The fifth edition of the report "Creators & Business", carried out by the Brunch agency in partnership with the YOUPIX consultancy, highlighted a gender inequality regarding remuneration in the influencer marketing market. According to the research, women are the majority in the profession of influencer, representing 70,73% of respondents, while men represent only 24,93%. The other 3,52% are made up of trans people, gender fluid, non-binary and those who preferred not to answer.
Although they occupy a large choir, the highest salaries in the profession are in their hands, and the minors, on them. According to the survey, the percentage of women who earn up to R$ 2,000 monthly income is 21,46%, almost double the average of men (12,60%). In the range of those who receive between R$ 2,000 and R$ 5,000, they are also the majority, representing 31,42% of the number, while they are 28,40%.
The slices start to invert from the higher monthly incomes. Above R$ 5 thousand, for example, men occupy most of the space, with 33,70%, against 27,59% of women. Between R$ 10 thousand and R$ 20 thousand, they also have a slight advantage with 15,8%, in comparison with the 14,18% that represent them. Between R$ 20 thousand and R$ 50 thousand, they regain an advantage, but in a very small way, with 4,60% against 4,20% of them. Above R$ 50 thousand and above R$ 100 thousand, women do not even represent 1% of the number, while the men are 3,2% and 2,1%, respectively
For Fabio Gonçalves, international talent director at Viral Nation and specialist in the influencer marketing industry, one of the main reasons for this gender inequality is that the segment is still a reflection of our world: "The advertising and influence market still reflects historical patterns of valuing male work. Many brands see men as spokespersons of authority on topics such as finance, technology and business, areas that usually attract campaigns with higher investment. Meanwhile, the women, even mastering content creation, are often associated with niches considered 'soft', like fashion and beauty, what, despite having a wide reach, they 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 profile of a competent influencer, and not your gender
Another determining factor that the professional highlights is the difference in the handling of negotiations. 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. Furthermore, Fabio says that the lack of transparency in the pricing of influencer work also contributes to this inequality
"As the influencer market does not have a fixed price table", many content creators end up accepting lower payments because they are unaware of how much they could charge. This reinforces a cycle in which they continue to be paid less than men, even when they have similar or even higher engagement and reach, explain
Finally, Gonçalves states, as a market agent, what talent, engagement, impact and connection with the audience are the true differentiators of an influencer, regardless of gender. "In Viral Nation", we work to ensure that opportunities and negotiations are fair and based on the quality of content and the delivery of results. Our commitment is to break down barriers and promote a more transparent and equitable market, where all content creators receive the due recognition and appreciation for their work, and not by your gender
METHODOLOGY
The research, carried out by the agency Brunch and the consultancy YOUPIX, it received 369 valid responses from creators across the country, in a survey conducted from August 13 to September 23, 2024
