According to a new study, Black creators in influencer marketing are paid considerably less than their white counterparts. The pay disparities between Black influencers and white counterparts have always been reported, and even though the industry of influence marketing has advanced, the pay inequality has not. On the contrary, the pay gap has widened.

The study conducted by The Influencer League and MSL Group, found BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, & People of Color) influencers earn 29% less than white influencers. However, Black influencers, in particular, are paid up to 35% less than white influencers.

The "Time to Face the Influencer Pay Gap" study analyzed the experience of 400 influencers from the United States, who answered questions about their annual income, their brand deals, and the number of followers they have.

It’s finally here: MSL and @influenceleague’s study, “Time to Face the Influencer Pay Gap" offers a clearer picture of the complicated and inequitable present state of influencer marketing. #influenceimpact
#mslinsights
#diversecreators
pic.twitter.com/GusnVzm9Rs

— MSL U.S. (@MSL_USA) December 6, 2021

According to the study, 77% of Black influencers with less than 50K followers are paid only $27K a year on average, compared with 59% of white influencers. Only 23% of Black influencers with more than 50K followers reportedly earn over $100,000 annually compared to 41% of white influencers with the same amount of followers.

"If I could solve one thing in this industry that hurts BIPOC influencers, it would be pay transparency," Brittany Bright of The Influencer League said. "The absence of a pay standard disadvantages BIPOC influencers at every turn."

Although BIPOC creators receive substantially lower wages than white creators, the total BIPOC market today represents $4.8 trillion in purchasing power, and 48% of Gen Z are BIPOCs.

MSL U.S. today reports this generation and millennials together constitute the largest and most important part of the consumer market today. The two generations are expected to be the most economically powerful generation by the middle of the next decade.

Black Influencer

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