After getting a lot of feedback from my article about getting brands to pay you, I’ve decided to broach the highly anticipated question of:
what to charge for collaborations as a blogger.
Charging for a service in any industry doesn’t come easy - it takes hustle, grit, and plenty of experience before you prove your credibility to get people to pay you.
If you’re in the beginning stages of turning your blog or side hustle into a business, you may not be able to charge fresh out the gate. There’s the possibility of being taken advantage of because you’re new to the game and/or expecting too much without the credentials to back you up.
Start by generating quality content (even in exchange for goods) to get you noticed and take you to that next level. However, you also need to make a living so when are you supposed to stop one and start the other? A good indication is when you have at least 5 brand collaborations under your belt and a total social reach of 8-10K. Like everything else in the blogging biz, there are exceptions, but let’s take a look…
What to charge as a micro-blogger (1-15K followers)
If you fall in this category, before you cringe and get on yourself, let me explain the awesome benefits of being a micro-blogger:
- You typically don’t get pulled into blogger politics, meaning your blog/business is drama free for the most part.
- Your demographic is so niche, that you reach consumers no brands have reached before.
- You’re approachable and you maintain audience engagement (approachable = higher engagement = higher sales)
As a micro-blogger you’ll most likely be approached by brands once in a blue moon so you not only have to be active in seeking them out, but you have to price your services competitively because there’s an abundance of micro-bloggers.
One of my fellow fashion bloggers has a following of 12K on Instagram and charges $250 for one Instagram post, which comes out to be about $48 per follower. One way to look at it is from a cost per follower perspective. Don’t be afraid to charge lower rates when starting out. Even at $25 per post with a client base of 25 brands over the course of a month, you can rake in $750. Not too shabby. Go low and add quality value.
What to charge as a mid-grade blogger (15-90K)
A reasonable pricing strategy here is cost per thousand of followers. Unlike a micro-blogger, you set a rate for every thousand follower you have. (Example: 50k followers = 5k followers and with a $10 rate per thousand, your fee would be $500.)
Mid-grade bloggers can charge between $200-2,000 per Instagram post - the more followers you have, the higher you can move on the spectrum. Note: These are not exact numbers! Depending on the length of your contract, brand, and terms of the agreement, the rates can vary. As a general idea, you can most definitely charge over $1,000 an in-depth sponsorship if you’re on the higher end.
It’s best to check with your blogger peers or talent manager. Be reasonable and go above and beyond. You’ll gain a great reputation with brands this way and once you reach macro-level, you can charge the higher rate because you deliver such a high-quality package.
What to charge as a macro-blogger blogger (90+K)
One media outlet released the price one blogger with a 900K following was charging: $5,000-15,000 and that was in 2015! She’s since hit the 1 million mark so you can imagine what she’s able to charge now, especially with the new Instagram insights tool.
As a macro-blogger, the ball is in your court and as long as your price is in range of the brand’s budget and you’re on par with what other bloggers with a similar following are charging, the sky is the limit. Google Analytics, Facebook, and Instagram insights are great tools to share your numbers with brands (reach, impressions, conversions, etc.) for negotiating a rate.
Regardless of where you are on the blogging spectrum, be proud and keep moving forward. Who knows, maybe one day you’ll be rakin’ in the big bucks!
What is holding you back from charging for collaborations as a blogger? Tell us in the comments!
xx Britt
Follow Me – Blog Instagram Periscope Snapchat @notanothrblonde
You Should Also Read:
How Fashion Bloggers Make Money & You Can Too
Snapchat - A Blogger’s Secret Money Maker
7 Ways to Save Money as a Fashion Blogger
