What is the UK’s Racial Pay Gap in Influencer Marketing

Today we announced the launch of a research project to discover and quantify the Pay Gap in the UK Influencer Marketing space from the perspectives of race, but also gender identity, sexuality and age. 

The project is in partnership with Tinuke Bernard, influencer and compiler of the Black Influencers Directory, and communications agency, MSL UK. We are looking to work with the entire industry - from influencers to clients, partners and talent agencies - to share the survey and join together to ensure the industry becomes more open, transparent and inclusive.

This research is a follow-up to MSL’s 2021 study into the racial pay gap in North America and our UK focused Influencer Pricing Report that revealed that 78% of influencers feel unconfident in pricing themselves during brand negotiations, with 57% answering that their ethnicity plays a significant role in the amount they are paid. Furthermore, 99% of those that believe the impact of ethnicity to be negatively identified as a person of colour. MSL North American report showed that the pay gap between white and black influencers was 35%, the most significant racial pay gap in any industry. We’re eager to share the results of the survey so we can use it to push harder for change within the industry.

The survey can be found at www.mslgroup.co.uk/paygap and will be open to influencers to take part throughout May, with results available and open to the entire industry from the end of June.