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AMA

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Original poster

I'm an 'Instamum/Influencer' AMA

94 replies

HelloThursday · 27/09/2018 10:30

Saw one of these done a while ago and thought it was interesting!
I'm not a huge one - around the 20k mark :) ask away!

OP posts:

Aloethere · 28/09/2018 09:19

I have no question but I have just over 20k followers and don't get any freebies or get paid to post. I am that I could theoretically get over 200quid for a post. I say theoretically because I never get approached to do anything. Oh maybe I do have a question, how did you start getting freebies/paid posts? Did it just happen?

I've never even considered it, my feed is about a totally dorky subject though so that prob explains why! I don't post about my kids/house/life.

Original poster

HelloThursday · 28/09/2018 10:48

I have no question but I have just over 20k followers and don't get any freebies or get paid to post. I am shock that I could theoretically get over 200quid for a post. I say theoretically because I never get approached to do anything. Oh maybe I do have a question, how did you start getting freebies/paid posts? Did it just happen?

I've never even considered it, my feed is about a totally dorky subject though so that prob explains why! I don't post about my kids/house/life.

Companies just started contacting me.

Yeah I guess it does depend what you post about.

OP posts:

meetthewildes · 29/09/2018 16:12

@hellothursday you’re undercharging. I have 13k and easily command £350/400 for an insta post. Please consider raising your rate!

Original poster

HelloThursday · 01/10/2018 08:16

@hellothursday you’re undercharging. I have 13k and easily command £350/400 for an insta post. Please consider raising your rate!

Really?! How did you decide your rate? What is your niche?

OP posts:

meetthewildes · 01/10/2018 09:33

@hellothursday I’ve just periodically raised it every few months to see what brands will pay, and £400ish seems to work. I usually sell packages through - so for example a leading supermarket brand recently paid £1800 for three insta squares and five stories. I do sell one-off squares but less frequently these days.

My niche is parenting in a same-sex relationship.

QuinionsRainbow · 01/10/2018 09:59

In the last month in terms of paid posts and products sent (only counting ones I have actually needed that have saved me money so to speak) around £1000.

What's the tax situation for this kind of activity?

EvePolastri · 01/10/2018 10:05

Yes, how are you declaring these £300 per post earnings @meetthewildes

meetthewildes · 01/10/2018 10:18

@quinionsrainbow @evepolastri I would like to think that all bloggers declare - given the amount of tooth-gnashing in our various Facebook groups round about January 30 every year, I think at least the majority do. I’m registered with HMRC and submit a self-assessment taking into account my earnings, and pay the resultant tax. Just the same as with any freelance job, I’d expect.

EvePolastri · 01/10/2018 14:29

hmm,i'd like to think so too. but who would know if not

meetthewildes · 01/10/2018 15:26

@EvePolastri the HMRC would. Surely. I mean - some of the smaller bloggers work just with little SEO companies, and I'm willing to believe that those are largely untraceable, yes. But by the time that you're doing it seriously, you're working with big brands. It might not be inevitable that one will be picked up in an audit, but it's likely enough to put the fear of god in most of us. I don't think that bloggers are any less likely to declare than any other type of freelancer, particularly when they reach a point where it's 'real' money rather than the occasional £50 every couple of months.

I'm going to pop out of this thread now because it's not my AMA, but I will say that I read the influencer threads with interest and it's enormously affected how I run my account - particularly in terms of transparency. It can be a hard read but I am always grateful to those who take the time to highlight how they want us to behave.

chicken2015 · 01/10/2018 21:30

Hello, i wonder as u have mentioned briefly about , the influencing ur followers, do you think about the fake reality side of it, for example using the example u said about pram, you are given pram to just showcase, take a few pictures not reviewing or anything, you are maybe now using the pram because you have been given it, which you may have not would have if you brought it so its its not real life as you are being guilded by basiclly freebies , and then your followers see your pictures and want to emulate you so buy the pram but its not really emulating your life, as wasnt something you though about or wanted originally. This could happen with everything, effecting everyday life, what you eat , what clothes u wear where you go etc.

chicken2015 · 01/10/2018 22:10

I guess my first comment was more of a thought, have u thought about? And my follow on question would be do you want your followers to understand they are being advertised to when you have paid content (#ad) or would you prefer them to just see products and brands you love being 'showcased' by yourself (when you use #ad) And do you ever think about the impact about the lines being blurry ?

serbska · 03/10/2018 07:53

What do you do with all the stuff sent to you?

Like you don’t need two prams, so would would you sell your old one, sell the new one, keep both, something else?

Surfinbird · 03/10/2018 10:06

@serbska it would be nice to see freebies go to those more in need wouldn’t it - never see that though ....

serbska · 03/10/2018 10:26

Its just that I can see that to start with, 'free stuff' seems really exciting.

But actually does 'free stuff' make you happy or do you sell and and monitise it?

In my sport the sponsored people sell off their kit at the end of every season and it is basically an income stream for them. Get free kit, use it and tell everyone how great it is, sell at the end of the season and get new free kit next season.

meetthewildes · 03/10/2018 11:02

I can't stop jumping in - sorry! But @serbska, 'free stuff' needs to be declared if it's sold and I think that most people do, especially with bigger ticket items. Personally I can't be bothered with the pain of that and I really enjoy being able to donate my lightly-used prams etc to people who couldn't otherwise afford some of the lovely things that I'm given. Last year I reviewed ten prams for a website that wasn't my blog and about five of those we were invited to keep (I think the brands just couldn't be bothered to arrange courier collection - I was SO shocked as they were brand new and lovely). I got in touch with a local charity that takes referrals from social services and health visitors, and four families benefited from beautiful high-end twin buggies. The charity was so grateful and I love imagining those mums with their posh prams. We did keep one, but it was actually the 'budget' pram from the selection - which we're still using today.

These days, I simply don't have the time to take on unpaid reviews unless we actually need the item; my blog isn't my 'real job' and I'm in the fortunate position where my free time is more valuable to me than most of the bits that I'm offered. I'd love to come to an arrangement with PRs/brands that for every item they send me, they also donate one to my nominated charity - I think other bloggers have tried this though, and failed.

serbska · 03/10/2018 11:19

Thanks for answering @meetthewildes

The whole insta-influencer thing is so interesting as a new platform.

Surfinbird · 03/10/2018 17:02

@meetthewildes

That’s really nice :) it’s good to know some people pass on the good fortune. Good on you x

Failydail5 · 11/10/2018 20:00

I'm a tiny blogger in comparison to you OP and @meetthewildes (I follow you by the way and love your account) and even though I've made less than £1k overall I registered with the HMRC to declare with the very first penny I made. We're not all a dishonest bunch! The bloggers I know work really hard to be as ethical and upfront as possible!

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