Let’s talk budgets. That ever-relevant ‘How much should we spend on creators?’ convo you keep pushing to next quarter.
If you’ve ever tried to budget for a creator or influencer campaign, you’ll know it’s a bit like asking how long a piece of string is – except in this case, the string is tangled, behind a paywall, and everyone’s pretending they’ve got it figured out.
Spoiler: Most don’t.
We’re allowed to say that because over half the brands who chat to us at Sticki come in asking that exact question. Meaning if you're unsure what to spend, you’re not alone. And it frankly isn’t your fault. Traditional advertising agencies have done a top-notch job of keeping this stuff in the dark.
Our office landline (*how analog, we know!) often goes crazy with calls about gifting campaigns, but “just send out 300 freebies and hope for the best” isn’t a sufficient creator marketing strategy. If creators don’t value the product, they won’t post – and even if they do, it likely won’t land.
But the reality is: Creator marketing is booming (seriously, LTK reports that 92% of retail brands are doubling down on it in 2025). And whether you're a small business after UGC or a big fish looking to scale with strategy, knowing what to budget is the first step to making it work.
That’s what this post is here for.
Pull up a chair. You’ll want to be sat for this. Let’s answer the age old question of “What should my creator budget be?” Well, sort of… You already know it’ll depend, but on what?
Once you’ve committed to working with creators, the next challenge is figuring out what kind of collaboration suits your brand, and your budget. Do you need a few UGC assets for ad testing? Or are you looking for high-profile creators to anchor a product launch?
Understanding the differences between each type of collaboration will save you from wasted budget and mismatched expectations.
UGC is often the most cost-effective and performance-driven content a brand can invest in. It’s not just someone holding a product, it’s built to convert.
And as for a typical UGC pricing guide?
Rates typically fall between $150 and $500 per video, with creators often offering packages that include multiple hooks, variations, or raw footage. Most creator rates in 2025 and beyond also include 6–12 months of paid usage, and in some cases, usage in perpetuity.
BUT, always confirm this before locking in an agreement – you wouldn’t go to all the effort to cook the meal if you couldn’t eat the dish?
At Sticki, this is one of our most popular services. We vet creators based on their ability to perform (not just their vibe) and ensure you get content that works as hard as your budget does.
When you want reach, influence, and community trust, influencers bring serious value. But follower count is only part of the equation – different tiers come with different benefits and expectations.
So, the question: “How much do influencers cost?” Well, it depends.
These are base rates when you’re looking to unpack the average cost of influencer marketing – before agency fees, usage rights, story re-shares, links in bio, exclusivity, or boosting and amplification (shall we list more?). It stacks quickly. This is where working with a seasoned agency becomes less “nice to have” and more “please-don’t-do-it-without-us.”
The mass gifting approach – shipping hundreds of units in the hope that someone posts – is a common influencer tactic praised for its cost effectiveness and authenticity of content.
It can also be wildly ineffective (and more expensive than you realise). If the creator didn’t ask for it, doesn’t know you, and doesn’t value it, the result is either silence or uninspired content – not the genius influencer marketing move you might think it is
Gifting works best when it’s personal and opt-in.
Better still, when it’s part of a broader earned media or PR strategy. If you're working with a talent agency who knows their creators, go for it. But if you're paying a middle-man to send boxes to anyone who’ll take them, you're not building brand love – you're creating landfill.
Sticki doesn’t run gifting campaigns as a core service. But if you insist on gifting, we’ll give you a data-backed talent list sourced via our Sticki Discovery Tool. That way, you can reach out yourself – no middlemen, no misaligned incentives. Just a better relationship from the start.
Creators know when a brand has budget. If you're paying someone else to reach out, but not paying them? You’ve already lost the moment, and the trust that could’ve been.
A video that performs well once is good. A video you can cut into five more versions, localise, or turn into web assets? Even better.
Raw footage (the unedited files hot off the creators’ camera rolls) gives your internal team full freedom to build more assets from a single shoot. Rates vary, but expect an extra $50–$250 per creator on top of standard creator fees.
If you’re running ads or planning multiple versions of content, this is one of the best investments you can make. Plus, it typically doesn’t expire (again, always double check) so you can make ads forever and ever. We actually don’t condone the same content forever-and-ever but hey, if it works!
Not every creator is a selfie-style lofi content machine.
Some operate more like a production house – lighting, scripts, editing, a videographer and maybe even talent on set. You’re paying for more than influence. You’re paying for quality and polish.
These creators usually start at $2,000+, often rising beyond $10,000 for major projects or longer-form deliverables. They’re ideal for flagship campaigns, evergreen brand stories, or when you need content that’ll outlast a seasonal sale.
You’ll get fewer pieces of content – but far more firepower from each one.
Once you understand how much creator work costs, the next step is figuring out who should manage it. And that’s where things can get complicated – fast.
Between influencer agencies, talent agents, UGC production shops, and trying to do it all in-house, the options are endless. And the truth is, if you’re seeing a brand’s content all over your feed, they’re probably paying the big bucks for it (as in add an extra zero to the number that just popped into your head). So, let’s break them down – transparently.
Talent agencies exist to represent the creator, not you. Their job is to protect their roster, secure top-tier rates, and often, stack a campaign with their own talent.
Yes, this comes with perks – a single point of contact, package deals, and help wrangling creators. But it also means higher rates. Most talent agencies charge brands an Agency Service Fee (ASF) of 10–30% on top of creator fees. They’ll also often take a 20–30% cut from the creator’s side too, driving up costs, and down the amount of creators you can fit within your budget.
If you’re working with a limited budget or want to maximise value, talent agencies might not be the best fit. You’ll pay a premium, and not always for performance.
There’s plenty of contractors or independent talent out there. Dip your toe in that direction, learn what works and what doesn’t, and make your next move from there.
OMG! It’s us! This is where Sticki fits. Except we don’t operate like your average run-of-the-mill agency.
A lot of end-to-end agencies are set up as a middle-person who outsources to talent agencies anyway, which means your budget (and average cost of influencer marketing) is getting clipped thrice. One fee for the agency you’ve engaged, another from the ASF of the agency they’ve engaged, and another hidden in creator rates.
What sets Sticki apart is our data-first approach. We’ve built proprietary tech that identifies creators based on demographic alignment and performance metrics, not just who’s “available.”
We handle sourcing, briefing, contracting, posting and reporting end-to-end, but the creators we work with are either independently sourced or negotiated via talent managers we already have strong relationships with. That means better rates for you, and creators who are in it for more than just a one-time post.
We’re transparent about every dollar. Creator rates are completely visible to you at all times, and our admin charges are a flat rate campaign fee..
No markups in influencer partnership costs. No mystery maths.
If you’re just starting out with influencer marketing, there will always be a higher premium when you go with an agency. But like enlisting any support, think of it as paying for expertise from digital marketers, influencer marketing specialists, and even content creators who have been around the block more than a few times. Really, it’s our second nature.
These are studios or teams with creators on contract – usually offering volume-based UGC (i.e. 10 hooks, 3 base testimonials, 5 angles). This is often the route brands take when they want a lot of ad-ready content, quickly, and also need someone with the brains to conceptualise the content.
The downside? It can get formulaic.
These creators don’t always reflect your brand’s actual customer base, and the content often lacks the personalisation that drives true performance. Pricing can vary wildly, and creative control is usually minimal unless you’ve got serious spend.
Sticki also creates UGC. But we do it through a network of vetted, high-performance creators chosen for how well they match your brand, not just their availability. You get custom content. UGC ads built from strategy, not a template.
Managing creators in-house can be a great choice – if you have the resources. For brands looking to grow ambassador relationships long-term or maintain ongoing organic content output, internal ownership makes sense, and typically will stop a lot of your precious time going down the drain.
But don’t confuse influencer marketing with just another “social media manager” task.
It requires a deep understanding of contracts, usage, performance metrics, briefing, negotiation and content quality control. If you don’t have that expertise in-house, you’ll burn time, budget and probably goodwill. But if you’re willing to invest, you’ll create a powerful content machine.
We always recommend that once you’ve got 1:1 creator relationships going – especially long-term brand ambassadors – they should live in-house.
But getting there? Layering additional campaigns over the top? That’s where we come in.
What works is having one strategy, consistent execution, and clear visibility on where your spend is going. Whether that’s in-house or outsourced — that’s the benchmark.
And it’s exactly what Sticki is built to provide.
By now, you’ve probably realised that influencer campaign pricing and creator fees aren’t just about paying the creator. What looks like a clean $750 post in a spreadsheet can quickly snowball once you account for the bits no one talks about upfront – usage, revisions, link placement, asset rights.
We’re not here to scare you. But we are here to help you budget like you’ve done this before.
We like to think these aren’t surprises. They’re upgrades, readily available to bolster any campaign you’re working on. But too often, brands forget to plan for them in budgeting how much to pay influencers, and then scramble when the invoice changes.
The secret isn’t spending less. It’s spending smarter. Ask yourself: Is this content for organic reach, or is it for paid performance? That one distinction will guide almost everything else.
If you’re creating ads, focus your budget on usage rights, raw footage, and creators who know how to sell. That doesn’t always mean a big name. In fact, smaller creators or dedicated UGC talent often outperform larger influencers in a paid context – and at a fraction of the cost.
Avoid overspending on things like extended usage periods if your ad creative only lasts two weeks. And steer clear of exclusivity clauses that don't actually protect your brand – unless there’s real competitive risk.
What matters is knowing what your campaign needs, not what’s standard. Most “hidden” costs only feel hidden because no one explains them. So here’s your permission to stop being surprised – and start budgeting like the expert you’re quickly becoming through a guide like this.
If you’ve read all this and are now even more stumped as to where to start, we get it.
Costing for a creator campaign is complex, which is why we don’t do off-the-shelf. Every campaign is built around what you actually need – not what some pre-built template says you should have.
That said, a few ballparks to help you plan:
If you’re not quite there, that’s cool. We can help you make a plan or point you in the right direction. And if your total budget is under $5K, you’re likely better off running in-house to start with.
No smoke, no mirrors – just solid work with creators who deliver. When you're ready, so are we.
Budgeting for creator marketing doesn’t need to be a mystery – and it definitely shouldn’t be a shot in the dark. Whether you’re building your first UGC campaign or ready to scale with influencers, the smartest move is knowing what your budget can actually do.
We’ll help you figure that out. No bloated packages, no vague promises – just the right creators, the right strategy, and a budget that’s built to work.
Got a campaign in mind? Let’s talk.
Not sure where to start? We’ll help you plan that too.
Contact us or visit sticki.com.au to get started.
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