How do influencers make money? An overview

Influencers can earn money online in a variety of ways. The key to success is building a well-maintained social media account. More followers mean greater sales potential. While millions of fans like fitness influencer Pamela Reif or beauty influencer DagiBee are impressive, micro-influencers with a few thousand followers in a niche can also be successful through clever monetization strategies.

Advertising partnerships

One of the main sources of income for influencers is paid posts. According to Hype Journal's "State of Influencer Marketing in Germany 2020," influencers in Germany with 5,000 to 20,000 followers earn around $30 to $270 per paid post. With 20,000 to 100,000 followers, earnings rise to $200 to $2,300. Top influencers can even charge over $10,000 per post.

Affiliate income

Affiliate commissions are another source of income. Influencers refer to products and earn a small commission per click or impression. Platforms such as Awin or CJ Affiliate offer suitable products for this. Here too, a larger number of followers leads to higher sales.

Own products

Influencers with fewer followers often rely on their own products such as online courses, books or beauty products. They can also sell merchandising items via an online shop. Examples of this are the YouTube influencer Bianca from Bibis Beauty Palace and the influencer Gronkh, who offer shirts and hoodies.

Speaker activities

Influencers can work in almost any subject area, be it as a travel influencer, pet influencer or fitness influencer. Once they have established themselves as experts, they are often asked to speak at online or live events. Speaker fees offer an additional source of income to earn a good income even in small niches.