How Much Do Influencers Make in 2024 [All Platforms]

Today, businesses are vying for the spotlight in the digital realm. In other words, those companies increasingly compete for customers’ attention online. Here, influencer marketing has become a popular strategy to promote products and services through social media channels. Influencers have become powerhouses capable of propelling sales, bolstering brand recognition, and fostering vibrant communities. With this power, comes the potential for financial gain.

How much money do influencers make? What factors affect their income? 

The truth is that influencer income varies widely depending on a variety of factors. This blog will provide you a comprehensive and informative guide that delves into the factors influencing influencer earnings, along with real-world examples and insights, to help readers understand the dynamics of influencer income.

Factors Affecting Influencer Earnings

Well, not everyone who wants to become an influencer can earn the same amount as successful ones. The amount of money influencers can earn depends on various factors including: 

Follower Count

One of the most crucial factors that influence an influencer’s income is their follower count. The number of followers an influencer has is directly proportional to their earnings. Having a big follower count opens doors to teaming up with awesome brands and earning some serious cash. 

Brands are willing to pay more to influencers with a large follower base as it means more eyes of the potential customers for their products. The more followers an influencer has, the broader the brand’s audience becomes.

Engagement Rate

Now it is not only about the quantity but also the quality of the followers that count. Engagement rate is the percentage of followers who engage with an influencer’s content by commenting, liking, or sharing. 

Brands often value and prefer to work with influencers with high engagement rates. Why? Because it shows that their audience is not only there for their good look but they genuinely love the content. Influencers with a higher engagement rate have more chances of getting discovered by brands and earning more revenue.

So, it’s not just about the likes, it’s about creating a real connection with the followers that pays off. 

Niche

The niche an influencer caters to is one of the significant factors that affect their earnings. The broader the niche, the less revenue an influencer will generate, compared to a specific niche. 

Specific niches such as fashion, beauty, and lifestyle have more opportunities to earn because of their targeted audience.

However, the level of competition is higher in these niches, and influencers need to be very creative and unique to stand out. Brands are like bees to honey, seeking experts who can rock their products in the perfect spot.

Platform

There are many social media platforms, and each has its unique features that brands consider while choosing influencers. TikTok and Instagram are gaining popularity as a platform in influencer marketing.

The rates an influencer can earn on Instagram are higher compared to other platforms, but TikTok offers better opportunities for those with smaller audiences.

Type of Content

The type of content an influencer creates also determines their earnings. Today, video content is more in demand, and brands prefer to work with influencers with engaging video posts. 

YouTube provides the best platform for those influencers who focus on creating long-form video content.

However, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook are utilized more for short video content in general.

Today, according to Influencer Marketing Hub, we found that TikTok is the new superstar of influencer marketing, winning the hearts of 56% of brands as of now. It’s taken the lead for the first time, leaving Instagram slightly behind at 51%.

Platforms and Niches

Instagram 

Instagram is the most popular platform for earning revenue through brand deals.

Influencers typically receive payment through commissioned marketing campaigns, sponsored posts, and paid content collaborations.

In addition, the platform allows influencers to earn by selling merchandise through Instagram’s native shopping feature. 

On average, an Instagram influencer can pull in around a grand for every 10K followers they have.

But remember, what you make depends on what you’re all about – fashion and beauty tend to earn more than those in niches such as travel or food.

YouTube

YouTube offers a more varied approach to making money through content creation.

The most common way is through the Google AdSense program, which pays a share of the revenue generated through ads served on a creator’s videos.

Brands can also sponsor creators on YouTube, typically through product placement or native advertising. 

The key advantage of YouTube is that the earnings can compound over time since the content stays on the site indefinitely.

Income on YouTube can range from a few hundred dollars to millions per year, and the niche with the highest earnings is the finance, education and tech industry.

TikTok

TikTok has quickly emerged as one of the hottest platforms for influencer marketing, especially with brands targeting younger audiences.

While compensation for brand deals can vary, it’s estimated that an influencer with one million followers can earn around $200,000 per year in sponsored content alone. 

TikTok has also included monetization opportunities for creators, such as live streaming where followers can send virtual gifts and tips. The top-earning niches on TikTok include dance, comedy, and fashion.

Facebook 

Facebook is not as popular for influencer marketing as Instagram or YouTube but it can still be monetized.

Facebook influencers often partner with brands and businesses to create sponsored posts, and live streams, and jump into Facebook’s Audience Network approach.

Brands can pay creators to flaunt their goods, and influencers can also pocket some cash by using Facebook’s Ad Breaks move for their videos.

Like most platforms, if your content stands out and hits the right time, you can gain attention from Facebook users. The business niches that have higher earnings on Facebook usually are fitness, home, or electronic appliances.

Types of Earnings

Sponsored Posts 

Sponsored posts take the crown as the go-to money-making move for influencers. It’s when they team up with a brand and give it a shout-out in their posts for some cash.

Typically, the influencer and brand will agree on a set number of posts, along with specific guidelines for how the post should look and what it should promote.

The amount of money an influencer can make from sponsored posts depends on their following, engagement rate, and niche.

Brand Partnerships 

Brand partnerships work similarly to sponsored posts in that influencers collaborate with brands to promote their products. But here’s the twist: these partnerships can go on for a while, unlike those quick sponsored posts.

They might even involve cool stuff like making content, showing up at events, and running the show on social media. Lots of influencers prefer brand partnerships because they can provide more stable and recurring income.

Affiliate Marketing 

Affiliate marketing involves influencers promoting a product or service and receiving a percentage of the sales made through their unique affiliate link. This money-making trick is a hit with bloggers and content makers where they can include the link into their websites or posts.

A key benefit here is that influencers can rack up cash from these links even when they’re not working. It’s like money on autopilot.

Product Sales 

Many influencers rake in cash by selling their own goodies. They tap into their influence and know-how to hook their audience up. Influencers have the power to equip their followers with the necessary tools and insights to thrive in different fields.

They can achieve this by generously sharing valuable expertise through courses or e-books. Additionally, they have the option to offer their unique wardrobe pieces for resale or even embark on the exciting journey of establishing their personal brand. 

It’s like they’re crafting their own empire while treating their fans to extra cool stuff. By creating their own products, influencers can further strengthen their brand identity and provide additional value to their audience.

This method of monetization also allows them to keep all the profits from their sales.

Events and Appearances 

Influencers with a significant following often get invites for events or appearances.  It could be anything from a brand launch party to unveiling a fresh product.

Sometimes, they might even score a spot on stage for speaking gigs or podcast appearances. Though these can lead to exposure, the pay can vary widely depending on the nature of the event.

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How Much Influencers Make on Each Platform

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Facebook 

Facebook is one of the largest social media platforms in the world, and influencers can make a significant amount of money through paid endorsements, partnerships, and sponsored posts. 

The average earnings for influencers on Facebook vary drastically and depend on several factors, including the niche, followers, engagement, and the type of content posted. 

Influencers on Facebook can earn around $100 to $300 per post on average. Popular content creators who make a substantial amount of money on Facebook such as Gary Vaynerchuk.

Gary Vaynerchuk climbs the influencer ladder by dropping some serious digital marketing know-how all across the platforms.

He has got a huge 6.3 million following on Facebook, where he regularly engages with his followers and fans by discussing digital trends and most influential book releases.

His trick is to make content that really hooks his crowd. Vaynerchuk has also diversified his revenue stream by launching his own marketing agency, VaynerMedia, and investing in businesses.

Instagram 

Instagram is arguably the most popular social media platform for influencers. With over 1 billion active users, influencers can reach a massive audience and earn a significant amount of money through sponsorships, ads, affiliations, and brand deals.

Instagram influencers can make anywhere between $10 to $250 per sponsored post, depending on their niche, followers, and engagement rates. 

An example of a popular Instagram influencer, is Kylie Jenner.

Kylie Jenner, the youngest member of the Kardashian-Jenner clan. She has over 398 million followers on Instagram, and earns over $1.8 million dollars per post. Jenner monetizes her content by promoting her makeup brand, Kylie Cosmetics, and other premium products and endorsements.

TikTok

TikTok is a popular social media platform among Gen Z and millennial audiences, and influencers can earn a significant amount of money through collaborations, sponsored posts, and brand deals.

According to reports, influencers on TikTok can earn anywhere between $0.01 to $0.02 per view. However, some influencers can make much more and earn up to hundreds of thousands of dollars per sponsored post. 

Popular TikTok influencers such as Charli D’Amelio have 151.1 million of followers and regularly collaborate with brands in their niche.

@charlidamelio

Charli D’Amelio’s success on TikTok is a combination of factors, including her talent, consistency, and authenticity.

Charli started creating dance videos on TikTok in 2019, and within a few months, she became one of the most recognizable faces on the platform.

She leveraged her success to expand her brand and started collaborating with other influencers and brands.

YouTube 

YouTube is like the ultimate spot for video creators, and loads of influencers are living large by dropping content there regularly. These influencers cash in through ads, sponsorships, and brand deals.

According to some estimates, YouTubers can haul in $0.01 to $0.03 for each view, and if a video racks up around 1,000 views with ads, they could be looking at an average of 18 bucks coming their way. Popular YouTubers like Jimmy Donaldson, aka MrBeast make a large amount of money on the platform.

MrBeast earned a whopping $500 million from YouTube in 2023. Jimmy kicked off his YouTube adventure in 2012, starting with videos about gaming. But then he switched things up to doing crazy challenges and stunts, which totally caught on.

Fast forward, and Jimmy’s channel is now one of the biggest on YouTube, with a whopping 170 million fans. His content rocks, his fans are ride-or-die, and he’s raking it in with sweet brand deals.

MrBeast’s cash flow on YouTube comes mainly from ads. But that’s not all – he’s also selling his own stuff, making bank from all angles.

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Trends in Influencer Income

In the past few years, influencer income has been changing. The income trends of influencers have undergone a massive transformation. Now let’s explore and discuss the evolving income trends of influencers. 

From Paid Per Posts to Long-Term Contracts:

In the beginning, influencers were usually paid per post. Brands would search for influencers with a large following on a particular platform and collaborate with them for a one-off campaign.

Recently, 84% of influencers prefer working with brands on a long-term basis. Influencers sign contracts that guarantee a set number of collaborations or posts over a specific period.

This trend has led to more stable and consistent income for influencers. To maximize their income, they now need to establish their credibility and niche audience to maintain long-term collaborations.

From Macro to Micro: 

One of the most significant trends today is the shifting demand for micro-influencers. Based on studies, it turns out that micro-influencers get more engagement than the macro, ranging from 7% to 20%. The content micro-influencers post is often seen as real and natural, which amps up the engagement and gives brands a better image.

Now businesses tend to opt for micro-influencers with smaller but more engaged audiences. While macro-influencers with millions of followers may have once been the go-to for brands, the trust and connection micro-influencers have with their followers are increasingly being recognized. 

This trend creates opportunities for influencers with niche audiences who can provide brands with focused engagement and promote authentic partners.

Emphasis on Authenticity and Diversification:

Keeping it real is still a big deal in influencer marketing. Brands have figured out that being genuine packs a bigger punch than just posting all shiny and polished stuff.

Imagine you’re someone with a massive crew of followers, flaunting the high life. But then, you start pushing products from budget brands, and people start side-eyeing your realness. 

Simply put, staying true means influencers need to diversify their niches and adjust to current trends to create content that resonates with their audiences and attracts more brand collaborations.

By diversifying, influencers have the opportunity to develop different revenue streams and certain areas of interest with different brand collaborations.

Wrapping Up

Making a living as an influencer requires hard work, dedication, and consistent engagement with the audience. Aspiring influencers can make a substantial income by focusing on their niche, identifying their ideal audience, and creating engaging content.

While it can be challenging to negotiate rates, remember that the key to earning more is building influence, driving engagement, and maintaining authenticity.

By honing your skills and leveraging your strengths, you can become a sought-after influencer that brands want to work with.