“Wait, how exactly do you make money?” One of my top, most asked questions on vlogs, IG posts, Tik Toks, etc. So, today we’re talking all things $$$. I figured I would break down exactly how I’ve monetized my social media AND how I’ve further diversified my streams of income.
Some of you are probably here to get clarity on the Ph.D. stipend. It’s no secret that graduate students are notoriously underpaid {and undervalued}; I’ll talk briefly here about my stipend and what it covers. There’s a more thorough blog post from a couple years ago and an entire run down of my Ph.D. journey on YouTube. I cover everything from what strengthened my applications to specifics about NYU’s program.
I think an overwhelming amount of you are creators, aspiring creators, or looking to start your own “side hustle”. I’ll get straight to the point. The influencer/content creator industry is lucrative. But, that’s not to say it won’t require a heaping of perseverance and a sprinkle of charisma. I’ve been creating content on the internet for almost 6 years now. I’ve worked with some amazing brands, connected with some of my favorite fellow creators, and built a pretty successful online presence– and it’s not too late to start.
Today, I’m walking you through not only how I’ve monetized my social media platforms, but how I’ve capitalized on the experience to diversify my skill set and streams of income. I won’t be getting into the semantics of income vs. revenue vs. profit. But, it would be fair to note that I also have business related expenses like hosting and domain fees for the blog, Adobe Creative Cloud subscription fees, camera and tech costs, and CMS subscription fees. However, I’m not signed with management and have no employees/regular contractors at the moment; so most of, if not all, the remaining profit/revenue is my income (minus taxes, of course).
My 7 Streams of Income
My Ph.D. Stipend
My most obvious and dependable stream of income is my Ph.D. stipend provided by NYU. This stipend is supposed to cover basic necessities like housing, food, basic expenses, etc. in exchange for our research efforts (working full time in the lab: collecting data + writing grants/manuscripts + learning). Our current stipend is hovering in the low 40k range. It’s not horrible, but it’s also not great ESPECIALLY when you take into account the hours we work and the expertise we develop over the course of the 5-6 years we’re held hostage in our programs.
When I first moved here, I felt the stipend was in fact, A LOT, of money. I had just graduated college and it was the first time I was making a yearly salary. So yeah, it was quite a big jump. I still maintain that it is enough to cover all the basic necessities: rent(with roommates), food, basic expenses, and a few splurges throughout the year. I think it’s truly such a personal thing. EYE know that I am known to appreciate the finer tastes that life has to offer. So, my budget (and thus savings) may look different than a very frugal peer. But, I do think it’s technically enough to exist.
Sponsored Content
#SponCon is probably the most recognized way that influencers and creators make money on the internet. It is consistently the largest source of income when I look at my creative business year over year. I regularly work with lifestyle, fashion, entertainment, food, and wellness brands to create content to post to my social media pages. This can be anything from Instagram In Feed posts, Instagram Stories and Reels, TikToks, Non-dedicated YouTube videos, tweets, pins, and blog posts.
Sure, getting paid to post an IG photo sounds great, but most campaigns actually require a bit of finesse. Here’s a quick snapshot:
A Run Down of The Brand Collaboration Pipeline
- Receive Collaboration Pitch + Request for Rates for Deliverables from Brand or Creative Agency on Behalf of Brand
- Respond with Media Kit + Rate for Requested Scope of Work
- Negotiations (sometimes)
- Familiarize Myself with Campaign Creative Brief
- Receive, Read, + Sign Campaign Contract (always)
- Storyboard, Brainstorm + Plan Content
- Send Content for Brand Approval (not always required)
- Edits
- Post Content
- Monitor and respond to comments.
- [One-Two Weeks Post Campaign] Send Campaign Insights spreadsheet and invoice.
- Get paid [within a day, net-30, net-45, or net-90(literally never again)].
How much do I get paid for sponsored content?
Long answer: It depends! I factor in follower count, engagement rate, previous experience with well known brand partners, and production quality of my content. I’ve had to increase my rates significantly over the past few years as I grew quickly on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. Also, I have to take into account usage rights and whitelisting if the brand requests it.
Short answer: My rates start at $750 for most campaigns when the brand is reaching out directly to me. Sometimes, I’ll pitch brands through agencies like AspireIQ or apply to campaigns through networks like InfluenceHer Collective and Obviously. These rates are typically lower.
Gabby Whiten Creative Design Studio
Next up, we have the design studio. I offer branding, visual design, animation, web design and development, and video editing services on a freelance basis. I work mostly with creatives and content creators as well as small businesses. My freelance business started in the spring of 2020 and my first clients were some of my creator friends who were looking for custom logos, IG templates, and general design advice. I actually took a couple classes in college in graphic design and web development, but am otherwise self taught.
Content Creation
Content creation is sponsored content but different. On some occasions, brands are looking for creators to produce content for them to use on their own social channels and in paid/print marketing materials. This is content that I don’t have to post. It could be anything from simple B-roll to fully edited TikTok videos. Brands usually want perpetual usage rights to this content which significantly increases my quotes. These campaigns usually require bulk shooting and editing to produce several final deliverables with quick turnaround times. My rates for these projects start on average at $1000.
Google AdSense
Google AdSense can be a pretty steady source of income, especially when I’m posting regularly on my YouTube channel. You know those skippable (or not) ads that play before, during, and after some YouTube videos? When you watch those ads, you’re supporting the creator! YouTube channels with at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours can monetize their channels through Google AdSense. With around 8,000 subscribers and posting regularly, I make around $200-300 a month.
Affiliate Links
Affiliate links are an easy way to make a few cents when sharing products. I link most of my products with the RewardStyle/LTK platform. I’m also a big fan of MagicLinks. Sometimes, brands approach me to join affiliate programs that are commission based through Share-A-Sale or brand-generated unique links. Commission-based monetization can be really effective if you’re linking frequently. I’m admittedly pretty bad at this and make $100-200 each year in affiliate income. This one is probably my most unreliable stream of income.
Digital Product Sales
My last stream of income is from digital product sales. This is the area that I have been looking to grow in 2022. ICYMI, I started selling my digital planner templates last year after posting my personal digital planner on TikTok. While digital products can require a lot of work in the short term, the long term profit is substantial. These products also require little to no upfront costs and can be cross promoted on social and other sites like Etsy to expand your customer base. In 2021, I had over 1,000 new customers which was a huge personal milestone. I’m hoping to create more digital products to sell in the shop with a focus on tools for video creators and customizable Canva templates.
If you watched my planning video last year, you know that one of my goals for 2021 was to finally hit five figures in revenue from my creative business and further diversify my streams of income. And, I was so excited to have hit that before the end of Q3. I am truly in awe of the opportunities that I’ve been able to experience from blogging and social media and it would not be possible without the incredible community of folks who watch and engage with my content.
My biggest piece of advice to someone wanting to make money from a side hustle?
Start viewing it as a business, from the jump. And, you know…actually start posting, looking for clients, researching etc. You are your biggest obstacle. Until, you aren’t.
