Income, organization, brand collaborations, and harassment. A Kolsquare study has painted a portrait of European content creators, caught between their ethical aspirations, sometimes unrealistic brand demands, and the fear of being rendered invisible by algorithms.

The study surveyed 783 content creators with at least 5,000 subscribers on a platform. These influencers are French, British, German, Italian, Spanish, and Nordic (Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Norway). Their content is mainly focused on lifestyle, beauty, fashion, and tech.

Some 67% are funded by paid collaborations and sponsored content.

“More than half also receive affiliate or commission-based income, and around a third are remunerated through platform monetization programs, ambassador partnerships or UGC (footage promoting a product that brands can reuse on their own account, editor’s note).”

Two-thirds of creators say they have already been late with a service, and three-quarters have received unrealistic requests from brands. It’s also worth noting that only three out of ten influencers work with an agent.

Men and women are not all in the same boat. While 66% of creators manage their entire activity (planning, editing, and negotiations) on their own, this figure is 73% for women, and 53% for men. Women are also over-represented among low-income earners, with 38% of them earning less than 500 euros a month, compared with 23% of men. And while 32% of men earn more than 3,000 euros, this is the case for only 20% of the women surveyed.

Moreover, influencing is a full-time occupation for only 28% of the entrepreneurs consulted. For those who have another activity, in 43% of cases it’s a function linked to social networks or the creation of content for third parties. All in all, 65% of respondents say they are sometimes, often, or always stressed by their work as influencers, particularly under the pressure of continuous production.

Partner ethics and values

Remuneration remains one of the main driving forces behind collaborations with brands. This criterion, mentioned by 44% of respondents, comes after the values and ethical alignment of these brands (47%), and ahead of whether or not to use the brand oneself (40%). It’s also worth noting that 32% of respondents have already received criticism linked to the choice of brands with which collaborations have been carried out.

No less than 57% of the influencers consulted believe that their audience follows them because they feel inspired by the content or lifestyle. A further 43% cite the quest for entertainment, while 41% cite the search for educational or value-added content. A further 30% cite the search for product or brand recommendations.

Some 53% of influencers generate the majority of their income on Instagram. A far cry from the figure achieved by its main challengers, TikTok (14%) and YouTube (13%).

Concerns and harassment

A number of concerns emerge from this barometer. The first is the constant fear of algorithm change, which would have a negative impact on the visibility of their work. Next comes uncertainty about the impact of artificial intelligence. This does not prevent 72% of those surveyed from having already integrated it into their daily, weekly, or monthly practices. A third major concern is the instability of revenues linked to content monetization, which a platform can unilaterally change overnight.

Moreover, the Internet is not a benevolent realm. Three out of ten creators say they have already been victims of online harassment. While men and women are equally targeted by insults, 52% of female influencers are victims of body shaming (versus 22% of men).

Moreover, 48% of female influencers are victims of sexist or gender-based insults, compared with 9% of men. Male influencers, on the other hand, are 18% victims of homophobic and transphobic remarks (versus 6% of women).

Then there are the criticisms or insults linked to race or ethnicity. In the UK, 30% of influencers say they have already been confronted with racist remarks, compared with an average of 18% in the other countries surveyed.