How Do Influencers Make Money? 6 Strategies to Try

The influencer marketing industry is worth more than $32 billion and growing by over 30% year over year as of 2025. At the same time, the creator landscape has never been more competitive, and it can feel incredibly confusing—especially from the outside—how these individuals earn an income from content. 

That’s why I’m here to demystify things.

In this guide, I break down 6 ways influencers actually make money today, from beginner-friendly strategies to more predictable models used by full-time creators. Plus, I share how you can try these strategies yourself if you’re thinking about becoming a content creator.

6 Real Ways Influencers Make Money in 2026

Platform payouts fluctuate, brand budgets change, and algorithms are unpredictable. That’s why the creators who make solid, consistent income from their content don’t rely on 1 tactic, 1 revenue stream, or 1 platform. They combine multiple monetization strategies.

Some bring visibility, others are great for big income spikes. And a few offer real predictability (usually those built around direct fan relationships).

Here are the 6 revenue streams influencers use most right now—and how you can use them, too:

Brand deals & sponsored content

Brand deals are partnerships where a company pays a creator to feature, mention, or integrate a product into their content. This can include:

• One-off sponsored posts (on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, etc.).
• Content packages (e.g., 1 Reel + 3 Stories + 1 TikTok that feature varying degrees of product promotion).
• User-generated content (UGC) that the brand can post on its own social channels.
• Long-term campaigns in which the creator serves as a brand ambassador.
• Gifted collaborations, where the company sends the creator a product for free in exchange for certain types of content. (In this setup, the creator doesn’t earn payment for promoting the brand—they simply get to keep what they were sent.)

Brand deals are a great way to earn meaningful income fast, especially if you have a clear niche.

They’re also one of the most popular revenue streams for influencers. According to Lumanu’s 2025 influencer income report, brand partnerships accounted for 42% of all earnings that year.

But brand deals are less predictable than other models, particularly one-time-only campaigns. As food influencers Johanna and Lenni (of @plantbasedcouple) told Boksi, “One-time partnerships or ads are not the way to go. Long-term campaigns are needed to build trust and sustainable growth.”

How to start getting brand deals as an influencer

To land brand sponsorships yourself, you first have to know who they work best for and when they’re harder to get.

Deals are a great option if you post consistently around a clear niche (gaming, fitness, beauty, food, tech, etc.), your audience already asks you for product recommendations, or you have proof that your content drives action (clicks, saves, purchases, DMs).

They’re harder to get if you’re still figuring out your niche, your engagement is inconsistent, or you need a predictable monthly income.

Once you know that, don’t cold-email companies; build the signals companies look for in collaborators. Here’s what to do:

1. Create 3–5 posts that show what your niche is and how you talk about products naturally. For example, you could create a video about the “3 things I actually use every day in my skincare routine.” That gives brands a clear sense of what a sponsor slot would look like.
2. Save engagement screenshots, product-related DMs or comments, and analytics on content that includes recommendations.

3. Start with the easiest brand deals. If you’re new to influencing, go for UGC packages first (since they don’t rely on you having a massive audience). For example, a UGC pack could include 3 short videos (15–30 seconds), 10 lifestyle photos, and usage rights for 60 days. You can also target smaller brands in your niche or local businesses that can benefit from more visibility.

Ad revenue & platform payouts

Ad revenue comes from platform payouts tied to ads shown on your content or payouts from creator programs (like TikTok’s Creator Rewards Program) that pay based on views, watch time, or other engagement metrics. 

It’s the most passive way content creators make money: Simply create content, get views, and make money. And according to Lumanu, influencers in 2025 earned 28% of their income from ad revenue. 

However, this income stream is one of the most inconsistent. Payouts can vary greatly based on advertiser demand, audience location, platform updates, cost-per-thousand (CPM), revenue-per-thousand (RPM), and even the time of year—variables creators have no control over.

In fact, Aspire’s State of Influencer Marketing 2025 report shows that YouTube continues to deliver some of the highest engagement rates across the creator economy. At the same time, CPMs fluctuate significantly, and platform payouts can change month to month even when view counts stay relatively stable. In other words, high engagement doesn’t automatically translate into predictable income.

How to earn ad revenue

There are 2 things to remember as you get started with ad revenue:

• Focus on evergreen content. This means posts, videos, etc., that are relevant year-round and will remain valuable to viewers days, weeks, months, or years after you upload them. Great types of evergreen content include how-to tutorials, beginner’s guides, reviews, and “mistakes to avoid” posts. You’ll want to avoid trend reactions, news-based content, and any “industry drama.” Remember that the more eyes you can get on your content in the long term, the more likely you will be to earn more ad revenue.
• Treat ad revenue as a bonus. When ad revenue becomes your primary goal, you may end up chasing views rather than prioritizing content your audience actually cares about. Pair it with other strategies on this list so you can benefit from ad revenue spikes, not rely on them for your income.

Affiliate marketing

Affiliate marketing means earning a commission when someone purchases through an influencer’s link or uses their code. 

Unlike brand deals, affiliate marketing doesn’t rely on upfront payments or campaign approvals. Creators earn a commission only when their audience takes a specific action.

This flexibility is a big reason this income stream is becoming more attractive. According to CreatorIQ’s 2025–2026 State of Influencer Marketing report, affiliate revenue is growing 71% year over year. Plus, Lumanu notes that affiliate marketing made up 11% of influencers’ earnings in 2025.

How to try affiliate marketing

Before you try affiliate marketing, you have to know the circumstances that make it most effective:

• Your audience has a clear interest or problem (e.g., easy meal prep, affordable skincare, or at-home workouts).
• You already share recommendations in your content (e.g., if you’re a fitness influencer who regularly talks about a shoe brand you love for weight lifting or running).
• Your content helps people decide what to use, buy, or try (i.e., you often post reviews, comparisons, or routines).

If you can tick all 3 boxes, you’re in a good starting place to identify products you could request affiliate links for. You can do that by following these steps:

1. Write down 3 questions your audience asks repeatedly.
2. For each question, take notes on:

• Tools you already use.
• Products you’ve tested.
• Resources you regularly reference.

3. Circle the tools, products, and resources you’d recommend even if you weren’t getting paid to do so. These will be your top options for potential affiliates.

Once you’ve set up affiliate partnerships and links, you’ll want to:

• Create 2–3 pieces of content for each recommendation, such as 1 video explaining how you use the product/service and 1 Instagram Story that explains what it is and why you use it.
• Share the link in your bio, in a pinned comment, on a “highlight” or “resource” page on your profile, inside a newsletter—wherever your audience is most likely to see and act on it.

Digital products & services

As the content creator industry continues to evolve, income is increasingly tied to knowledge rather than reach. Digital products and services enable creators to monetize their expertise and unique value, not just the number of people who follow them.

Examples of digital products and services include guides, templates, toolkits, workshops and courses, coaching and consulting, “done-for-you” services (like meal prepping, video editing, etc.), and even paid communities.

How to create digital products & services as a beginner influencer

To create offers that convert, you have to start small and specific: Focus on solving 1 clear problem for 1 clear audience, instead of trying to pack everything you know into a single product or service.

Ask yourself:

• Do people regularly ask me how I do a specific thing, and not just what I use?
• Have I answered the same question multiple times in comments or DMs?
• Do I have a unique, repeatable process or approach to solving a problem in my niche?

If you answer “yes” to all 3 questions, begin with one of these:

• A short guide that answers a single, recurring question (for example, “My Complete, Never-Been-Shared-Before Skincare Routine”).
• A paid workshop that walks your audience through a step-by-step process (e.g., “How to Prep for Your First Marathon”).
• A service they can truly benefit from (e.g., “1-Hour Personal Style and Wardrobe Consultation”).

Owned channels

Social platforms are great for visibility, but they’re notoriously unstable. Algorithms change without explanation, monetization rules shift with little warning, and accounts can get limited—or removed entirely—at random. This makes it tough to form real connections with audiences, stay relevant, and truly grow as an influencer.

That’s why depending entirely on social platforms for influencer income is risky—and why clever creators use a hybrid setup. 

They use socials like TikTok and Instagram to attract attention, then move their most engaged followers into spaces they own: free email lists or newsletters, private communities (WhatsApp, Discord, etc.), etc.

With this model, content stays optimized for discovery, while monetization shifts toward continuity and connection.

How to use a hybrid model yourself

It’s as simple as choosing 1 owned channel and giving your audience 1 clear next step: joining your weekly newsletter list, unlocking premium content, etc.

Solid calls-to-action (CTAs) you could use to entice your audience include “Join my weekly newsletter for the full breakdown,” “Grab the free checklist (link in bio),” and “Want the extended version? It’s in my Discord community.”

No matter what channels and CTAs you use, mention the next step naturally, not in every post. The goal is for your fans to instantly see the value of following you off-platform rather than feel like they’re being pushed or “sold to.”

From there, you’ll want to track how many fans move from casual viewers on social media sites to direct supporters on your owned channel. Look at metrics like email/newsletter signups, link clicks, and repeat engagement (people who come back).

Direct fan support

Direct fan support is what influencers build on top of an owned channel. Think of it as the “paid layer” for the fans who already love a creator’s work, have followed them off socials, and want to go further in showing their support.

It can take a few different forms—tips from fans, paywalled or paid content, paid communities—but for most creators, the simplest version is subscriptions: Fans pay monthly in exchange for more access, depth, or interaction.

This is where influencer income becomes even steadier, because creators aren’t waiting for brand deals, viral posts, or program payouts. They offer something fans choose to support month after month.

How Fanvue makes direct fan support easy

Fanvue is a modern creator monetization platform that makes it easy for influencers to earn directly from their audience and deepen fan connections without burning out.

Creators can set up subscriptions (with or without a free trial), share exclusive content, interact meaningfully with fans, and so much more—in a space designed for ongoing support. Instead of everything living on public feeds, Fanvue gives influencers a private, controlled environment where their most engaged followers get access that other fans don’t.

In other words, Fanvue helps creators build a more stable income with audiences who’ll stay for the long haul.