Even though some recent events may have damaged the industry’s image, influencer marketing is gaining more and more importance in Canada and elsewhere in the world. At the root of this practice are what some call opinion leaders, content creators or influencers. But just how much can an influencer expect to earn, and how many of them can make a living from creating content?
The short answer to this question, unfortunately, is that it depends on a lot of factors.
In particular, the value of an influencer depends on how well known they are. In this regard, the number of subscribers he or she has is notably taken into account and seems to be one of the most widespread measures to estimate his or her value.
Other variables are also considered, such as the rate of engagement or the reach of his or her messages. The profile of the influencer’s audience is also a criterion to consider. For example, an influencer with many followers but the majority of whom are located in the United States would be less attractive to a brand wishing to run a campaign for the Canadian market.
The fee can also vary depending on the type of publication and the social media used. According to data published by eMarketer in 2019, a video will be relatively better paid than other types of content. Note also that a YouTube video, whose content can be reused more, will be paid more than if it is published on another social media.
eMarketer’s data also suggests, with the exception of YouTube, that an influencer with between 500 and 5,000 subscribers will reap $100 or less for a post. Fees then increase with the number of subscribers. eMarketer’s data also confirms the findings of other publications, namely that you need a relatively high number of subscribers (at least a few tens of thousands) before you can earn significant revenue from your publications.
The sector of activity can also have an influence on the fee paid. All else being equal, an influencer working in a more niche sector will usually be paid more than one working in a sector where content creators are more numerous (e.g.: entertainment, fashion, etc.).
But obviously, not all influencers are paid on a piecework basis. Some sign agreements with brands, which allows them to receive lump sums in exchange for a series of publications. Again, influence will determine a lot of the money paid out.
Few influencers can make a living from their content creation
A bit like in the artistic world, there are many influencers but only a small part of them makes a significant income from their activities.
This is what emerges from a study conducted by Clark Influence, a firm specializing in influencer marketing. The study was conducted at the end of 2020 with 192 English- and French-Canadian content creators. According to the study, in 2020, 9% of Canadian influencers earned more than $100,000 per year, while 58% of them had an annual salary of less than $30,000. In many cases, they must therefore hold a second job. According to the study, 71% had another professional activity in addition to their content creation.
We should also add that this study was conducted with influencers with whom the agency has relationships. We can therefore think that the salary of the average influencer in Canada is even lower.
For Nicolas Bon, president of Clark Influence, there are indeed few people who can make a living solely from content creation. Those who can do so share certain common traits, including authenticity, originality of their content and the fact that their values are aligned with those of the brands they represent.
Influencer: a term with a negative connotation
It goes without saying that brands must also have confidence in the fact that an influencer does not risk, by his or her words or actions, to indirectly damage their reputation.
In this regard, it is difficult not to mention the story of the famous Sunwing flight with Nicolas. For him, this is an unfortunate event that contributes to the negative connotation of the term influencer. For Nicolas, there is a big difference between a true opinion leader, able to professionally influence the behavior of Internet users and transmit the values of a brand, and a person who simply enjoys a certain notoriety on social media.
