tools like AI Discovery to pinpoint potential partnerships based on your brand identity, campaign goals, and even creative briefs.  

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  <div style="height:3px;background:#28bbbb;margin:-12px -12px 10px -12px;border-top-left-radius:10px;border-top-right-radius:10px;"></div>

  <div style="font-size:18px;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:10px;">
    @natalientheaguilars for Barbie
  </div>

  <div style="display:flex;gap:6px;width:100%;">
    
    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">2.3M</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Reach</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">292K</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Likes</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">233</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Comments</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">857</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Shares</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">6.2K</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Saves</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">4.04%</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Eng. Rate</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">$3.2M</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">EMV</div>
    </div>

  </div>
</div>

Family-focused vlogger Natalie Aguilar shared a heart-warming moment with her sister Angela at Coachella thanks to Barbie. For the above TikTok, the Aguilars visited the toy brand’s festival pop-up, which featured their and other select influencers’ portraits on the walls. That personal touch from Barbie translated into a moment of authentic appreciation for the partnerships it has forged with content creators. The 230+ comments left on the post featured many well-wishes and positive encouragement from fans sharing in the sisters’ excitement. Overall, the feel-good video resonated with the Aguilar family’s audience and paid off in over $3.2 million in EMV for the Barbie brand.

Lifestyle and homesteading content creator Tabitha Swatosh created a wow moment for hair extensions brand The Kacey Welch Method. The lip-sync/transformation video features two reveals, one for the outfit and one for the hair, which gets its full moment in the spotlight when Tabitha turns away from the camera. Though the video is simple, its creativity resonated with audiences to the tune of 285,500 likes and about $3.4 million in EMV.

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  <div style="height:3px;background:#28bbbb;margin:-12px -12px 10px -12px;border-top-left-radius:10px;border-top-right-radius:10px;"></div>

  <div style="font-size:18px;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:10px;">
    @tabithaswatosh for The Kacey Welch Method
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  <div style="display:flex;gap:6px;width:100%;">
    
    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">2.6M</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Reach</div>
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    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">285.5K</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Likes</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">306</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Comments</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">2.6K</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Shares</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">3.2K</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Saves</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">1.91%</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Eng. Rate</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">$3.4M</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">EMV</div>
    </div>

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  <div style="font-size:18px;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:10px;">
    @samanthacostantini for NYX
  </div>

  <div style="display:flex;gap:6px;width:100%;">
    
    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">1.8M</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Reach</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">220.1K</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Likes</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">231</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Comments</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">775K</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Shares</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">6.1K</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Saves</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">16.23%</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Eng. Rate</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">$2.4M</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">EMV</div>
    </div>

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Seeing a makeup look is one thing, but knowing how to recreate it is a whole other challenge for everyday makeup consumers. Beauty and lifestyle influencer Samantha Costantini demystified the process behind her Day Three makeup look using a full face of NYX products. The step-by-step video is over four minutes long, giving viewers a detailed explanation of how to incorporate 17 — yes, 17 — different NYX products into a single makeup routine. Featuring educational content that cosmetics enthusiasts will want to go back to, the post punched above its weight in saves, with over 6,100 users bookmarking it for later, and an engagement rate of over 16%.

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  <div style="font-size:18px;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:10px;">
    @mattloveshair for Cecred & Arachne
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  <div style="display:flex;gap:6px;width:100%;">
    
    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">12M</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Reach</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">1.2M</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Likes</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">3.2K</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Comments</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">66.1K</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Shares</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">475K</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Saves</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">54.51%</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">Eng. Rate</div>
    </div>

    <div style="flex:1;border:1px solid #eeeeee;border-radius:8px;padding:6px;text-align:center;">
      <div style="font-size:14px;font-weight:700;">$18.6M</div>
      <div style="font-size:11px;color:#a3a3a3;">EMV</div>
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Though it wasn’t sponsored, the above post by hairstylist Matt Newman drove major value for two tagged brands, Cécred and Arachne, while outpacing all of the above posts. Using a scarf from the former brand and hair clips from the latter, he shows off a “hack” for festival-goers that resonated widely. The short video generated more than 1.2 million likes, over 478,800 saves, and about $18.6 million in EMV, outperforming. 

Of the many factors that converged to make this post a viral hit, one was the educational value. Matt taught his 3.2 million followers how to finally keep their fashionable bandannas from falling off their heads and created a high-performing video in the process. The lesson here: Content that offers tangible value, like technique explainers or DIY solutions to common problems, lends itself well to driving engagement actions like comments and saves.  

Steal this tactic: Like Cécred and Arachne, your brand also has champions highlighting you on social media. Track your organic mentions across platforms like Instagram and TikTok to find them, and you may just discover your next influencer partnership. 

Our analysis of the top-performing influencer posts featuring brands from Coachella 2026 revealed these key takeaways and trends:

TikTok is the #1 platform for influencer posts at live events like Coachella. All of the 10 best-performing influencer posts tagging brands came from the video platform, highlighting its strength for engaging audiences in near-real time and its necessity for creator partnerships for events.

Earlier content drives the most value. Another commonality of the top 10: Every post came from the first weekend in the festival, with most coming from the first couple of days. This seems to suggest that the earlier content appears, the better-poised it is to capture the initial excitement of multi-week events while not getting overshadowed by their grand finales.

Giving creators experiences to document makes for engaging content. From gifting suites and pop-ups to accommodations and transportation, activations that allow audiences to share in creator experiences drive standout results for brands.

The entertainment field is wide open for non-beauty/fashion (but still relevant) brands. Seven out of the ten high-performing brands we highlighted were in the beauty or fashion sectors. Brands outside of those realms with engaging, relevant experiences to offer can stand out with new twists on well-worn formats like GRWMs or something completely new.

The most successful sponsored content feels natural to the influencer. Every post in the top 10 was authentic to the creator’s style and subject niche, making them resonate easily with their audiences. For brands, this highlights just how important influencer creative freedom and authenticity are to driving ROI.

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