Social media ‘influencers’: A marketing experiment grows into a mini-economy - The Washington Post

On a related note, see Review: ‘The Attention Merchants’ Dissects the Battle for Clicks and Eyeballs (NYT)

"What was an experimental marketing practice only a short time ago has morphed into a mini-economy with dizzying financial stakes. The social-media analytics firm Captiv8 estimates that big brands are spending a collective $255 million per month for sponsored posts on Instagram alone. Captiv8 says Instagram influencers who have more than 7 million followers command an average rate of more than $150,000 per sponsored post.

Some have even signed with agents, who help them get connected for a cut of the earnings. Others have banded into informal syndicates to help promote one another’s posts, making them attractive to more brands."

Social media ‘influencers’: A marketing experiment grows into a mini-economy - The Washington Post