How much money should influencers charge?
Whew.
This is a WHOLE concept that is hotly debated in the influencer marketing industry. I designed a whole course on negotiating rates with brands and pitching, because there’s THAT much info to share.
<< Want to level up in your influencer game? Check out my ebook, How to Become an Influencer, here. for $7.99!>>
Accepting Free Product for Review
Sometimes I accept product in exchange for a review, because I want to work with the brand longterm or I *REALLY* want the product. You don’t need to charge for every collab, but you do need to be strategic about it!
You don’t need to charge for every collab, but you do need to be strategic about it!
Your #1 Resource: Your Network
One of the best ways to figure out what to charge a brand is by asking other influencers what they charged them (or a similar company). You can see what influencers a brand has worked with in their “tagged photos” on Instagram, or search for blogger reviews online.
Influencer pricing varies WILDLY (seriously), so having a network of friends and bloggers you can reach out to is CRITICAL.
Don’t have other friends who are trying to do this whole ~influencer~ thing? Start replying to other bloggers stories on Instagram and engaging with them. Build a network through authentic engagement. ❤
Resource #2: Aspire IQ
It’s really helpful to know what a brand usually pays, so I love the feature on AspireIQ that shares this.
When you go to apply for a campaign, the platforms gives you a range. You can (and should!) charge what you think is fair, so don’t be limited by this amount. I actually charge more than what Aspire IQ recommends, but still — a helpful feature!
This feature is also a good way to see if you even *want* to pitch a brand.
<<Trying to figure out what the heck to SAY when a brand reaches out wanting pricing? I cover that in my course!!>>
Resource #3: Some Niches Make WAYYYY More $$$
In other posts, I’ve written about how different niches make different amounts of money. If you’re all fashion all of the time, you’re competing against a zillion other fashion bloggers. It’s a VERY VERY GOOD IDEA to have topics you write about//create content for in other niches.
This doesn’t mean you have to leave fashion and beauty behind, but as the saying goes, “the riches are in the niches.”
Ideas for other high paying niches:
- Business— do you work in an industry outside of creating content? Do you own a business besides your blog? Talk about that!
- Software or apps — time to pose with your phone and talk about apps (see my post below)
- Car care
- Health/managing a chronic illness
- Gaming (videogames)
- Pets — get your fur baby on your feed!
- Crafting
- Personal finance
Resource #4: Ballpark
Depending on your engagement, brands and influencer marketers use a rule of $100 per 10,000 followers.
This is a ballpark, babe! If you focus on the industry the brand is in, if you feel your content is worth more, etc – charge it!
Some influencers with ~3,000 followers on Instagram rake in the cash, while influencers at 250,000 followers struggle to make anything. It all comes down to your engagement with your followers, the niches you create content for and how much people actually BUY based on your recs.
(If you’re an influencer who never posts about or recommends product, you’re gonna have a harder time landing brands.)
Resource #5: Working with an Agent or Agency
Okay, so I’m not a HUGE fan of all influencer marketing agencies (or solo agents), but they are useful in the sense that they work with a LOT of brands and influencers — and if they represent you are incentivized to get you the most $$$.
That said, some agents are slow to respond and can lose deals for their influencer clients — so choose carefully!
Resource #6: Hire a Consultant (Me!)
If you’re looking for help to create a custom rate card, I’m happy to work with you. You can view my business website here.
I charge $250 USD for a 1:1 strategy call that takes 80 minutes, and we’ll discuss how to create different rate cards for different types of clients and what to charge.
[You can also take my course on landing brand deals, where every participant gets their rate cards reviewed and spruced up!]
More influencer tips!
i’ve written other tips for influencers on my Twitter and Medium. Be sure to check those out to level up your game! I also offer 1:1 consulting sessions to discuss pitching brands, or a specific collaboration. Learn more here!
