The fifth edition of the report “Creators & Businesses”, conducted by the agency Brunch in partnership with the consultancy YOUPIX, highlighted a gender inequality regarding compensation in the influencer marketing market. According to the research, women are the majority in the influencer profession, representing 70.73% of respondents, while men represent only 24.93%. The remaining 3.52% are composed of transgender, gender-fluid, non-binary individuals and those who preferred not to respond.
Despite occupying a larger share, the highest salaries in the profession are in their hands (men), and the lowest are in theirs (women). According to the survey, the percentage of women earning up to R$ 2,000 monthly income is 21.46%, almost double the average for men (12.60%). In the range of those earning between R$ 2,000 and R$ 5,000, women are also the majority, representing 31.42% of the number, while men are 28.40%.
The slices begin to reverse from higher monthly incomes. Above R$ 5,000, for example, men occupy the largest share, with 33.70%, compared to 27.59% for women. Between R$ 10,000 and R$ 20,000, they also have a slight advantage with 15.8%, compared to the 14.18% that women represent. Between R$ 20,000 and R$ 50,000, women regain the advantage, but by a very small margin, with 4.60% against 4.20% for men. Above R$ 50,000 and above R$ 100,000, women do not even reach 1% of the number, while men are 3.2% and 2.1%, respectively.
For Fabio Gonçalves, director of international talent at Viral Nation and an expert in the influencer marketing market, one of the main reasons for this gender inequality is that the segment is still a reflection of our world: “The advertising and influencer market still reflects historical patterns of valuing male work. Many brands see men as authoritative spokespersons on topics such as finance, technology, and business, areas that tend to attract campaigns with higher investment. Meanwhile, women, even though they dominate content creation, are often associated with niches considered ‘soft,’ such as fashion and beauty, which, despite having broad reach, do not always receive budgets as high as other categories. In an ideal world, people should consider, beyond the numbers, the quality of work and other factors that make up a competent influencer profile, and not their gender.”
Another determining factor the professional highlights is the difference in negotiation approaches. According to him, many male influencers are encouraged to adopt a more assertive stance when pricing their work, while women may face resistance when claiming higher values. Additionally, Fabio says that the lack of transparency in influencer pricing also contributes to this inequality.
“Since the influencer market does not have a fixed pricing table, many content creators end up accepting lower payments because they are unaware of how much they could charge. This reinforces a cycle where they continue to be paid less than men, even when they have similar or even higher engagement and reach,” he explains.
Finally, Gonçalves states, as a market agent, that talent, engagement, impact, and connection with the audience are the true differentiators of an influencer, regardless of gender. “At Viral Nation, we work to ensure that opportunities and negotiations are fair and based on content quality and results delivery. Our commitment is to break barriers and promote a more transparent and equitable market, where all content creators receive due recognition and appreciation for their work, and not for their gender.”
METHODOLOGY
The research, conducted by the agency Brunch and the consultancy YOUPIX, included 369 valid responses from creators across the country, in a questionnaire conducted from August 13 to September 23, 2024.
