Coronavirus could put social media influencers out of a job

Around Australia, tens of thousands of people are out of jobs and facing financial hardship as a result of the coronavirus pandemic — including influencers.

READ MORE: Follow 9News' live coverage of the pandemic here

Social media stars who usually earn their income through sponsored posts, brand deals and paid content have revealed their livelihoods are in jeopardy because of the virus and associated restrictions.

Now they're dropping their fees and even working for free in a bid to retain the brand relationships that usually pay their bills, while travel influencers face months of being out of 'work'.

Usually brands pay influencers to sell their products, wear them to events or feature reviews on their Instagram accounts, but with companies and advertisers reducing their budgets in the face of the virus, there's less money left over for influencers.

And though most influencers can technically work from home, owing to the digital nature of their careers, not being able to attend events or visit hip locations has limited the content they can produce.

Sarah Gale, managing director of public relations firm AMPR, told the Daily Telegraph that influencers have been lowering their prices for sponsored content by up to 50 per cent just to keep paid work coming in.

According to her, one influencer had dropped their fees for a single post from $5,000 to just $2,000.

But the general public seems to have little sympathy for influencers, especially as some try to cash in on the pandemic.

Last month an American influencer faced criticism for selling branded face masks amidst the pandemic, especially as the masks weren't medical grade and purely fashion items.

Meanwhile other influencers in the US have ignored shelter in place warnings to travel to luxe holiday homes, sparking fury online and making some question if they're seeking controversy to boost engagement.

But it's not just the money coming in they have to worry about; influencers have also faced backlash for flaunting their luxury lifestyles in the middle of a global crisis, when millions of people around the world are out of work.

"Now is not the time to be posting about flash cars and lavish getaways — the world is hurting, make it real, make it genuine and have some consideration for what people are going through," PR icon Roxy Jacenko told the Daily Telegraph.

Travel influencers especially have been criticised, as some ignored early travel warnings and bans in order to continue creating content, a risky move in places like the US and Europe.

Aussie influencer Lauren Bullen was criticised last month for sharing snaps of the lavish Bali villa where she was self-isolating with her partner.

The post was dubbed a "sick brag" by some followers who are also isolating during the coronavirus pandemic.

But these are people who earn their income by creating and sharing travel content, and with international travel off the cards for at least the next few months, their careers are in jeopardy.

Surprisingly, Aussie influencers may be eligible for JobKeeper payments if they meet certain eligibility requirements.