The global influencer marketing market is up & rated at around US$ 250 billion in 2023 & IT's upbeat contrasts with the reality of many creators: according to the NeoReach report, 50,71% of influencers earn less than the minimum wage in the United States.
The study, which surveyed more than 3,000 content creators, shows an increase in the percentage of influencers earning less than US$ 15 thousand per year (value of the annual minimum wage in the United States), from 48,10% in 2023 to 50,71% in 2025. This trend holds even in experienced influencers, with many respondents having four or more years in the industry. Only 15,41% earn more than US$ 100 thousand per year.
For Fabio Goncalves, director of Brazilian and American talent at Viral Nation, with more than ten years of experience in the influence market, these numbers reveal a structural reality: “The idea of living exclusively on digital content is still far away for most creators. Many strive to build an audience, but face clear limitation in monetization.The lack of consistent sponsorships, saturated markets and lack of strategic guidance make so many stuck to very low incomes.”
In addition to the financial issue, another obstacle that prevents the maturation of the market of creators in Brazil is the relationship between influencers and agencies. According to the expert, there is still an unprofessional dynamic on both sides; while many creators still do not treat their work with the necessary seriousness, agencies also fail to impose unrealistic deadlines and disappear after requests.
“A influencer Lela Brandao, for example, reported in her podcast how she deals with unimportant emergencies’. Budgets requested in a few hours that remain unanswered for weeks. It has happened several times, including the agency simply disappearing and ending up frustrating our expectations and our customers. This lack of alignment shows that before talking about financial valuation, the sector needs to move forward in maturity and mutual respect”, she says.
In addition, he notes that more than followers, the differential today is the ability to negotiate and structure partnerships that reflect real value, both for the public and for creators: “Influencers who treat their activity as a business & with clear positioning, well-defined commercial proposals and performance data (are more likely to exceed this ceiling. Without this, it is difficult to grow beyond the barrier that limits many to values incompatible with today's digital economy.”
Fabio highlights the key role of agencies in this challenging scenario: “In the creators market, supporting talent goes beyond connecting with brands. At Viral Nation, we work with career planning, structural pricing, negotiation and even financial education.Our goal is for creators to not only reach, but overcome the monetization barrier, building a solid and scalable income base.”
METHODOLOGY
The “Creator Earnings Report 2025”, published by NeoReach, was based on data collected from more than 3,000 U. S. content creators, from those just starting out part-time to full-time veterans who turned their platforms into businesses.The survey analyzed annual revenue, revenue sources, professional history, and barriers to economic growth within the influencer market.The full survey can be accessed at: https://neoreach.com/quarterly-reports/creator-earnings-report-2025/.
