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Influencer marketing has become an increasingly popular tactic for brands looking to connect with target audiences. Working with influencers who have established credibility and an engaged following can be an effective way to increase awareness and drive sales. And that brings us to the topic of influencer compensation.
One key consideration when developing an influencer marketing strategy is how to properly compensate the influencers. Approaches to payment can vary greatly, and finding the right model is important for creating mutually beneficial partnerships between brands and influencers.
In this article, I’ll explore some of the key things brands should know about influencer compensation, including:
- The different models for paying influencers
- Typical influencer rates and how they’re set
- Why paying for influencers’ time is important
- Making the payment process simple
- Viewing influencer partnerships collaboratively
Different Models for Influencer Compensation
There are several different approaches brands take when it comes to paying influencers. Some common models include:
Free products
Some brands provide free products to influencers in exchange for posts and exposure. However, most established influencers expect more comprehensive compensation.
Affiliate commissions
Influencers can earn a commission on any sales driven by their promotional posts containing affiliate links. This performance-based model rewards influencers for driving measurable sales results. Unfortunately, this model does always not reward them for driving awareness, which can lead to a sale later. To account for this some affiliate tokens don’t expire for a longer time. So you can still get the credit.
Read next: Exploring the TikTok Affiliate Program: Is It a Golden Opportunity?
Flat sponsorship fees
Brands pay a fixed negotiated rate to sponsor a certain number of posts or for the influencer to appear on a podcast or video. The influencer is paid regardless of whether sales can be directly tracked.
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Determining the right approach depends on factors like the influencer’s following size, industry norms, and the scope of the campaign. Performance-based models can work when robust tracking is in place, but influencers may prefer upfront guaranteed fees for sponsored campaigns that take time to create.
Typical Influencer Rates
Influencer rates vary greatly depending on the individual’s reach, industry, and platform.
When negotiating rates, brands should consider the influencer’s potential reach and relevance to their target audience – not just number of followers. Influencers should assess factors like how much time a partnership will take, exclusivity, and how it fits their brand when setting rates.
Paying for an Influencer’s Time
Some brands make the mistake of assuming influencers will eagerly promote their products for free simply because they receive free products, discounts, or affiliate commissions.
But most established influencers today view their work as a professional business and expect fair compensation for their time creating content and leveraging their audience reach. Even if some payment comes in the form of products or commissions, influencers should still be paid reasonable fees reflecting the value they provide.
Brands seeking influencer partnerships need to factor in influencer compensation for the influencer’s time spent conceptualizing posts, developing content, and promoting the brand across their channels. Without adequate payment, influencers have little incentive to keep working with brands in the long run.
Making the Payment Process Simple
The payment process for influencer campaigns should be quick, clear and simple – especially for smaller campaigns. Brands shouldn’t make payments overly complicated with lengthy contracts, delays or vague terms.
Many influencers today use streamlined payment services like PayPal or payment links to easily send and receive sponsorship fees. Brands requesting multiple sales meetings, complex proposals and drawn-out negotiations for modest campaigns may lose out on smaller to midsize deals. After all, who has the time?
Influencer marketing technology platforms are making it easier than ever for brands to identify relevant influencers, reach out for partnerships, and pay influencers in a standardized way. Centralizing the process through a platform can remove friction from the compensation process.
Read next: How to partner with influencers
Viewing influencer partnerships collaboratively
Rather than viewing influencer relationships as simple transactions, brands should work to foster ongoing collaborative partnerships for long-term success. This starts with fairly compensating influencers from the beginning.
Brands shouldn’t make influencers jump through hoops to “prove” themselves before paying them. Just like brands wouldn’t work for major clients for free, influencers expect fair pay for major campaigns for brands. Even “test runs” are paid projects.
When brands develop a reputation for valuing influencers’ time and efforts, they’re more likely to become a desired partner. Influencers will be eager to brainstorm creative ideas that align with the brand and drive results when they feel like a respected collaborator, not an underpaid vendor.
Setting clear expectations, communicating transparently, and developing content collaboratively will enable fruitful long-term influencer partnerships with compelling brand stories.
Key Takeaways
Influencer compensation encompasses many models – from free products to flat fees. Rates vary based on follower count and factors like engagement and relevance.
But fundamentally, brands need to value influencers’ time and creative efforts. Streamlining the payment process, viewing influencers as partners, and compensating them fairly will enable brands to build productive ongoing influencer relationships and see greater returns on investment.