Do all influencers have a manager?

In the wild, ever-evolving realm of social media, where likes and follows hold the power to shape destinies (or at least self-esteem levels), a new species has emerged: the influencer. With perfectly curated feeds and an uncanny ability to make avocado toast look like a work of art, these digital darlings have become the epitome of coolness. But behind every seemingly effortless #OOTD and sponsored post lies an intriguing question: Do all influencers have a manager?

Join us as I share about this enigmatic world of charismatic content creators and their managerial counterparts, uncovering whether these internet sensations are steering their own ships or if they’ve got someone else manning the Instagram helm.

While many successful influencers choose to work with managers or talent agents to navigate the complexities of the industry, not all influencers have managers. The decision to hire a manager depends on various factors, including:

• Individual Goals: Some influencers prefer to manage their own affairs, especially if they have specific goals they wish to achieve independently.
  
• Workload: Managing oneself as an influencer requires a significant time investment in administrative tasks such as contract negotiations, brand partnerships, and scheduling. This workload can become overwhelming as an influencer’s career grows.
  
• Expertise: Influencers with a strong understanding of the industry and good negotiation skills may feel confident in managing their own careers without external assistance.
  
• Autonomy and Creative Freedom: Some influencers enjoy the autonomy and creative freedom that comes with managing their own careers. They prefer to have direct control over their content, brand partnerships, and strategic decisions.
  
• Networking and Support: While managers can provide valuable support, expertise, and networking opportunities, not all influencers feel the need to enlist their services. Some influencers thrive by managing themselves, while others may benefit from the guidance and support that a manager can provide.

Ultimately, whether an influencer chooses to have a manager depends on their individual circumstances and preferences. The key is to find the approach that aligns best with the influencer’s goals, values, and vision for their career.

Do I need a manager as an Influencer?

No, not necessarily. All depends on how successful your business is and how you want to run it. Not all Influencers use agents.

How does an Influencer find a manager?

Once you’ve decided that you’re interested in having an influencer manager, where to find one of us? Embarking on the quest to find the perfect influencer talent manager is like searching for a diamond in the vast, glittering landscape of social media.

1. Social Media platforms like LinkedIn, where many influencer managers showcase their expertise. Look for profiles that share about past successful collaborations and testimonials, a testament to our magic touch. 
2. Instagram is another great place to search for influencer talent agents. You might have to search through a lot before you can find some helpful leads. You can also use the search function in instagram to look specifically for “influencer agent” or “Influencer manager”. 
3. Networking events and industry conferences are treasure troves, offering a chance to meet these Influencer Talent Managers in person, Look at conference agendas and see who is speaking.
4. Reach out to workshops and events that bring in Influencer Talent Managers to speak to the group. 
5. Recommendations – tap into the grapevine of influencers who’ve found their social media fairy godparents and inquire about their experiences. Your favorite influencer? Slide into their DMs and ask if they work with a manager. Join facebook groups and ask for recommendations from others. 

More here on How to find an Influencer Agent.

How much should an Influencer pay a Manager?

You shouldn’t pay your Influencer Talent Manager more than 10-20% of the brand deals they close on your behalf. It means that our success is inherently tied to yours.

Pro tip : If you’ve loved this article, I highly recommend you sign up for my weekly newsletter HERE. It’s full of industry insights, brand negotiation tips and scripts, events I’m attending, perspective on how to grow your Influencer business and more. I keep it pretty scrappy and real – would love you to join us over there! CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP.

Do all influencers have a manager FAQs

What is the hourly rate for an influencer manager?

Us managers don’t work or charge by the hour. We charge a commission on the brand deal that we close for our talent.  You can read more on that here : How do Influencer Agents get paid?

How do social media influencers get brand deals?

There’s a lot that goes into social media influencers getting brand deals. First and foremost the social media influencer has to have a solid product. What I mean by this is, is it super clear on who and how you serve? Put another way, what’s the value you bring to the table? Why does your audience keep coming back to your social media platforms?

Social media influencers that get brand deals have high quality content. They are consistently creating content that’s of value and catches a brand’s eye. A lot of these influencers use hashtags to be noticed by a brand and have profiles in an influencer platform database such as Tagger or creatorIQ.

I wrote more on How to collab with brands here.