Hey Fashionista’s! As my social media platforms are growing, I’ve started working with more brands (ANNNNNDDDD this is where the confusion comes in). When brands started throwing rates and mile long contracts at me, I didn’t know what to do. How much should I charge? What’s a media kit? What are they even saying in these contracts? These were all questions that I had. There were so many things that I wish I knew going into this in career. So as I am learning this complicated influencer world, I’m going to share the knowledge with my favorite people YOU!!
1. Know your worth
Let me tell you something, this was the most important thing that I had to learn as a content creator/influencer. If you are delivering quality content, it is major that you get paid adequately for your services. Not only do you have to take the photos for the brand, but you have to edit the picture, generate the appropriate hashtags and captions. This take time, research, and skill. I had to learn to charge for my time, my skills, as well as other things. For instance, if you are paying a photographer or videographer you should add their fee into how much you charge. There are no set rates for what you should charge brands (mind blowing, I know). Most influencers charge anywhere from 5%-10% of their following. It is really up to up what you feel comfortable charging, but I would definitely not charge less than 5% of your following.
2. Consistency Really is Key
I know you guys are tired of hearing this (honestly I am too), but it’s the truth. When I decided that I was going to take my Instagram seriously and post consistently. I saw a significant amount of growth. To be honest with you it wasn’t until April of 2021 I made the decision that I was going to be more consistent. At that time I had around 2,000 followers. Now in November of 2021 I have over 23,000 followers. I owe all of that growth to consistency. I would post on Instagram and Tiktok everyday and sometimes twice a day. The proof is in the numbers! When working with brands they want to see that you are consistent and active on your platform. This will it make it more likely for them to reach out to you.
3. Read Those Contracts!!!!!
Please, Please Please, read those contracts thoroughly before you sign any brand deal. I absolutely hate contracts, but they are a big part of my life now. Take your time and read the contract in its entirety. If there is something that you don’t understand google it or try to contact a lawyer. These contracts are legally binding documents that cannot be changed once signed. Make sure you look for words like “exclusivity” and also be sure what exactly they are using your content for. These two things can change the rate that you want to charge the brand. Exclusivity means that the brands do not want you to work for a similar company or their competitors for a period of time. It is important to know exactly how long that time frame is and what companies they are referring to specifically.
One thing that also helped me learn more about this influencer world was connecting with other influencers. It’s so much easier to get the information directly from people working in the field. I really hope that this helps anyone starting out or considering starting a career as an influencer. Keep in mind that being an influencer may look like a easy job, but believe me its not. As an influencer you are a photographer, editor, and so much more. This is my dream career and if it is yours too.. Don’t let anything hold you back! Let me know if you have any other questions!