When we speak about our favourite fashion and style inspirations, it’s almost impossible not to mention certain Instagram users who have a significantly high following due to their OOTD (outfit-of-the-day) posts or swoon-worthy pictures featuring the latest fads and trends such as beauty products or holiday experiences. Chiara Ferragni of The Blonde Salad, Aimee Song of Song of Style and Danielle Bernstein of We Wore What are just a few of these prominent Instagrammers.
If you haven’t already noticed, the Instagram content of these fashion bloggers are a large part of their careers, and probably the most profitable way for them to earn their keep. So how does this work? Due to the popularity of Instagram, big brands are willing to pay big bucks to highly influential bloggers for a single placement. With bloggers such as Danielle Bernstein boasting an impressive figure of one million followers on Instagram and tens of thousands of “likes” for each post, it’s not difficult to see why brands are so willing to reach out to these social media savvy personalities to bring hype to their products.
In an exclusive interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Danielle Bernstein reveals that on average, she is paid between $5,000-15,000 to feature specific products in her shots. The figure can change depending on the type of collaboration, but we can safely conclude that it’s really good money. If you’re still not convinced, it was reported that Chiara Ferragni earns more than $80,000 a month from endorsement deals, and $8 million a year in total. With sponsored Instagram posts becoming a mainstream industry practice, it is estimated that certain brands can spend more than a $1 billion per year on sponsored Instagram posts! One can sometimes wonder how much of a fashion blogger’s Instagram feed is sponsored…
With some fashion bloggers jetsetting to exotic locations practically every weekend, it’s interesting to think whether these bloggers actually pay for their holidays. For example, to attend the Dior 2016 Cruise show in Cannes, Aimee Song flew by business class and stayed in a fancy five-star hotel. She even flew back and forth to London during the very same trip! A fashion blogger seems to be a dream job, doesn’t it?
It’s amazing how much bloggers can earn from a single sponsored Instagram post. But of course, none of it would be possible without an avid fan base. So the next time you come across a popular fashion blogger’s Instagram, remember that your one “like” has a very significant impact on their careers and salaries!
Vanessa Ang
Photo credit: The Blonde Salad
