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Original poster

To wonder how much influencers are actually making?

34 replies

BlackChair · 02/03/2025 07:52

I mean, there are videos of people just filming their usual family shit…but they have 1,000s of followers and it looks like it’s a full time job.

How much are they making? How hard is it?

I get that it might not be long-term sustainable but for the short/medium-term is it actually quite lucrative? Are we all missing a trick?!

This is semi-lighthearted by the way. It looks easy, lots seems to be pretty vague or generic but perhaps there really is something in it?

OP posts:
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Starseeking · 02/03/2025 16:16

One American influencer I am aware of lives in what has been described as a $6m dollar house bought for cash, a 5 carat engagement ring and thousands of designer handbags and shoes.

She started off as a makeup artist on YouTube, also does insta and TikTok and now has clothing lines, perfume lines, everything for the home selling to her followers. She is clearly a multi-millionaire by now.

From what I can gather she's been doing it at least 15 years to get to this point, and she seems to post content round the clock. It looks far from easy, as she never seems to switch off.

sweetpickle2 · 02/03/2025 14:16

How rude @Hellskitchen24! They can’t be that thick if they’ve made a living like this- you sound jealous.

Hellskitchen24 · 02/03/2025 13:22

Half of the “Tiktokers” that come up on my feed are as thick as mince, but appear to be jetting off on holiday constantly, having trips paid for by companies, having expensive things sent to them, so quite a lot judging by this. Fair play to them I guess. How sustainable this form of “work” is long term is another matter.

Snackpocket · 02/03/2025 10:48

You can look them up on social blade and get estimates of what influencers are earning on their channels. Some are very lucrative but that’s not the majority. There are lots making a few quid from aff linking and ads but remember if they are gifted an item or trip that doesn’t pay the bills!

imtherelala · 02/03/2025 10:19

Dont know how much they make but i know how much they can lie.

Ginmonkeyagain · 02/03/2025 10:12

Mr Monkey follows a few running influencers. They seem to make enough to fund their hobby but little more than that.

hopeishere · 02/03/2025 10:02

I guess you would have to declare the income but you can also write off a lot of stuff as being g necessary for making content. Eg clothes.

Original poster
BlackChair · 02/03/2025 09:51

I guess there is some kind of invoice arrangement / contact? Give all that to an accountant and let them figure out what’s taxable?

Yeah the scrutiny and criticism is not for me. I can’t think of anything to monetize anyway that doesn’t involve the world knowing my business.

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FinanceLPlates · 02/03/2025 09:31

Can I ask a really boring question for those who have any experience of making an income from social media - how does this all work with taxes? Would you have to declare all the freebies, travel etc. and pay taxes on them? How do people deal with that side of things?

I can imagine people starting small and as more of a hobby but at some point it sounds like it would be quite a complicated tax situation with many income streams?

AchillesAndPatroclus · 02/03/2025 09:19

The idea that you could be earning hundreds through social media, whether active or passive, is really enticing.

What would wreck me is having a cool idea for a post and then having to analyse it from absolutely every angle of perception. You’d have to have an image of the end result/aesthetic and reverse engineer everything to look perfect in the eyes of your market and to keep up your reputation or fall foul of trolls.

Watching the Gabby Petito documentary has opened my eyes to the immense level of cringe that goes on behind the camera in trying to get that “perfect whimsical content” that is supposed to be showing you living authentically but is actually anything but.

TheMorels · 02/03/2025 09:07

BlackChair · 02/03/2025 08:59

See I find it awesome that this can happen.

What does she influence about?

Show quote history

Nothing in particular! Broadly, health and wellbeing. It helps that she’s extremely pretty, and posh.

Carlyhouse · 02/03/2025 09:01

This js your competition

and some statistics

www.ion.co/influencers-potential-lost-earnings-covid

Original poster
BlackChair · 02/03/2025 08:59

TheMorels · 02/03/2025 08:55

My niece is an influencer. Primarily on TikTok where she has a huge following.

She reckons she easily nets £250k a year. I have no idea how this works as she doesn’t post loads of content. For her, it’s easy. She calls it ‘working’ but admits it’s anything but. She never seems to get any negative comments or bitchiness, so it’s been nothing but positive for her.

See I find it awesome that this can happen.

What does she influence about?

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Original poster
BlackChair · 02/03/2025 08:58

Well I said it “looks” easy. I didn’t say it was easy. And then I wonder how much time it actually takes to do the nice flower pot arranging (thinking of content, fining the content, editing the content).

I guess my point was more that I understand that niche topics will get following because it’s a niche, but that there’s a lot of very generic content out there (like someone else said just normal family day to day stuff that doesn’t look so well thought through or planned or edited) that STILL appeals to the masses…

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IDoLikeToBeByTheSea · 02/03/2025 08:55

There’s a 3 part documentary on NowTv called ‘an update on our family’ that, although not exclusively about ‘influencers’, it does give a lot of first hand insight

TheMorels · 02/03/2025 08:55

My niece is an influencer. Primarily on TikTok where she has a huge following.

She reckons she easily nets £250k a year. I have no idea how this works as she doesn’t post loads of content. For her, it’s easy. She calls it ‘working’ but admits it’s anything but. She never seems to get any negative comments or bitchiness, so it’s been nothing but positive for her.

C0tt0nCandy · 02/03/2025 08:52

I follow somebody who is buying a house on the back of it. Surely it’s not that reliable an income. I wouldn’t want to base a mortgage on it .

sweetpickle2 · 02/03/2025 08:51

I think it’s pretty ignorant to say it’s “easy”.

hopeishere · 02/03/2025 08:50

Also a lot have moved to a subscriber model so for a relative small monthly fee eg £2.99 you get added content. If even 500 people sign up that's a nice wee chunk every month with a bit of effort. Plus relying on then fact people fail to cancel subscriptions!!

Original poster
BlackChair · 02/03/2025 08:50

Boredlass · 02/03/2025 08:47

My son makes £500 a month on YouTube without even trying. He just does it for fun and puts next to no effort into it so I imagine he would make far more if he tried

What does he do for that?

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Original poster
BlackChair · 02/03/2025 08:49

How are the TT ones making money? Sponsored posts / aff links still like insta?

I could never open my life up like that but there are also faceless accounts that seem to do well too.

I’m fascinated by the whole thing (showing my age!) in terms of how it’s become a thing. Not only marketing other people’s or other companies stuff, but directly selling your own too. The whole world is a potential customer!! Totally border less opportunities!

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Boredlass · 02/03/2025 08:47

My son makes £500 a month on YouTube without even trying. He just does it for fun and puts next to no effort into it so I imagine he would make far more if he tried

IVFmumoftwo · 02/03/2025 08:42

ladymammalade · 02/03/2025 08:23

I know someone who has a YouTube channel, she makes about £2k a month (but she lives with parents so she's quite happy with that)

Does she live up North?

Carlyhouse · 02/03/2025 08:40

A very few make millions, around 5 % just about break even, the vast majority are losing money or wasting their time.

Jade520 · 02/03/2025 08:31

I follow a few travel vloggers and they can make pretty good money from youtube if they have enough people subscribing and watching. They get money from ads, patreon, sponsorship deals can be lucrative, they can get free stays, cruises etc sometimes and can sell merch, travel guides etc. They earn enough to cover all their expenses but there are high expectations of video quality and content - and time, thought and effort is put into planning, filming and editing.

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