How to set your very first base rate

Your base rate = the price for one standard post, before any add-ons. With no past deals to copy, you build it from your real costs.

Add up four things:
— Your time (filming + editing hours × what your hour is worth)
— Your costs (props, software, location)
— A profit margin on top (this is a business, not a hobby)
— A sanity check against creators your size

Example: 5 hours at $40 = $200, plus $50 costs, plus margin = round to $350 base.

Don't price off follower count alone — engagement and effort matter more.

Your move: do this math once and write the number down. A real base beats a guessed one every single time.