Making money as a content creator and establishing an influencer career have become easier over the last few years. Those on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram are now raking in six figures or higher every year through a range of different sources of revenue.

The amount of money creators make can vary with factors such as the size of their following, the level of audience involvement, and the kind of content they produce. However, even those with a smaller number of followers can now establish a steady, profitable income through developing a strong presence on social media. Additionally, as the creator economy has grown, so have the methods influencers can use to monetize their work.

Reni Odetoyinbo, a personal finance YouTuber, has made up to $34,000 a month throughout 2022 with only 19,000 YouTube subscribers by building seven income streams. Learn more about her success and explore the 11 common ways influencers earn money, as identified through conversations with dozens of industry insiders.

Brand deals

The most common way for creators to generate revenue is through forming partnerships with brands for sponsored content.

The amount of money an influencer can make by advertising products or services can range from hundreds of thousands of dollars to even millions, depending on the size and engagement of their following. Those who have fewer followers can also monetize their content in this manner.

Companies often find micro influencers (those with less than 100,000 followers) to be particularly attractive due to their perceived authenticity, higher engagement with their followers, and lower cost of partnerships.

Affiliate marketing

By using affiliate marketing, creators can receive a portion of the revenue generated from selling specific products.

Upon signing up to an affiliate program, the creator usually obtains a tailored link, through which they will receive a percentage of each sale generated. This percentage fluctuates depending on the product category and program.Popular affiliate programs such as Amazon, LTK (formerly RewardStyle), and ShareASale are frequently used.

Online Courses

Taking on a course may provide creators with additional revenue by imparting their expertise in a certain field or business.

Courses that are pre-recorded can also become a source of passive income, and some creators will update and strategically launch new versions of their courses in order to generate more interest from their audience.

Catarina Mello, a travel influencer who made over $1 million in course sales, stated that by doing launches rather than having a constant availability, it creates a sense of scarcity.

Products

When there is a demand from their audience, some creators may choose to create products that are relevant to their brand. These can include merchandise such as apparel (e.g. hoodies and plush toys), as well as other physical products that align with the creator’s brand.

An example of this is Aisha Beau Frisbey, a full-time lifestyle content creator with 36,000 Instagram followers, who has recently unveiled a set of affirmation cards. Additionally, Emma Downer, a DIY creator with 340,000 TikTok followers, is planning to launch a line of products related to her content niche sometime in 2021.

Youtube Ad Revenue

By posting longform videos on YouTube, creators can become eligible to receive a share of the revenue from the ads that appear before and during their videos.

Those who make videos for YouTube can make money from their content when they become part of the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) by having Google-placed ads on their videos.

In order to be eligible for the program, they must have 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of watch time on their longform videos. Upon meeting these requirements, they will receive 55% of the revenue from ads on their videos, with YouTube taking the remaining 45%.

Creators who obtain 10 million views in 90 days on YouTube’s short-form video feature Shorts and 1,000 subscribers beginning in 2023 will be able to join the Partner Program.

Platform creator funds and bonuses

Platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and Twitch provide bonuses or “creator funds” which reward influencers with money in exchange for the viewership their content obtains, typically short-form videos.

Programs such as the ones that offer bonuses for views on Instagram Reels and Reels on Facebook, as well as similar programs on YouTube and other platforms, exist.

Despite some complaints of meager remuneration, unreliability, or lack of availability in certain countries, these funds can provide a convenient means of monetizing successful content for creators.

‘User-generated content’ (UGC) ads

Brands have recently taken a keen interest in obtaining rights to “user-generated content” from TikTok, which has seen an exponential growth in recent months, for use on their own social media platforms or for paid advertising.

Those with expertise in creating content can make a considerable amount of money from UGC, even if they don’t have a large following, or are not interested in inundating their audience with sponsored material. Brands sometimes favor creators with minimal followings since their content is more affordable and genuine.

This UGC is used on the brands’ channels, as opposed to sponsored content which is posted on a creator’s personal page.

Subscriptions

Creators can establish a reliable revenue stream by implementing subscription plans that enable fans to gain access to exclusive material.

Patreon is one of the most popular platforms for subscription content, but there are other options such as Fanfix, Fanvue, Fourthwall, or OnlyFans. Additionally, some creators choose to create their own websites to host exclusive content.

OnlyFans, a subscription platform, has gained notoriety among adult content creators, some of whom have amassed a fortune due to their involvement on the site.

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