Influencers Who Identify as a Person of Color Command up to a 51% Premium Over Their Caucasian Counterparts

IZEA Worldwide, Inc., operator of IZEAx, the premier online marketplace connecting brands and publishers with influential content creators, released the industry’s first ever examination of earnings equality among social influencers. The report provides analysis of influencer earnings observed in IZEA’s online marketplace spanning 2014 to 2019. Data is comprised of negotiated rates between marketers and creators spanning the spectrum of micro-influencers to celebrities.

Key Findings Include:

• Over the past five years, the average earnings for all ethnicities and genders has risen dramatically. The average cost for a sponsored Instagram photo has risen 44% from 2018 to 2019 alone.
• Ethnic minorities command a premium over their Caucasian counterparts, with Asian Americans making an average of 51% more per post.
• Females dominate the influencer marketing industry, receiving 87% of all transaction volume over the past five years.
• While females receive the lion’s share of deal flow, the abundance of brand-friendly female influencers ultimately drives prices lower, with females earning 47% less per post than males on average.
• Influencers under the age of 24 command a premium of at least 44% more than those aged 25 years and older.
• Influencers with an annual household income of $100k+ or more per year charge an 80%+ premium for a sponsored posts compared to their counterparts earnings $50k or less per year.

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“Five years ago, Caucasian influencers received 73% of all IZEAx marketplace sponsorship transaction volume,” said Ted Murphy, Founder and CEO of IZEA. “That number has been steadily decreasing and reached 61% in 2019. Caucasians represent approximately 65% of the U.S. population, so we are now at a tipping point where ethnic minorities are receiving an outsized portion of transaction volume relative to their population. This phenomenon is being driven by the desire of brand marketers to be more inclusive in their marketing efforts and reflects the changing values of U.S. consumers. Not only have ethnic minorities gained 12% more market share over the course of the past five years, they have also seen a dramatic increase in their earnings, commanding a 12% to 51% premium over Caucasian influencers.”

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2015-2019 Sponsored Post Price Increases by Ethnicity:

• Sponsored Post prices charged by Asian influencers have risen 1,526% from $101 to $1,542 on average.
• Sponsored Post prices charged by African American influencers have risen 1,075% from $129 to $1,387 on average.
• Sponsored Post prices charged by Hispanic influencers have risen 854% from $146 to $1,248 on average.
• Sponsored Post prices charged by Caucasian influencers has risen 756% from $135 to $1,021 on average.

“We have seen a tremendous earnings equalization among ethnicities, yet the earnings gap between male and female influencers persists,” continued Murphy. “We believe this gap is largely due to the abundance of brand-friendly female influencers. Influencer marketing started with ‘mommy bloggers’ over a decade ago and females still dominate the landscape today. However, the sheer volume of female influencers vying for brand dollars reduces their pricing leverage compared to their male counterparts. Scarcity and demand largely drive price and unfortunately appears to be working against female influencers, particularly those of Caucasian descent.”

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