Revealed: What Top Bloggers Actually Make (And Why Adland Should Be Worried)

Revealed: What Top Bloggers Actually Make (And Why Adland Should Be Worried)
B&T Magazine
By B&T Magazine



Top bloggers are reportedly making as much as US$1-3 million PER YEAR, and that’s not including the myriad of free stuff they get sent constantly.

A sponsored Instagram post with a top fashion blogger can cost a brand anywhere from $5,000 to $25,000 — nearly five times the going rates just a year and a half ago, according to fresh reports from WWD. 

And even that’s considered cheap when you compare it to the fact that one sponsored post from Kylie Jenner will cost you between $100,000 and $300,000.

The trend has transformed the everyday human posting a few selfies in outfits into global superstars, earning the big bucks and even nabbing campaign contracts over supermodels and celebrities.

And Swiss-born Kristina Bazan did just this when she snagged a deal with L’Oreal after chalking up appearances in Cartier and Louis Vuitton digital campaigns.

L’Oréal Paris vice president of global cosmetics Yann Joffredo told WWD that while he can’t comment on details of the contract with Bazan, he did say, “Signing for one shoot was absolutely not the idea when we contracted Kristina”.

Chiara Ferragni by Courtesy Photo

Chiara Ferragni by Courtesy Photo

“Kristina really works with us, she gives us feedback on our products, and as she is a real L’Oréalista and very connected with her community, it gives us very useful insights. She is also an insider to all of our events, again to show in her own way, the L’Oréal Paris world.

“This is a deep relationship, [it’s] very unique [and] not the kind we have with magazines — that are also very strong, but in a different way.”

“We all need to stop pretending that it’s a bad thing that digital influencers are compensated for their work,” cofounder of Digital Brand Architects (DBA) Raina Penchansk told WWD.

“The digital space, bloggers included, is egalitarian. And since when is egalitarian a bad thing?”

“Services businesses kept the lights on for the first few years when everyone laughed in our face. Everyone told us we were crazy; people said no one would pay for influencers.”

According to WWD sources, the firm’s client roster is expected to hold around 130 influencers who will take in a combined $50 million in revenue this year. Put that in your minimal wage pipe and smoke it!

While DBA wouldn’t comment on what it’s top influencers are raking in, WWD is reporting top names can charge from USD$5,000-$25,000 for a single sponsored Instagram post, making the infamous Linda Evangelista quote about not getting out of bed for less than $10,000 look like a sweet little notion.

Originally bloggers were criticised for not being journalists, but when the question of integrity and credibility arose, the Federal Trade Commission outlined a set of guidelines on when content creators must disclose a sponsored or paid post.

Kristina Bazan by Courtesy Photo

Kristina Bazan by Courtesy Photo

Per WWD, shopping search engine ShopStyle’s influencer and its blogger affiliate network, ShopStyle Collective, watched December sales soar, and it was all thanks to the roster of bloggers promoting the products.

Sales managed to climb 315 per cent year-on-year, and according to sources close to the company, these content creators spurred on $8 million in sales for the month, with the big brands pulling rank including Burberry, Donna Karan, Jeffrey Campbell and more. Eighty per cent of those sales were also driven by the network’s top 100 bloggers.

But it’s Chiara Ferragni (featured image) of the Blonde Salad who sits at the top of the blogosphere, amassing 5.2 million Instagram followers in a few short years. 

Alessio Sanzogni, group general manager of Chiara Ferragni, Theblondesalad.com and Chiara Ferragni Collection, told WWD that the business hit almost $10 million in revenue in 2015.

“We don’t have superbig money deals — only one-third of our work is paid and the rest is organic content. We aren’t looking to be limited [to one brand],” Sanzogni said. 

Well, that about does it for making us feel like shit today. We’ll go drown our five-figure salary woes at the pub with the $7 schooner and schnitty special. *UPDATE* this special does not exist, but you can nab a $5 steak and cheap beer at Forresters Surry Hills – could be worse!




Latest News