Unless you’re boasting an exceptionally large following, or deal with sponsored posts from a business end, no one really knows how much social media stars are making per paid post; and while the transparency around sponsored content is slowly changing, one influencer has spilled on the exact figures people are pocketing.
Jaclyn Hill is a beauty YouTuber and influencer from the US with over 5.4 million YouTube subscribers and 5.7 million Instagram followers. The 28-year-old was recently accused of charging $60,000 for a sponsored post, and in retaliation has uploaded one of her longest YouTube videos to date explaining that she doesn’t do sponsored posts.
In the clip Hill says: “I could be making so much more money than I am. The deals that I get in my emails honestly shock me.
"I’ve had brands reach out to me and be like, ‘Hey, wanna work together? We’re willing to pay you $50,000 to introduce our new foundation.’ The reason why I don’t do it is because it usually always comes with a list of stuff that I have to say and things I can’t say."
Hill elaborates that while she won’t do sponsored posts because she can’t truly express her opinions, there are some beauty influencers that are definitely demanding extraordinary amounts for mentions:
“Yeah, $60,000 is a pretty normal price for people to charge.People who do sponsorships — honey, $60,000 is just the beginning. I sat at a table with a bunch of influencers last year, and everyone was talking about sponsorships and brand deals and trips and just stuff like that. And some of that table told me, ‘Oh yeah, I get paid $70,000 just to mention a product. Like if I am doing a makeup tutorial and I just, like, use a blush, as long as I talk about it for 30 seconds, I get paid $70,000.' And I was like, what?!"
For Hill, this is just the tip of the iceberg. She claims she is aware of an influencer charging $150,000 for a sponsored post, and many others who charge upwards of $100,000 for a video.
It is rare for an influencer with a high-profile like Hill’s to speak out about money, but the beauty guru hopes that if people are charging that they’re charging fairly: “I really don’t see an issue with it because if you’re charging $100,000 for a video but you’re making that company a million dollars because of your video, that’s 10 percent, and you should be getting paid. If you’re in a contract with them and they’re sponsoring you, get your coin.
