Sponsored post rate estimator

The rule of thumb behind the sponsored-post range

A long-standing rule of thumb in influencer marketing is roughly $10 per 1,000 followers for an Instagram post, often a little less for TikTok. We start there, then scale it by engagement: an account at 5% engagement is worth more to a brand than one at 1% with the same followers. The result is shown as a range because real deals vary widely.

What pushes a rate up

• High engagement, especially saves, shares and comments.
• A specific niche with buyers, such as finance, beauty or parenting.
• Usage rights: the brand reusing your content in its own ads.
• Exclusivity: agreeing not to work with competitors for a period.
• Extra deliverables such as stories, links or a second post.

What pulls it down

• Low engagement relative to followers. Run your numbers through the Instagram calculator or TikTok calculator.
• An audience mostly outside the brand’s market.
• Signs of inflated numbers. Brands audit, so read how fakes are spotted.

Labelling the post

Paid posts need a clear #ad or paid-partnership label in both the US and UK. The #ad rules guide summarises FTC and ASA expectations. Inflating your follower count to raise your fee is the kind of thing those rules are written to stop.