Social media influencers have mastered the art of online content and marketing. They earn an amount that is far beyond a corporate-level job. But how do influencers make money from social media?
Influencers make money not only through views and comments but also mainly through brand collaborations, affiliate marketing, and sponsored posts. With over 50 million influencers now globally, the influencer marketing industry has touched the mark of $250 billion.
These numbers are huge, right? Yet, it is not as simple. Influencers adopt a number of ways to earn this amount. In this article, I have listed the 6 most common ways influencers make money from social media.
Stick with me to read more about the specifics of each.
Let’s get started!
How Do Influencers Make Money From Social Media?
Influencers make money through various streams. Posting and getting paid are not the only thing that brings money to these stars. Here are a few popular sources of income for influencers.
- Affiliate Marketing
- Advertising websites
- Sponsored posts
- Branded Merchandise
- Content Collaborations
- Subscriptions
1. Affiliate Marketing
With affiliate marketing, influencers sell an affiliated partner’s product or services in return for a commission. They even link their social media handles and business websites to get more profit. In general, a social influencer gets a 5–30% commission through affiliate contracts. (source: Hootsuite)
The influencers get this commission in the form of PPC (pay-per-click) and CPW (cost-per-acquisition).
For example, John Chow is one of the social media influencers who has been earning a profit as an affiliate since 1999. According to estimates, he earns $100,000 per month through affiliate marketing and social media.
2. Display Advertising
Display advertising is an age-old method through which influencers make money, and it’s still going strong. Brands and businesses mostly use this kind of advertising to promote their products.
The key is just to place the ads on the influencer’s websites, blogs, or other platforms that can generate more impressions. It’s a win-win situation for both influencers and brands, where influencers make around $500 monthly for just one ad.
Moreover, if you want to understand the power of display advertising, Huda Kattan, a.k .a. Huda Beauty’s success, is a popular story.
3. Sponsored Posts
Social media influencers are the guides that you look up to for any product or service; this is where sponsored posts play an important role. So, whenever you see a “Paid Partnership” tag on any post, it’s nothing but some dollars adding up to the influencer’s paycheck.
Ronaldo is one such celebrity and influencer who has also tasted the success of social media. As per reports, he makes around $3.23 million per post on Instagram, which is why he is the richest social media influencer.
4. Branded Merchandise
You must have heard of Kylie Cosmetics and the revenue it’s generating today, but do you know about its success story? This success comes as part of Kylie Jenner’s online presence. Moreover, she is a perfect example of designing your brand’s merchandise.
Likewise, many social media influencers employ personal branding as a means to earn money. The earnings through brand marketing can vary according to the influencers. For a newbie, it won’t bring any profit, but for a well-established influencer, it can be a million-dollar industry.
5. Content Collaborations
If anyone is just entering the influencer marketing industry, content collaborations are one of the easiest ways to build income as well as an audience. These collaborations can be in the form of blogs, brand ambassadors, or any campaigns that give high returns on investment.
According to estimates, an influencer has the potential to earn $250–$450 per 10,000 followers for each of the content collaborations. One such celebrated influencer is Mr. Beast, who made his social media career through these associations.
6. Subscriptions
Have you ever purchased a subscription just because your favorite influencer is offering a discount? I am sure the answer is yes because I have been there too.
The social media Influencers take commissions and sell subscriptions through their websites and social media handles. On average, they make around $0.99 to $99.99 monthly from selling subscriptions and vouchers for different businesses.
One such influencer is Aliza Kelly, who promotes her paid community subscription and substack subscription on Instagram.
How Many Followers Do You Need To Make Money?
If you want to start monetizing your social media presence, you will need at least 500 to 1000 followers so that you have more opportunities. However, follower count is not the sole factor that drives the money-making process.
No one will pay you for the number of followers, but they will for your engagement and niche-specific expertise. In addition, you are also paid for the profit-making promotion deals and sponsored content.
Hence, if we club the follower count and engagement together, you can make around $901 per post on Instagram with just 1K followers. But remember, your negotiation skills play an important role in this!
How Much Do Influencers Make On Per-Post?
According to Statitsa, influencers make approximately $195 to $5000+ per post, and this variation is as per the follower count. For convenience, here I have divided the influencers based on their follower count, followed by their earnings:
| Type of Influencer | No. of Followers | Income Per Post |
|---|---|---|
| Nano Influencers | 1K-10K | $195 |
| Mid-tier Influencers | 10K-100K | $1211 |
| Macro Influencers | 100K-1M | $1804 |
| Mega Influencers | 1M+ | $5000+ |
How Much Does An Instagram Influencer Earn?
An Instagram influencer with a 1 million follower count earns around $10,000 per post. (Source: EmbedSocial). These earnings primarily have to do with sponsored content, brand collaborations, and product sales.
However, Instagram earnings can vary according to the niche, engagement rate, experience, industry standards, and type of content. Thus, before you hop into the money-making potential of Instagram, remember to consider all these factors.
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Conclusion: There Are Six Sources To Make Money From Social Media
Social media has not only revolutionized communication but has also opened doors for building a lucrative career. Affiliate marketing, podcasting, subscriptions, sponsored posts, and display advertising are some of the many ways that influencers make money from social media.
While the amount earned varies greatly as per their “tier” and reach, an influencer can earn up to 5,000 dollars per post!
These opportunities are vital for influencers to make money and thus build a strong career as an influencer. The sole key is to be real and connect with your audience!
