In the ever-growing influencer marketing space, setting and agreeing fees has become a game of bat and ball between creators and brands. Behind the scenes, influencers consider various factors that shape their decisions, ensuring a fair exchange for their time, creativity, and reach.
One significant factor influencing an influencer's fee is whether they are managed by a talent agency. Being part of a talent management can elevate fees by approximately 15%-20%, highlighting the added value management bring to influencer collaborations, such as negotiating contracts, and ensuring the partnerships their influencers are securing align with their long-term business goals.
For anyone working in the creative industry, time is money. Fees often depend on the length and complexity of the content requested, taking into account the time required for planning, creation, supplies, and filming. Being open to conversations about increasing fees reflects the efforts put into crafting unique and engaging content.
Paid usage and exclusivity agreements play pivotal roles in determining fees. Influencers negotiating exclusive partnerships command higher fees, restricting their ability to collaborate with other brands - and competition - for a specified duration.
Influencers will often increase their fee if the contract states their content may be used for the brand for paid advertising – this is when the brand shares the content from their own social channel with paid amplification to reach a specific audience demographic.
Brands shouldn’t shy away from the increased influencer fee for paid ad rights, as they can expect a greater ROI from amplifying the content.
While follower count is a common metric to refer to when agreeing on influencer fees, the industry is witnessing a shift toward prioritizing engagement rates and average views. Digital Voices, for instance, emphasizes these metrics, recognizing their significant impact on achieving client objectives.
An influencer may have 1 million followers, but if their audience isn't engaged, it will have an effect on your consideration and conversion goals. When an influencers account has such a large follower count, it’s likely a percentage of these accounts are bots or inactive users. Therefore, bigger isn’t always better.
Certain niches, such as beauty, skincare, and art, often command higher fees. The specialized expertise and dedicated audience within these niches contribute to the increased value influencers bring to brand partnerships.
These are not the only points that determine influencer fees, yet they are essential to acknowledge before negotiating payment terms. Putting forward a fee that does not reflect the time and effort put into content production will not only tarnish your reputation as a brand – that’s right, influencers often discuss their brand payments with their influencer friends – it means that creators are not being fairly compensated for their craft.
Commissioning one-off pieces of content or short-term campaigns differs from partnering with an influencer on an ambassadorial basis, or agreeing on the production of multiple pieces of content across an agreed period.
In long-term partnerships, influencers negotiate fees based on the assurance of ongoing collaboration. While fees may be lower than one-off campaigns, the steady income stream offers stability for influencers, and monthly invoicing is the norm for long-term partnerships.
The benefits of long-term partnerships include building trust with the audience, but brands must be wary of potential audience fatigue. Striking a balance, with partnerships lasting around 3-6 months, ensures sustained engagement without overexposure.
The ultimate key to ensuring fair pay for influencers no matter their gender, race, age, or other factors that often cause pay disparities is having regular, transparent discussions between influencers and brands.
Encouraging influencers and brands to engage in regular discussions establishes a platform for everyone to share perspectives, concerns, and expectations. Open communication allows influencers to emphasize their value is more than their follower count, focusing on unique skills, content quality, and audience engagement. Transparency about budgets from the beginning helps to create a level playing field, ensuring that influencers, regardless of their background, are not undervalued or underpaid.
Discussing expectations enables influencers to align their creative efforts with the brand's goals, resulting in more effective collaborations. Understanding the brand's vision allows influencers to tailor content, enhancing overall campaign success.
Regular communication also addresses potential biases, strengthening inclusivity and fairness in the Influencer Marketing landscape.
If you want to learn more about determining influencer fees for your brand partnerships or to dive deeper into the pay disparities present in the industry, reach out to hello@digitalvoices.com to chat with our team.
We will be hosting a webinar on this topic in March, and diving deeper into the racial pay disparities in the industry. Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn for more details on this.
