So you want to get started in the creator economy, but you’re not quite sure where to start. Or maybe you’re already succeeding in a role in influencer marketing, but you’re ready to take the next step up the career ladder.
Regardless of your current situation, we’ve gathered some of the most common influencer marketing jobs in the industry and broken them down by responsibilities, qualifications, and average salaries so you can be much more informed when it comes to finding the right role for you.
Why the influencer marketing industry is a great place to work
The creator economy is constantly growing and evolving, meaning a job in this field will never be boring. When you’re working in the influencer marketing industry, you have the opportunity to focus on building strong relationships and helping brands and influencers see amazing results.
This fast-paced environment is perfect for self-motivated people who love staying on top of trends and connecting with interesting people.
Pro Tip: Every company has a different way of naming positions. Some consider influencer marketing managers and coordinators to be the same position, while others view them as two totally different jobs. Be sure to fully read the job description and qualifications to be certain that your marketing resume is updated and that you’re applying for the right position for you.
Influencer marketing coordinator
This entry-level position is perfect for anyone looking to get their foot in the door and gain some relevant experience.
Job responsibilities for an influencer marketing coordinator
While job responsibilities vary by company, here are some common ones you can expect:
Discovering, reaching out to, and developing content briefs for creators
Onboarding creators into the influencer marketing program
Helping fulfill creators’ product orders
Serving as the main point of contact for a team of creators
Monitoring creator content to ensure it meets brand standards
Working with other internal teams to repurpose creator content across the entire marketing funnel
Staying up to date on the latest social media and creator trends
Typical qualifications for an influencer marketing coordinator
In general, companies expect influencer marketing coordinators to meet the following qualifications:
Has internship experience
Has strong analytical, organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills
Has a passion for influencer marketing and a lot of knowledge about the creator economy
Has a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (or equivalent experience)
Has a strong knowledge of all major social media platforms
Average salary for an influencer marketing coordinator
According to Glassdoor, the average base pay for an influencer strategist is $48,720 a year. The site also predicts that with bonuses and additional pay, the typical influencer strategist will earn a total of $52,408 annually.
Glassdoor determines these estimates by polling people with this job on their salary and averaging it out, so there can be a fluctuation in these numbers based on experience, job location, and more.
Influencer strategist
An influencer strategist role is often a senior-level position that requires a lot of knowledge about the creator economy.
Job responsibilities for an influencer strategist
While job responsibilities vary by company, here are some common ones you can expect:
Using data-backed strategies to create a comprehensive influencer marketing campaign that reaches various goals (increase brand awareness, drive conversions, generate repurposable content, etc.)
Finding and recruiting creators who are within budget and can help achieve these goals
Managing relationships with the creators
Evaluating the deliverables from each creator to make sure they meet brand standards
Tracking, analyzing, and reporting the results of each influencer marketing campaign
Staying ahead of the curve of the ever-evolving creator economy
Using creator licensing techniques to increase the lifespan of creator content
Typical qualifications for an influencer strategist
In general, companies expect influencer strategists to meet the following qualifications:
Have strong project management skills and a dedication to delivering results on schedule
Have excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, for both internal and external purposes
Must be organized
Have a high level of knowledge of all major social media platforms
Must be a creative problem solver
Have anywhere from 2-5 years of experience in some type of marketing (digital, content, social media, influencer, etc.)
Have a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience) in marketing, advertising, communications, or something similar
Average salary for an influencer strategist
According to Glassdoor, the average base pay for an influencer strategist is $67,202 a year. The site also predicts that with bonuses and additional pay, the typical influencer strategist will earn a total of $90,687 annually.
Influencer marketing manager
This position is the next step up the career ladder and involves managing an internal team of influencer coordinators.
Job responsibilities for an influencer marketing manager
While job responsibilities vary by company, here are some common ones you can expect:
Managing relationships with creator partners and, if an agency, clients
Serving as a thought leader within the company and the greater creator economy
Leading a team of influencer marketers and educating them on best practices and new techniques
Developing evidence-based processes for the team
Managing creator partnerships from end to end (strategizing to reporting)
Drafting, editing, and finalizing creator briefs and contracts with the help of the legal team
Developing resources to help creators be as successful as possible
Collaborating with other internal teams (data, paid advertising, email, etc.) to gain the most value from creator partnerships
Being the key point of contact for the influencer program
Scaling the influencer program
Testing out hypotheses to develop next-level practices
Typical qualifications for an influencer marketing manager
In general, companies expect influencer marketing managers to meet the following qualifications:
Have 5-8 years of experience in influencer marketing and creator management
Have experience developing high-performing creator campaigns across several social media platforms
Have experience working with creator management platforms
Have strong communication, project management, leadership, analytical, and organizational skills
Can build an entire influencer marketing campaign from scratch
Have a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience)
Have experience in managing and tracking budgets
Average salary for an influencer marketing manager
According to Glassdoor, the average base pay for an influencer marketing manager is $74,541 a year. The site also predicts that with bonuses and additional pay, the typical influencer marketing manager will earn a total of $83,177 annually.
The social media marketing manager will sometimes handle influencer marketing in addition to their everyday social media responsibilities, and other times, they’ll work in conjunction with an influencer marketing manager.
Job responsibilities for a social media marketing manager
While job responsibilities vary by company, here are some common ones you can expect:
Creating, editing, and scheduling content for various social media platforms (including static images, graphics, and videos)
Working with stakeholders or clients to earn approval on content
Developing and maintaining social media calendars
Analyzing and reporting on the performance of individual posts and campaigns
Staying informed on the latest social network updates and trends
Monitoring social media accounts and responding to tags, comments, questions, and DMs
Developing best practices and strategies for success
Tracking and gathering user-generated content (UGC) for repurposing across social media networks and other marketing channels
Working with internal employees to turn them into effective brand advocates
Typical qualifications for a social media marketing manager
In general, companies expect social media marketing managers to meet the following qualifications:
Have 3-7 years of experience working in social media or a similar marketing role
Know the ins and outs of all major social media platforms
Have experience working with social media software solutions
Have strong communication, time-management, project-management, and problem-solving skills
Have experience creating content for brands, including static images, graphics, and videos
Have experience working with or knowledge of paid advertising on social media
Have a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience) in communications, advertising, marketing, English, journalism, or a similar field
Have strong customer service skills to manage communications with people on various platforms
Average salary for a social media marketing manager
According to Glassdoor, the average base pay for a social media marketing manager is $51,248 a year. The site also predicts that with bonuses and additional pay, the typical social media marketing manager will earn a total of $55,400 annually.
Community marketing manager
The community marketing manager works to maintain a strong group of customers, prospects, and brand advocates. These hubs can exist on social media or on a community-centric platform.
Job responsibilities for a community marketing manager
While job responsibilities vary by company, here are some common ones you can expect:
Developing monthly content plans and calendars, or working with internal teams (content and social media) to generate relevant content
Maintaining strong relationships with community members
Interacting closely with engaged community members, prospects, and customers
Monitoring and responding to activity on social media and/or established community platforms
Identifying key metrics, tracking results, and developing reports for key stakeholders
Planning and executing events for the community
Increasing membership of social media groups or online community platforms
Maintaining a strong sense of customer service in all communications
Typical qualifications for a community marketing manager
In general, companies expect community marketing managers to meet the following qualifications:
Have at least two years of experience moderating an online forum or community
Have experience planning and executing events
Have strong written and verbal communication skills
Have established interpersonal skills
Have a bachelor’s degree in communications, English, marketing, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
Have strong knowledge of all social media platforms
Average salary for a community marketing manager
According to Glassdoor, the average base pay for a community marketing manager is $61,411 a year. The site also predicts that with bonuses and additional pay, the typical community marketing manager will earn a total of $82,467 annually.
Director of influencer marketing
This role often reports directly to the VP of marketing, making it one of the highest positions that focuses solely on influencer marketing.
Job responsibilities for a director of influencer marketing
While job responsibilities vary by company, here are some common ones you can expect:
Managing a team of influencer marketers, and providing training and coaching
Collaborating with other internal leaders to develop cross-functional marketing plans
Developing, executing, and reporting on influencer marketing campaigns to reach set goals
Utilizing the latest data to create forward-thinking and effective influencer marketing strategies
Overseeing the entire influencer marketing program from end to end
Finding methods for increasing efficiency and scaling the influencer program
Serving as a thought leader for the team and the entire company
Reporting to key stakeholders
Staying up to date with the latest social media platform changes and trends
Forecasting for the influencer marketing program
Typical qualifications for a director of influencer marketing
In general, companies expect directors of influencer marketing to meet the following qualifications:
Have 8-10 years of experience in influencer marketing
Have at least four years of experience leading a team
Have experience planning, leading, and executing large-scale influencer marketing campaigns to boost follower count, build brand awareness, and achieve other major goals
Have strong organizational, analytical, communication, interpersonal, and project-management skills
Have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
Have experience in crisis management or public relations
Average salary for a director of influencer marketing
According to Glassdoor, the average base pay for a director of influencer marketing is $166,577 a year. The site also predicts that with bonuses and additional pay, the typical director of influencer marketing will earn a total of $247,852 annually.
Influencer talent manager
Influencer talent managers work as advocates for creators through the entire brand-partnership process, from finding businesses to work with to delivering content, and more.
Job responsibilities for an influencer talent manager
While job responsibilities vary by company, here are some common ones you can expect:
Overseeing influencer campaigns from end to end and making evidence-based suggestions on strategy
Discovering new influencer talent and recruiting them
Reaching out to brands with new and established influencer marketing programs
Maintaining relationships with influencers, brands, agencies, and media organizations
Negotiating contracts between influencers and brands
Serving as the main point of contact for both the brand/agency and the influencer
Staying up to date on the latest industry trends
Helping creators meet goals and increase their followings
Tracking, analyzing, and reporting on influencer metrics across platforms
Ensuring influencers deliver accurate and result-driving deliverables
Typical qualifications for an influencer talent manager
In general, companies expect influencer talent managers to meet the following qualifications:
Have strong negotiation, project-management, interpersonal, and communication (both written and verbal) skills
Have at least two years of experience in reviewing and negotiating contracts
Have experience in client services or customer-facing roles
Have experience running social media campaigns for brands, agencies, or influencers
Have a strong knowledge of social media platforms, influencer marketing techniques, and industry trends
Have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
Have the ability to multitask while staying efficient
Average salary for an influencer talent manager
According to Glassdoor, the average base pay for an influencer talent manager is $76,979 a year. The site also predicts that with bonuses and additional pay, the typical influencer talent manager will earn a total of $84,027 annually.
GRIN, the leading creator management platform, employs influencer marketing strategists to help our clients succeed in the creator economy. At GRIN, you’ll have the opportunity to offer solutions to the leading DTC and ecommerce brands while being a part of a growing team and working at a certified Great Place to Work.
“I love working in influencer marketing because it allows me to be creative while also diving into data. I also enjoy making connections with my influencers and developing those real relationships—some I have known for years now and even have met in person! The industry is ever changing, so it is exciting to be at the forefront of this wild, wild west marketing channel. On a personal note, I really enjoy seeing what brands are doing, so social and influencer marketing is the perfect industry for me.” — Rachel Davidson, Influencer Marketing Strategist at GRIN
Influencers can aid in nearly every aspect of marketing for every part of the customer journey. From building awareness to increasing sales, influencers can create content that drives results. And as long as you have content usage rights, you can repurpose their work across other marketing channels, including organic social posts, ads, emails, and more.
According to Glassdoor, the average influencer strategist earns a base pay of $67,202. From there, they typically earn enough bonuses and extra income to bring their overall annual salary to $90,687.
An influencer specialist works for a brand or agency and manages creator relationships to assist the overall influencer strategy. They handle day-to-day communications with creators, provide quality analysis for each piece of content, and measure and track results to report to key stakeholders.
You create an influencer strategy by:
Determining your goals and setting key performance indicators.
Identifying your target audience.
Analyzing the best platforms to focus on for your campaign.
Determining content deliverables, whether long-form YouTube videos, static image carousels on Instagram, or something else entirely.
Finding the perfect creators to deliver your selected content.
According to Glassdoor, the average base pay for a social media marketing manager is $51,248 a year. The site also predicts that with bonuses and additional pay, the typical social media marketing manager will earn a total of $55,400 annually.
Social media managers and marketing managers are slightly different. Social media managers focus on developing, executing, and analyzing social media content, while marketing managers typically oversee an entire marketing campaign, including social media, email, ads, and more.
In general, companies expect social media marketing managers to have the following skills:
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Written by Sarah Conrad
Originally from San Antonio, Sarah studied advertising at the University of Houston and decided to stay in the city upon graduation. She is particularly interested in SEO for social media platforms and tracking the latest influencer content trends. When she's not putting pen to paper, she's baking, painting, or hanging out with her dog.
All-in-one creator management platform helping ecommerce companies build more valuable brands through the power of creator partnerships.
