A new sector of the internet-based economy has emerged in the past decade, known as the internet influencer economy. This sector includes thousands of content creators who generate significant income from social networking sites, specifically Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. However, content creators are constantly threatened by these social networks and the continuous changes in their algorithms. There are highly popular influencers earning excellent income, while there are also thousands who earn relatively low, making them the most affected by any changes that may occur.
This has led to the emergence of a new method for influencers to earn money, which is relying on direct income from interested followers. Platforms such as Substack, Gumroad, and Kajabi have contributed to this development. When influencers utilize these platforms, they communicate directly with users and receive income from them directly as well. This new sector of internet influencers will not be negatively affected by changes in social media policies or algorithms, nor will it be impacted if social media platforms were to cease operation for an extended period, as happened with Facebook a few weeks ago.
**Independent Internet Influencers**
According to studies that included the work methodology of independent influencers, they do continue to work across various social media platforms, but they provide exclusive and special content to users who subscribe to them on a monthly basis. This allows influencers to achieve a relatively stable monthly income, separate from ad revenues, views, or paid collaborations with brands. Recent studies indicate that 57% of influencers who have relied on this method have managed to generate continuous income through subscriptions. Additionally, reports have noted that earning $1,000 a month as an influencer requires up to 100,000 active followers on Instagram or 2 million views on YouTube.
On the other hand, generating the same income through subscriptions only requires about 230 monthly subscribers on platforms like Patreon or Substack. Content creators can continue to provide content across all platforms as usual. However, they also ask their followers to subscribe to receive ongoing benefits and to support them if they find value in what they offer. Many respond positively to this request.
This approach relies on effectively targeting followers, as internet influencers continuously work to increase their numbers or maintain their current audience. The main goal behind this is to continue earning income primarily, alongside other revenues that internet influencers already possess.
