Julius, a leading influencer marketing platform, recently published its State of Influencers Report 2019 in coordination with New York public relations and digital marketing agency, Lippe Taylor. For the report, Julius conducted an in-depth survey of 300 influencers, asking about their motivations, how they leverage social media, and their preferences when working with brands.

“Influencers are motivated more by the opportunity to be creative or share their passions and expertise than they are by financial drivers,” says Amy Nutt, VP of Marketing, Julius. “Overall, they’re thoughtful about opportunities and looking to build long-term relationships with brands that align with their audiences and content.”

The survey also explored influencers’ approach to authenticity, regulations, management, and compensation. Despite media reports to the contrary, influencers have a keen sense of what behaviors are fraudulent or unethical, and fewer than 20 percent of influencers report seeing such behaviors frequently. In fact, 80 percent consider it very important to be a fan of a brand to create sponsored content for that brand, and 84 percent follow the FTC guidelines for influencer marketing, using #ad, #sponsored, or #brandpartner in sponsored posts.

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“As marketers have become more sophisticated in their use and application of influencer marketing, so have the influencers,” said Amy. “More than a third of our respondents consider being an influencer a full-time job or are transitioning to full-time soon, and 18 percent of full-time influencers earn more than $100,000 annually as an influencer. It’s becoming a viable career path, and influencers are invested in keeping the industry honest and authentic.”

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Beyond quantitative results, the survey also included the open-ended question: What’s the one piece of advice you’d give marketers who are looking to partner with influencers? Respecting influencer creativity, negotiating fairly, communicating clearly, and being a good partner were all popular responses.

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