In the last decade, influencer marketing has transformed from simple gifting collaborations into a $30+ billion industry. It’s become a primary marketing channel for brands across beauty, fashion, and beyond, with brands allocating bigger and bigger portions of their marketing budgets towards influencer partnerships. 

But this explosive growth hasn't benefited all creators equally. Black influencers earn 35% less than their white counterparts – a gap that persists even when follower counts and engagement rates are comparable.

This February, many brands will partner with Black creators in celebration of Black History Month. What they won't highlight, however, is this persistent pay inequity. As companies continue pouring billions into influencer marketing, Black creators are still fighting for fair compensation and transparency. It's time that changed.

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It's Not Just About The Numbers

Most brands use follower count and engagement rate to justify their rates. While this is industry standard, it fails to account for the invisible barriers that Black and BIPOC creators face on social media platforms.

The problem starts with the algorithm itself. Social media algorithms are racially biased and overwhelmingly favor white, thin women. This suppresses the reach and discoverability of Black creators, directly impacting their growth metrics and, consequently, their earning potential. While Black creators fight just to get their content seen, their white counterparts benefit from trends that Black creators started.

And make no mistake – Black creators are the trendsetters. Viral dances, AAVE slang terms that have become normalized as internet culture, and countless aesthetic movements are rooted in Black culture. Yet the creators who originate these trends rarely see proportional compensation or credit when brands come calling.

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What Brands Can (And Should) Do

If you're a brand that works with creators, here are concrete steps you can take to help close the gap and support BIPOC creators.

1. Pay them fairly. Full stop. The number one thing you can do to support BIPOC creators is to pay them equitable rates. Hire them for multi-month campaigns. Use them in your ad campaigns. Pay them for their creativity and output, not just their follower count.
2. Diversify your creator roster. Examine your partnerships to make sure you haven't unconsciously gravitated towards a certain "type" of creator. This extends beyond race – examine your bias towards creators who look, talk, or act a certain way, or who create a specific style of content.
3. Amplify their content. Share their work with credit. Shout them out in your newsletter or on your feed. Help them continue growing their audience. This isn't just goodwill! Diverse creator partnerships lead to better marketing outcomes, more authentic audience connections, and broader reach.
4. Protect them from harassment. If you're partnering with BIPOC creators and amplifying their content, you're also responsible for monitoring those posts and ensuring people aren't spewing vitriol and hate in the comments. Set up filters for hate speech and derogatory terms. Make your platform a safe space for your partners.
5. Give credit where credit is due. In an industry where it's easy to credit the white creator who made a trend blow up instead of the BIPOC creator who started it, take the time to do your research and attribute properly.
6. Advocate for higher rates. If you notice a Black creator charging less than a white peer with similar metrics, encourage them to charge more. (Better yet, make them a stronger offer yourself!)
   
   

Supporting Black Creators Beyond Black History Month

As marketers, it's easy to fall into an echo chamber. To work with creators you follow, who often look like you. This Black History Month, we challenge you to do better.

Don't just launch a one-off campaign featuring Black creators and call it progress. Put in sustained effort to diversify your partnerships all year long. Be intentional about who you work with and how you work with them. Question your assumptions about rates, reach, and value.

We're holding ourselves to this same standard, continuously evaluating how we show up for Black creators through our platform, our content, and our own partnerships.
The influencer industry – like many industries – wouldn't be where it is today without Black creators. It's time we compensate them accordingly.