As an influencer, knowing how much to charge for brand deals is key to your success! If you charge too little you risk undervaluing yourself and losing a significant chunk of change. If you charge too much you may risk losing brand deals. Knowing what to include in your rates is ultimately what makes or breaks an influencer. So, if you’re curious about how much your favorite influencer earns when they partner with brands, OR, you’re wondering how to price YOUR rates for brand deals, or if you’ve been google-ing how much to charge for brand deals, SPOILER ALERT, you’re in the right place because in this post we’re “decoding” influencer rates to reveal some popular pricing secrets.
Influencer Rate Calculator
By the way, if you’re new here — welcome, I’m Jaye and I’m the creator of 11 St. Studio influencer agency and I’ve been helping influencers like you price their rates for brand deals, and negotiate brand contracts, since 2019. With that said, I recently launched a NEW webinar where I share exactly what goes into calculating rates for brand deals — IN DETAIL — because let me tell you, it is NOT a one-size fit’s all approach. And in that webinar I also reveal how to get your hands on my personal influencer rate calculator, because trust me when I say, it’s a MUST-HAVE if brands are asking for your rates.
Again, I reveal IT ALL in the webinar. So make sure to click the link below this video to join the webinar because I don’t want anyone (who’s interested in learning how to price their rates for brand deals the RIGHT way) to miss it.
How Much To Charge For Brand Deals
OK so, like I said, in this post you’re going to learn about influencer rates and how influencers calculate rates for brand deals — so regardless if you’re a creator on TikTok, an influencer on Instagram, a YouTuber here on YouTube, a blogger or a podcaster, get ready for some eye-opening tips because we’re diving deep to answer the question many influencers have, which is: how much to charge for brand deals.
When it comes to pricing rates for brand deals, influencers often consider several things when determining their rates. First, and foremost, they consider the size of their audience. For obvious reasons, their follower count plays a significant role, so this obviously makes a huge difference in the final rate they share with a brand.
Another factor many influencers consider when debating how much to charge for brand deals is their current engagement rate. So… how active and engaged are their followers? Brands clearly value influencers with high engagement rates since this means their message is reaching a receptive audience.
The type of content an influencer creates and the niche they’re in are also important factors. For example, are they in the beauty, food, fitness, or fashion niche? At the end of the day, different niches have different price ranges when it comes to rates for brand deals. The truth is, some niches are simply more profitable than others.
Often when influencers wonder how much to charge for brand deals they fail to consider the type of collaboration a brand is requesting. Types of brand collaborations and partnerships play a huge factor in calculating influencer rates. It’s no secret that brands pay influencers GENEROUSLY to promote their products. But each collab is different and can vary in duration, exclusivity, and the level of creativity required by the influencer, so those are all factors that determine an influencer’s final rate too.
How Much To Charge As An Influencer
Now, you might be wondering how much influencers actually charge. Well, it can range from a couple of hundred dollars to well, millions, if a brand is partnering with a celebrity influencer. But keep in mind, influencer rates are NOT fixed and are always negotiated to reflect many of the factors I just mentioned.
OK, so this is why sharing YOUR rates with brands (without knowing any details of the campaign first) is actually VERY risky.
So, for example, if a brand approaches you with a partnership opportunity, and a proposed rate for the partnership, before you jump on board you need to know some specifics! Like, are they interested in a 30-second short-form video or a multi-image carousel post? And, does the brand want permission to use the video or images in their paid ads indefinitely or for say, 3 months? Do they want everything to go live next month, or next week?
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Sponsored Post Rates
The truth is that the final price an influencer charges a brand is usually made up of a variety of factors, including the project’s final deliverables, any usage rights the brand requests, exclusivity, as well as a few other very specific details. Like I said, each brand deal is significantly different.
And while seeing an initial offer by a brand can be intriguing and even tempting (especially if it’s generous) I still always encourage influencers to keep the big picture in mind. If you don’t ask yourself “What (exactly) does this brand want? or “What does this specific campaign include?”, well, the numbers CAN be misleading.
So please always do your due diligence and ask for specifics from the brand so you can feel 100% confident that the rate you share with them takes everything into account so you walk away from every brand deal knowing you’ve been paid fairly.
Influencer Rates Calculator
And, as a side note, again, if you need help pricing YOUR rates for brand deals, make sure to watch my FREE webinar where I share all kinds of PRO tips for pricing out brand deals — as well as my personal influencer rate calculator, which is a game changer when it comes to calculating rates for ALL kinds of brand deals. Again, the link to join the webinar is in the description below this video. OK so before you sign up for the webinar, or start frantically googling how to price your rates, let’s quickly chat about some KEY factors that make up influencer rates.
Sponsored Post Rates
#1. Profile analytics (in particular, your engagement rate)
I mean, let’s be real, this is pretty straightforward. While two influencers could have the same amount of followers or subscribers, one may only see 10% of their audience consistently engaging while the other averages say, 60% engagement.
I like to compare it to an email list. While the size of a list is relevant, the number of people who actually open, read and click the links in the emails regularly is far more important.
#2. Usage rights
One of the most common brand requests is usage rights. When a brand is asking to use an influencer’s work you can expect the price to be impacted.
#3. Brand exclusivity
Exclusivity is when a brand asks a creator to turn down any incoming partnership opportunities from other brands (or brands in a particular niche) for a specific time period. This happens across all niches, but in all fairness happens in some more than others. So, the type of brand often dictates whether this is even a concern.
For example, a creator is unlikely to be approached to promote two different automobile companies close together but that might not be the case with say beauty or food brands, so influencers in those niches will see more exclusivity requests, which again impacts the final rate.
#4. Market demand
Now, this is fairly straightforward. When brands show significant interest in a particular influencer, group of influencers, or niche of influencers, prices will continue to increase for as long as there is MARKET demand for those influencers or within their niche. Meaning, if you’re in high demand, that impacts your final rate.
#5. Production complexity
OK, so this is a bit more nuanced. Essentially, it’s important to ask yourself if the partnership a brand is presenting you with is simple and straightforward. If not, it’s important to raise the final rate. So, ask the brand if they have any unique requests. For example, will you need to hire others to help complete the project? Or travel to a specific location?
At the end of the day, the more involved a partnership gets (beyond standard effort) the more the price is naturally expected to increase.
#6. Deliverables due
So, as you’re aware, final deliverables vary pretty significantly from one brand deal to another. OK, so while a YouTuber typically has fewer deliverables (for example, a short integration or a full video) a brand partnering with an influencer on Instagram may be looking for some combination of Reels, Stories, and/or static posts. Either way, without knowing exactly what the brand wants, in terms of final deliverables, it’s unclear what your final rate will be. So make sure it’s crystal clear upfront so you can provide them with a realistic rate.
#7. Product appeal
Now, this is tricky. Anytime a brand approaches you, it’s important to ask yourself if the product a brand is asking you to promote is particularly appealing… OR is it, well… unappealing? For example, an influencer’s rate might vary significantly based on whether they’re being asked to promote a popular meal kit service versus a controversial supplement for say, weight loss. Typically, the trickier it is to promote, the more the final price is expected to increase.
#8. Past performance
OK, this is especially important. As an owner of an influencer agency, I’ve personally seen it all. Influencers with modest, but extremely loyal audiences, that will purchase products they recommend in a heartbeat…and popular creators that drive almost ZERO results.
And, at the end of the day, I’ve found that the best indicator of future performance is past performance. OK so if you’re an influencer that KNOWS that your audience will take action, you can certainly charge higher rates because you have the numbers to prove it.
#9. Brand preference
Now it’s worth mentioning that occasionally a brand will approach an influencer that they specifically want to work with — and in doing so are MORE than willing to pay premium prices to make the partnership happen. Since they often end up paying a premium fee this can lead to misleading rates as it’s not really driven by true market demand. OK so keep that in mind.
How Much To Charge For Brand Deals
When debating how much to charge for brand deals there are several key factors that influencers and content creators need to consider before sending their rates over to brands. First and foremost, your audience size plays a crucial role; larger followings typically command higher rates. However, engagement rate is equally important, as brands often prefer influencers who actively interact with their audience, leading to higher potential ROI. Metrics such as likes, comments, shares, and overall activity on your posts can provide a more accurate representation of your influence than follower count alone.
Another important consideration to keep in mind when calculating how much to charge for brand deals is the type and scope of the brand deal. For instance, a single Instagram post might be priced differently from a comprehensive campaign that includes multiple posts, stories, and cross-platform promotion.
Additionally, the specifics of the content—such as whether it requires professional photography, travel, or special production—can also influence pricing. It’s essential to account for the time, effort, and resources needed to create high-quality content that aligns with the brand’s expectations.
How Much To Charge As An Influencer
Lastly, current market rates and industry standards should not be overlooked when considering how much to charge for brand deals. Researching what other influencers in your niche and with similar followings are charging can provide a useful benchmark. Some influencers also use pricing calculators to help estimate their rates for brand deals. This is especially useful because all you need to do is plug in what the brand is requesting and you’ll get an instant rate to send over to brands! Having a rate calculator on hand is ideal, and one of the reasons why our Influencer Rate Calculator is one the best-selling items in our Shop!
Transparency with the brand about your pricing structure and being open to negotiation can further help in establishing a mutually beneficial partnership. Ultimately, setting a fair price for brand deals requires a balance of self-valuation, understanding market trends, and clear communication with the brand.
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Influencer Rate Card
K, so there you have it! I hope this gives you some unique perspective regarding how much to charge for brand deals and helps you look at pricing your rates for brand deals a little differently in the future! Can the numbers brands initially approach you with be helpful? Sure. But I hope that you start looking at them with this additional info in mind so that you can make MUCH smarter decisions with your final rates going forward.
Influencer Rate Calculator
And, before you go, remember to check out my FREE webinar to discover my proven formula to pricing out your rates for all kinds of brand deals! OK, that pretty much covers how much to charge for brand deals! Now you know some of the influencer industry’s best pricing secrets!
Read More Tips for Influencers
Thanks for reading our guide on how much to charge for brand deals! Here’s a few of our most popular guides for influencers as well as some of our best-selling resources for influencers in our Shop. ❤️
- Unlocking Collaborations: How to Reach Out to Brands as an Influencer
- How Much Should I Charge as an Influencer + Rate Card Template
- What Brands Look For In Influencers — Read more here.
- Influencer vs Content Creator: What No One Tells You
- Influencer Tips & Tricks — Read more here.
- Influencer Opportunities: The Truth About Brand Deals
- Become a Paid Influencer: 6 Tips — Read more here.
- How To Make Money Creating Content For Brands — Read more here.
- How To Approach Brands As An Influencer: Quick Guide
- Influencer Brand Deals: An Ultimate Breakdown
- How To Negotiate As An Influencer — Read more here.
- How To Get Brand Deals — Read more here.
- How Much To Charge For A Sponsored Post — Read more here.
- The Brand Pitch Email Templates (That Brands Can’t Refuse) — Read more here.
- Get More Brand Deals With This Engagement Rate Formula — Read more here.
- How To Work With Brands As An Infliuencer — Read more here.
- What (Exactly) To Include In Your Media Kit — Read more here.
- How Much To Charge For A Sponsored Post — Read more here.
- Influencer Marketing Terms You Need To Know To Work With Brands — Read more here.
- Subscribe to our YouTube Channel — Watch Now
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