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If you’ve ever been asked to do work for free, or in exchange for “exposure,” you’ll know how frustrating it can be, especially if you’re struggling to make ends meet. While it’s great to get your name out there, exposure can’t pay the bills. Though some might argue that in the long run, it can.
One upcoming artist was excited when a woman asked her to do a painting after seeing her work on social media. But things soon turned sour when the client, an “influencer,” told her that she expected the painting for free. She claimed that the “exposure” was worth more than the art, adding that the artist should actually pay her $200 to post it on her social media channels. The artist decided to do some exposure of her own and outed the influencer by sharing screenshots of the conversation with family and the public.
This artist couldn’t believe it when an influencer asked for a free painting, as well as a $200 fee for “exposure”
Image credits: Image by Freepik (not the actual photo)
Things got really wild when the influencer threatened to destroy the artist’s reputation and career
Image credits: Image by Freepik (not the actual photo)
Image credits: paletteofemotionss
Exposure doesn’t pay the bills… Or does it?
Love them or hate them, (some) influencers have a lot of, well, influence when it comes to brand marketing. According to a recent report, social media became the world’s largest advertising channel in 2024, with $247.3 billion being spent on ads globally.
The Influencer Marketing Benchmark Report 2025 further notes that 63.8% of brands polled confirmed plans to partner with influencers this year.
“The influencer is no longer just a promoter but a builder of sentiment-driven conversations and value-aligned communities,” said Marta Migliore, General Director at Buzzoole, in the report.
Everyone, from Kim Kardashian to the girl next door, is raking in money to promote stuff on their social media accounts. Just how much they make is relative though. It goes without saying that big celebrities can command big bucks.
So, if you want someone like Kylie Jenner to show off your brand to her 394m+ followers, you should be prepared to pay over a million dollars per post. The same goes for football legend Christiano Ronaldo with his 694m+ followers. But you don’t have to “go big or go home.”
Over 75.9% of Instagram influencers fall into the nano-influencer tier with 1,000–10,000 followers, while micro-influencers make up 13.6%.
“Brands with limited budgets can maximize ROI by collaborating with nano- and micro-influencers, achieving higher audience trust and authenticity without the high costs associated with celebrity partnerships,” advises the Influencer Marketing Hub.
Most nano- and micro-influencers charge between $10 and $100 per post, notes the report.
“Nano and micro-influencers are everyday people with a decent following and influence,” reads finance automation platform Tipalti. “These people are often overlooked and underused in the influencer marketing space, but they have a high value for reaching niche audiences.”
Tipalti adds that many of this nano- and micro-influencers don’t expect a payment per post and “settle on a performance-based payment structure.”
If you’re a small brand and are considering working with an influencer, experts warn that you should always have a solid marketing plan in place before committing to any deals. There are millions of influencers out there, and you should think carefully about who you work with.
“They should be carefully chosen based on their fit with your target market and aesthetic,” warns Alden Wicker, founder of EcoCult. “Does her Instagram come close to your style guide? Is she in your target demographic? Is she posting about topics that indicate she and her readers would be interested in your brand?”
The artist shared a series of screenshots of her convo with the “influencer”
Image credits: paletteofemotionss
“GTFO!” People flooded the comments, sharing their own disdain for entitled “influencers”
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