Kenyans consume huge amounts of information online so it is no shocker that bloggers are now recognized and highly sort after not only by their readers but by big brands and businesses as well. They have become the new influencers of this generation and are making a huge impression on their audience. They also have a specific audience depending on their niche which brands and corporations find easier to work with. Bloggers with a high number of followers are often sort after due to the large audience they attract.
It is important to note that Influencer Marketing has become a huge part in today’s advertising and promotional world. Brands have realized that there is more reach for their products and services when they use influencers. They can help create an online buzz about a brand, strengthen the brand’s reputation, improve audience engagement, and increase conversions.
Blogs in Kenya earn differently based on traffic and their monetization strategy. Although many bloggers do not reveal their income reports, the estimated amount they earn for individual blogs is between 30,000 Kshs to an upwards of 1 million Kshs per month for the well-established who get their income from different avenues like brand representation, advertising, influencing etc. For big recognized brands and organizations, especially the media, some earn up to 5 million Kshs a month on their blogs with Standard Media and Nation media leading the pack.
So how should bloggers charge?
Rate cards
A rate card is a price list that shows how much a product or service is estimated to cost. It gives estimates of the minimum and maximum amount a service would cost. These prices are not fixed prices.
Many bloggers base their rate cards depending on the nature and quantity of work to be done. Is it long term work or a one-off? Does it need a lot of research? Does it include travel? Does it involve a team or just one individual? These are a few questions a blogger will keep in mind while coming up with their rate card.
The type of client or corporate who needs work done also determines a bloggers rate card. A blogger would charge more highly if the client is a big corporate as compared to a small company or an individual.
A blogger’s expertise, influence and followers, who define the traffic on a blog, also determine how they are able to charge for work. If they have a big following, they are able to negotiate better pay as compared to those who have fewer followers.
Kenyan bloggers determine their pricing using the above criteria and usually charge from 5,000Kshs per article on the downside and for beginners, to a whopping 150,000Kshs per article for well-renowned bloggers. This indicates that bloggers who put in the work can earn a comfortable amount of money per month based on how they decide to pursue their blogging.
As BAKE continues to empower and promote online content creation, there is concern that not all bloggers are earning from their blogs; especially those who have already set themselves up for a while and run educative and informative blogs with popular niches.
Most blogs are not only measured by a large number of followers they have or the expert writing that is on there but also the amount the blog brings after a certain period of time. Some of the reasons noted as to why these blogs do not earn money include;
- Lack of exposure or enough information on how to earn from your blog
- Lack of an adequate work plan or strategy for their blog
- Lack of proper research for their niche of choice
- Unwillingness to invest in their blogs
- Lack of focus and concentration and not allocating enough time for their blogs
- Going it by themselves without the help or cooperation of others/brands/ influencers
- Not putting yourself out there, and connecting and building a relationship with readers
So that you are not caught like a deer in headlights the next time you are asked for a quote, here is an example of a rate card.
| Item | Description | Unit Price (Ksh.) | Total (Ksh.) |
| 30 tweets package | 60,000 | 60,000 | |
| FB posts | 3 FB posts | 5,000 | 15,000 |
| Blog Post | 4 blog posts | 20,000 | 80,000 |
| Total | 155,000 |