Royal Navy spends more than £123,000 on content creators

The Royal Navy has spent more than £123,000 on content creators since July 2024, ministers have disclosed.

The figure was revealed by Veterans and People Minister Calvin Bailey in Parliament on 8 September. He confirmed that the spending relates solely to the Royal Navy and includes agency fees.

Bailey’s disclosure was in response to a written parliamentary question from Conservative MP Charlie Dewhirst. He had asked how much the Ministry of Defence had spent on social media influencers since July 2024.

Bailey said, “Independent content creators can offer a highly effective way of reaching new audiences through targeted campaigns.”

Bailey also confirmed that the amount was related to the Royal Navy, rather than spending by the Army, Royal Air Force or wider MOD.

He said, “Since July 2024, the Ministry of Defence has spent £123,173 on third-party independent content creators. This figure includes all costs, such as agency fees.”

Why is the Royal Navy paying creators?

The MOD says social media is being used for more than just advertising vacancies.

In his Parliamentary response, Bailey added, “The aim is to increase awareness of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, foster favourability and support and aid recruitment.

“Direct messaging also supports retention by recognising the influence of families, friends and veterans.”

A growing digital recruitment market

The £123,173 creator spend is relatively small compared with the Navy’s overall recruitment advertising budget.

It spent £14.32 million on recruitment advertising in 2024-25 according to figures provided by the MOD to Parliament in 2025.

The use of independent creators allows the Navy to work with people who have already built audiences and engagement.

Bailey added, “The Royal Navy’s recruitment and attraction team leads recruitment efforts supported by Royal Navy communications. Their role is to create a positive impression of the Royal Navy among key audiences and social influencers.”

Will influencers deliver value?

The MOD has not publicly broken down the £123,173 spend by individual creator or campaign, so it’s not clear how many people the content reached.

Bailey explained that all campaigns are carefully evaluated, saying, “All communication campaigns undergo thorough planning and evaluation to ensure value for money for the taxpayer.”

The Navy already has a large social media audience. Its main Instagram account has around 674,000 followers and more than 2,300 posts.

The account describes itself as the official Royal Navy instagram channel, covering activity “at sea, on land and in the air.”

Its X account has around 313,000 followers and the Navy also has a YouTube presence.