What influencers & bloggers are worth

Rethinking influencer marketing: Here’s why bloggers are worth ready cash!

Author
Susanne Gmachl | © punkt & komma
Susanne Gmachl
Content marketer
It’s happening: Even small agencies and companies are starting to rethink how much they’re paying bloggers and influencers. That’s not just a reason to rejoice for influencers and bloggers but also for the companies hiring them. And yet, there are still those who don’t think much of paying for the work of bloggers or influencers … 

We’ve asked bloggers and their clients what they think about the fact that remuneration is openly spoken about these days. 

Objectivity despite getting paid?

When people talk about paying influencers and bloggers for what they do, critical voices often claim that the line between journalists and influencers becomes increasingly blurred by paying them. Objectivity is the crux of the matter. Because: If a company pays an influencer for writing a report, does he remain objective? That’s what people are wondering. 

“The blogger just writes what the client wants”. Or to put the cart before the horse: Do you want objective reports from these influencers or are you counting on them to give you their personal opinion and perspective? That’s an essential question that you should ask yourself before collaborating with bloggers. 

Sure, there are always some black sheep, but who likes doom-mongers? It’s much nicer to give and receive trust, right? One thing’s for sure: Bloggers have their own powerful voice on the web. They’ve got a solid fan base that fully trusts them on the topics of beauty, lifestyle or food. Do you believe an influencer is really going to risk his hard-won trust and rapport? 
Webtext-Produktion für E-Commerce. | © punkt & komma

It’s just a hobby …

That’s something you hear a lot as well. “You’re just doing it for fun.” or “But it’s your hobby.” … Umm, yes. That’s true in most cases. BUT: You like your job too and some aspects bleed into your private life. That’s no reason not to get paid for it! Especially, if you consider how much work and effort creating a blog post can be. Bloggers and influencers often do the work of a whole team: They’re editors, graphic designers, photographers, programmers and social media experts all at once. And then there’s mutual appreciation. Because if you value the work of bloggers and influencers, it should be understood that you’re willing to put some cash on the table. 
Never change a winning team!
Particularly since the blogging trade has become significantly more professional, it’s important to support them. We should try to think ahead and not just invite bloggers to take a couple of nice pictures, put them online and then say, “bye bye”. 

Thinking ahead is the credo! Perhaps the influencer is able to support your customer more than you think? A – supposedly – one-time collaboration could turn into a months-long or even years-long relationship. Because, after all, you already know “your” influencers and appreciate their high-quality work. 

By the way: In our “Wunderwaffe Blogger Relations” (“Silver Bullet Blogger Relations”) workshop, Conny – online strategist at punkt & komma and herself a blogger– teaches you everything you need to know about successful collaborations with influencers. Just as is the case for other types of collaborations, there are plenty of things to keep in mind when it comes to blogger relations. You might not even have thought of some of them! Monitoring, for instance … 

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