top of page
Writer's pictureShe's SINGLE Magazine
Jul 84 min read

How to Make Money as an Influencer

by Harley Miller

So, you want to become an influencer? It’s not the hardest thing to do, but it is not the easiest either.

While many influencers from TikTok have seen much success, from attending award shows to taking brand trips, the truth is, they aren’t always generating revenue. When you decide to become an influencer, it’s important to understand the downsides—fair use content sharing, media gifting, taxes, and much more. But we’re going to break it all down. The sooner influencers start demanding respect in their industry, the sooner they’ll find it worth their time in the long run.


Take, for example, a person who does Door Dash once a week and earns $1,200. Out of that, they have to pay taxes, gas, car repairs, and, of course, feed themselves throughout the workday. It is a labor-intensive activity, and on the outside, it seems beneficial, but if you really dive deeper into it, it would seem that it is not a lucrative career. As an influencer, you are responsible for shooting the content, editing the content, and posting it. Not only that, but many brands have specific instructions that they will share with you for the campaign—all of this in exchange for… free products? Yuck!


When a publicist contacts you on behalf of a brand, did you know that they’re compensated by that brand to reach out to you and offer you products? Let’s look at it this way: if they aren’t accepting free products as currency for their time to email you, why are you accepting free products as currency to generate a campaign, post it, and promote it for nothing in return? You can’t even get a cheeseburger, but that publicist, earning upwards of $10,000/month from one client, can probably cover your rent for a few months. No matter how big or how small your account is, it’s worth something. Even a $75/post or $250 minimum to cover the cost, never lowball yourself.


Branndet Marketing Group manages a number of influencers who, when brands reach out to them, redirect those emails to their manager over at Branndet, where negotiations can begin. Not only that, but having a manager adds value to you as an influencer and can help ensure that when brands or publicists reach out, they know they are working with a professional. The only way to make money as an influencer is to set the bar high from the start. What does this mean?


You want to be a blank billboard. Pop singer Chloe Juin’s manager recently mentioned this in an interview: “Chloe is a blank billboard so to speak,” Lisa said. “This allows brands to see her as someone they can work with because she is never outspoken about her personal views—whether political or talking about who had the best performance at an award show among her peers. This approach allows brands to view her as someone who aligns with their brand’s ethos, regardless of the industry. This means more opportunities for brand deals.”


Strategic neutrality is how you make money as an influencer. When brands can align themselves with your platform without worrying about negative feedback or pushback for collaborating with you, they are more likely to start knocking on your door. Take Zendaya, for example; she also practices the art of strategic neutrality. She does not offer her personal take on social or political matters, even when asked in interviews; she is highly media-trained.


When considering becoming an influencer, you have to ask yourself: Do I want to make money, do I want to be liked, or do I want both? Other singers, such as Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, are excellent examples of this. So, when applying these strategies to your career, why would you allow yourself to be shortchanged or not compensated at all? Product does not equal payment. Once you open that door and start allowing wealthy publicists and brands into your orbit to use you to sell their products and promote their clients, you are being used and taken advantage of; not to mention, you will have to pay taxes on the items you receive.

Related articles: How To Get Your Music Heard


Did you know that when a brand sends you free product, they can simply deduct it as an expense when filing their taxes? This gift is essentially reported as income to you if it is provided in exchange for a review or promotion. But how, Harley? Well, even though you weren’t paid, this doesn’t mean you didn’t receive an item that the brand can claim is more valuable than what it would cost to pay you.


Does that sound fair to you? Also, when it comes to business deductions, the more money a company earns and the more deductions they have, the less likely they are to owe money in taxes and, in some cases, they may even get a refund. So not only did you promote their brand for free, but here’s how they just made a plethora of money off of you:

  • Possible tax refund for their media gifting

  • Fair use when they go to repost your video or run ads (free commercial or ad campaign)

  • Sales from your post/promo

  • New leads to their website that they can retarget in Facebook and Google ads

  • For events, you’ve spent your money on gas, your outfit, parking, hair, makeup, and much more just to go and promote their brand for free.



Don’t let these brands and publicists get over on you for free. Charge your worth, or you'll end up having to chalk it up to the game.

bottom of page