Creator
Most creators undercharge. They compare follower counts, not engagement quality and audience CPM. This guide shows how brands actually value creator placements.
Brands think in CPM — cost per thousand impressions. They compare creator sponsorships to media buys, programmatic ads, and other paid channels. Your job is to demonstrate that your CPM delivers superior value to those alternatives.
The average programmatic CPM is $2–4. Creators in high-intent niches command $15–50+ CPM because of audience trust and intent signals that display ads can't replicate.
Highest CPM. Audience has money and spends it.
Decision-makers, software buyers, B2B audience.
Strong purchase intent. Developer vs. consumer matters.
Broad audience. Product-type dependent.
Lower intent. Volume-dependent.
Lowest CPM. Broad but low conversion audience.
Not all placements are equal. A dedicated YouTube video delivers more value than an Instagram story. Adjust your base CPM rate by deliverable type.
Full episode focus. Highest conversion.
High-intent, high-attention channel.
Engaged listeners, long-form content.
Lower dwell time than long-form.
Short-lived. High volume required.
Noisy feed. Lower trust signal.
Base Rate = (Reach ÷ 1,000) × Niche CPM
Adjusted Rate = Base Rate × Deliverable Multiplier
Floor = Adjusted Rate × 0.70
Ceiling = Adjusted Rate × 1.50
Example: 85k followers, 3.5% ER, business niche, video
Reach est: 85k × 3.5% × 4 = ~12,000
(12,000 ÷ 1,000) × $38 × 1.2 = $547 base → $383–$820 range
Never be the first to name a number in cold inbound. Ask for their budget range first.
Your rate card is a floor. The ceiling is what brands will pay when they want your audience specifically.
Package deliverables (post + story + email mention) to increase deal size without more units of effort.
Exclusivity commands a 25–50% premium. Charge it.
Multi-month retainers at 15–20% discount provide predictable income and reduce re-negotiation cost.