Melanie Spencer: Thompson Spencer co-founder and CEO on the new data revealing what Kiwi influencers really earn - Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Many people dream of becoming social media influencers - but the reality is a lot less glamorous. 

According to new data from the IRD, only 60 people in New Zealand are working full-time as influencers, with the average annual income being $46,000.

Thompson Spencer co-founder and CEO Melanie Spencer is surprised by these statistics.

"We have influencers earning well over $10,000 per piece of content... we've got an influencer that's earned $30,000-$40,000 this year and we're only halfway through."

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