Blogging, influencing, and content creating are all professions. That’s the fact of the matter. Once you sign a contract to render services for a client, you are now a freelancer. And with any profession, there is always best business practices that needs to be addressed. This post will be sharing the business side to being an influencer. While the pretty pics and sharing of valuable info is the result you see, that is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to operating as a content creator.
I’m a firm believer in first impressions leaving lasting effects, so with anything I do, I make it a point to put my best foot forward. I handle blogging business is the same way. When I get a request for a paid gig, I respond within the first 2-3 hours. That’s courteous because more likely than not, the influencer outreach coordinator has a deadline to adhere to. If it’s a request fo gifting, I try to respond no later than 48 hours. If it’s longer than that, I always respond with “Thank you for your patience…”.*
I also have an email signature that links out to my blog, Instagram, and YouTube so that my content is readily available. It’s little things like that, that can go a long way and help to set you apart from a sea of influencers.
When I first started blogging and posting on Instagram, I wasn’t in it to make money. At all. It was until much later (read: 5 years later), that it started to become more of career avenue that was bringing in a decent side income. And once I realized that, I switched my blog over to a professional hosting site. In doing so, I was able to secure a unique email. To me, this is extremely important in distinguishing yourself as a career blogger and/or content creator. It’s a small gesture, but it shows that you take your business seriously enough to invest in getting a unique email address.
There have been situations where I have had a lawyer friend read over a contract for me and there were some things she pointed out that seemed a bit extreme for the pay and deliverables that was expected of me. Long story short, I didn’t end up doing the campaign because we couldn’t come to terms. It’s extremely important to review any contract you receive thoroughly, especially regarding the usage and exclusivity clauses. This is usually where brands will try and add in extra language that will allow them to use your images FOREVER or have you in an exclusive contract for way longer than necessary. It takes a little extra effort, but you’ll be happy that you did.
Yes, you do get taxed as a content creator. You do have to report most of your earnings (depending on the amount you were paid) to the IRS when you file your income taxes every year. It’s tempting to want to hold on to every single dollar you’re paid, but be sure to put away at least 20% of whatever you earn to go towards your taxes. So when you do file, and it says that you owe, you already have the money set aside to pay. As a note, you will usually have a 1099 form that the brand will send to you, that you’ll submit to the IRS for freelance work.
With any business, it’s important that you keep track of both your income and your expenses. For one, some of the expenses can be a tax write off. But it’s also just good practice to know how your money is flowing in and out. This awareness can help you determine what sort of services could be cut short if your budget doesn’t allow for it, or what kinda services you can add. In all, it’s a good practice to start now!
Those are my thoughts on the business side to being a content creator. If you’re looking to get more serious about your creating career and wanting to take it to new heights, take these learnings with you, and you’ll be set up for success.
Until next time…
Yvette Corinne | 10th Jul 20
Loved this!! All good information. Especially about the tax and putting money away! 👏🏾
Meilifisayo | 10th Jul 20
This are great tip.. thank you for this gem of information