Kim Kardashian is not the only Instagram celebrity. There is a new generation of photo- happy users who are building celebrity-sized audiences while striking it rich with brand endorsements.
Instagram users upload photos and videos that document their lives, travels, interests and food on their smartphones. These users are building a diverse and global community. Since it launched in 2010, Instagram has grown to 500 million users with more than 300 million using it every single day. Nearly half of “instagrammers” are 34 and under (Statisca) making this a great avenue to reach a younger audience.
As a hobby, 26 year old Liz Eswein @newyorkcity began taking local pictures of New York City in 2010. Today she has more than 1.3 million followers and is dubbed “the den mother of Instagram.” She reportedly is charging brands $1 per like for sponsored Instagrams which sounds affordable until you realize that some of her posts have received over 20,000 likes.
As a fashion blogger, Julie Sariñana began with the desire to bring her signature style to friends and fans. She launched “Sincerely Jules” in 2009. Today, she has 3.7 million followers on Instagram where she showcases herself wearing her fashionable clothing.
According to WWD, A sponsored Instagram post with a top fashion blogger can cost a brand anywhere from $5,000 to $25,000 — nearly five times the going rates just a year and a half ago. Julie Sarinana‘s most lucrative projects include brand partnerships with stores like Nordstrom, Macy’s, French Connection, Havaianas, and Luisaviaroma.
Sara Phillips is the founder of the site CraftyBaking.com. As a New York food stylist, and cookbook author, she turned her Instagram pics into an e-commerce business that prints the photos onto phone cases, tote bags and stationary. Phillips has over 481,000 followers on Instagram.
Brand-sponsorships and influencer marketing collaborations with Instagram influencers account for over $1 billion in advertising spending per year, with much of that going to social media stars (Huffington Post).
But there is hope for those companies who can’t afford to pay big bucks for Instagram influencers. According to Yahoo Tech, the going rate is $700–$900 for Instagrammers with over 100,000 followers. The cost then jumps to $2,000 – $3,000 for those with 500,000 followers.
To learn more, stay tuned for my next post which will feature how marketers can partner with Instagrammers to reach a younger audience of Millennials and teens.
Written by Heidi McIntyre
Managing Partner
Heidi@FullTiltMarketing.net
