Being A Social Media Influencer May Look All Rosy And Shiny On The Outside, But It's Not That Easy: Only 13% Reportedly Made Over $100K Last Year

Last year, a mere 13% of influencers managed to earn over $100,000, highlighting the challenges of making a living in the digital content creation space.

What Happened: During a segment on CNBC’s Last Call on Tuesday, Clint Brantley, a prominent Fortnite streamer on TikTok and other platforms, opened up about his journey as a full-time influencer.

He described the experience as “one of the most challenging things I've ever done with my life, but it’s also one of the most rewarding.”

Brantley highlighted the complexities of earning a living as an influencer, stating, “There are a lot of things that you don’t understand until you actually get into the space. There are a lot of things that you have to learn and adapt to.”

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On the topic of income sources, he said influencers can make money through different ways including brand deals, partnerships, and ad revenues. He stressed the need for diversifying income streams, pointing to YouTube, TikTok, and Twitch as potential sources.

As per the stats shared by CNBC, only 13% of the millions of content creators managed to earn more than $100,000 from their work last year, while nearly half made $15,000 or less.

"This has been probably one of the most challenging things I've ever done with my life, but it's also one of the most rewarding," says @klarque_clint on the struggle of being a full-time influencer. pic.twitter.com/OIzwEaFHmP

— Last Call (@LastCallCNBC) June 19, 2024

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Why It Matters: The digital content creation industry has seen a surge in recent years, with millions of creators trying to monetize their content. However, the earnings vary significantly.

According to a Statista report, in 2023, Jimmy Donaldson, popularly known as MrBeast, amassed an estimated revenue of $82 million. Comedic duo Rhett & Link, gamer Preston Arsement, and child influencer Ryan Kaji each generated approximately $35 million.

YouTuber and boxer Jake Paul followed closely, with revenues of $34 million in 2023.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Image by Joseph Mucira from Pixabay