Skip to main content

Influencers have transformed modern marketing, creating new ways for brands to reach customers. As part of that transformation, the income opportunities for influencers have changed dramatically, too. Although consumers have long followed the buying preferences of celebrities and athletes, the rise of social media opened the door for non-celebrities to carry the same kind of clout. And that led to the birth of influencer marketing. Here’s how influencers are making money now.

How influencers are making money

The expansion of existing platforms and the addition of new ones means that there are more opportunities for influencers to find their niche and earn money doing it. 

For top influencers, that niche can be worth millions of dollars, but it’s important to understand where their audience is and how to reach them. Then it’s a case of finding the right way to partner with brands and sponsors to make those talents and interests profitable. There’s more than one road that leads in that direction, so here’s a look at 10 ways influencers can make money:

  1. Sponsored posts. This is one of the most common ways for influencers to boost earnings; they can earn money just by posting high-quality content. When making sponsored posts, they’re paid to feature products or services on their channel, whether that’s on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or Facebook. 
  2. Adsense. For YouTube influencers and bloggers, Google’s Adsense makes it easy to generate income through advertising. Once an influencer signs up, Google will attach ads to their videos, using algorithms to target each viewer based on their web-surfing habits. 
  3. Creator fund. On TikTok, influencers can capitalize on their growing popularity by joining its Creator Fund. The fund has certain criteria for joining — such as having a minimum of 10,000 followers, among other factors. Once they’ve signed up for the program, influencers can earn money based on number of views, authenticity of those views, and the level of engagement. Other platforms also have creator funds.
  4. Subscriptions and donations. In the gig economy, the importance of tips and donations is well understood. When influencers are posting great content, they can ask followers to contribute to their income. This can take many forms: Followers might subscribe to specialized content that isn’t available for free, or influencers might ask for monthly donations and contributions through a platform like Patreon. They might have a “tip jar” on their website through which their audience can make a small one-time donation. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok are also testing subscriptions.
  5. Courses. Depending on their area of expertise, influencers can make a lucrative income by offering courses. They may be downloadable e-books, online seminars, webinars, or paid tutorials. These have become particularly popular for LinkedIn influencers who cover business topics.  
  6. Products. As an influencer’s reach grows, they might have a big enough following to create their own product lines. For example, a fashion blogger might have their own line of clothing, or a beauty influencer could create their own cosmetics line. Other influencers might just create merchandise that fans will buy. Not only can they market those products on other platforms, but they have a built-in following to market to.  
  7. Events and appearances. As influencers gain popularity, they become celebrities themselves and, like other celebrities, they have the potential to attract a crowd in person as well as online. Brands may pay an influencer to show up at a special event because they understand his or her presence will draw a crowd. Or the influencer can host his or her own event — either live or online — and charge for people to attend. Virtual partnerships are available in gaming platforms. 
  8. Becoming a brand ambassador. Sometimes, an influencer can partner with a specific brand and serve as its ambassador. That means they’ll regularly post about different products within that line — and get paid each time. Some influencers may work with multiple brands and post regularly about them. They may also generate income from sales of those products.
  9. Website ads. Taking a cue from bloggers, who have made money from ads on their websites for years, influencers who enjoy a high volume of traffic can charge for advertising on their personal website. There are several ways to negotiate payment terms; it can be based on visitor clicks, on how many times the ad appears on the screen, or on other terms negotiated with the sponsor.   
  10. Traditional advertising. As influencers become more popular, they can become celebrities in their own right. This can lead to more traditional partnerships with brands, such as appearing in a TV commercial, on a billboard, or in a print or digital ad to promote a specific brand or product. 
  11. Selling services. Influencers can create listings for services such as sponsored posts, appearances, speeches, writing, editing, photography and more on Shake, IZEA’s online marketplace.

Influencers:

Looking to partner with industry-leading brands? Create your free profile today. 

Marketers:

The world’s biggest brands trust IZEA’s influencer marketing software and managed solutions. Find out which solution is right for you.

Get the latest Influencer Marketing News