How Does Kim Kardashian West Make Money? Here's How the Reality TV Star Built an Empire
Famed reality television star Kim Kardashian West has all but built an empire, simply by branding herself. Through her reality show, online games and apps, the TV star has profited from her celebrity status in a major way, and Forbes reports that her earnings continue to multiply. In 2014, for instance, the star earned $28 million, but nearly doubled her income to $53 million by the end of 2015 thanks, in part, to her mobile game.
It's also been reported that Kardashian West has found product endorsements to be highly lucrative. In 2014, Radar reported that the celebrity was charging brands between $750,000 and $1 million for an endorsement. And the star's appearances on both Keeping Up With The Kardashians and Khloe & Kourtney Take The Hamptons add to her income, as does revenue from a book she published in 2015 titled Selfish — though initial sales of the book weren't too impressive.
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Kardashian West's exorbitant wealth extends well beyond mobile, desktop and television screens. Forbes reports that the star is also cashing in on retail profits. Kardashian West earns revenue from earnings sold wholesale under the Kardashian Beauty cosmetic line and the fashion line she promotes with her sisters, the Kardashian Kollection.
Add to that profits from Dash, the boutique line Kardashian West promotes and often sports herself, and it's easy to see that the celebrity has clearly diversified her income stream.
And what of social media? According to Kardashian West, she's not interested in monetizing her online followers — at least not on Instagram
"Every deal I do I never include my Instagram," Kardashian West said during 2015's Cannes Lions festival, according to the Guardian. "I've been really strict about that. My Instagram is off limits. It is my personal world. I know a lot of my brands get frustrated that I don't promote as much as they would like. I love just posting when something is really authentic."
"I can smell a mile away when something is not authentic. I'm really choosy. I don't follow a lot of people and I have unfollowed people who have promoted too much. I just don't like it when people hold up similar products and post everyday about something different."
That said, there's evidence on Kardashian West's page which suggest that may not be true. The star has previously posted several selfies wearing a Waist Gang Society corset, an item that trended briefly across some social media accounts of the celebrity elite.
"#TBT I stay waist training!" Kardashian West captioned one post. "LOL I found this old pic on my computer! Thanks @premadonna87 @waistgangsociety"
While it's unclear if Kardashian West profited from the posts, it's not an impossibility.
Elsewhere, it may be that Kardashian West is more lenient with promotions across her other social media accounts. Back in 2010, for example, Business Insider reported that the star could earn $10,000 for posting a single tweet.
It's likely that price tag — much like Kardashian West's behemoth net worth — will continue to grow in relation to the star's popularity.
