How to make money on Instagram.
People can make a lot of money on Instagram: The recent Hopper HQ report Claims that Kylie Jenner is paid approximately $1.2 million for a single Instagram post. Obviously, if you're not one of the most famous celebrities in the world, your estimated earnings may vary based on followers, engagement, reputation, and more.
In this article, we're going to cover the best ways to make money on Instagram:
1. Promote affiliate links.
To make money with affiliate marketing, you need to join high-paying affiliate programs so you can add affiliate links to your Instagram and earn a commission on the sales you generate.
When done right, affiliate links can make a lot of money.
To do this, consider joining affiliate networks like Shareasale, Clickbank, Awin, and Impact. You can also join individual affiliate programs directly from a company's website or by searching for: “BUSINESS+ affiliate program.”
Since Instagram has a solid base of engaged users, it's the perfect place to promote affiliate links.
Regardless of the number of followers you have, you can insert a clickable link in your Instagram bio. For example, a fashion blogger, Sophie Shohet, uses this feature to promote affiliate links:
Since Sophie has over 10k followers, she can also create clickable Instagram Stories. And here's how she promotes affiliate links in her posts and on her profile:
Instagram followers pay close attention to Instagram posts, so using captions to talk about affiliate marketing links is a great way to get attention.
However, not all links in Instagram posts are clickable, so adding a URL is not the best idea, as readers have to copy the link manually from your text.
It is therefore best to write a call to action, inviting your readers to click on the link in your biography. It's worth noting that it's important to disclose affiliate links because you get a commission on each sale.
2. Selling physical and digital products.
Over the past few years, Instagram has become a powerful sales generator for the right e-commerce store.
Since people are actually using Instagram to discover and buy products, they've rolled out more features to business accounts, such as the online cash register, the “store” button, product labels and “shoppable” stickers, to facilitate the buying process.
A brand new tool that you can use to sell products from Instagram is Square Online.
This tool takes Instagram posts from your feed, and turns them into a fully-shoppable website in 3 simple steps:
- Connect your Instagram business account to Square
- Mark items you want to sell in your Instagram posts.
- Click “Publish” and launch your own website.
Since it's difficult to sell products online only on Instagram, it's a great idea to also have a website. And this new Square Online tool makes that really easy.
You can get started with Square Online for free and only pay transaction fees. You can then upgrade to a paid plan when you're ready to create a website with your own custom domain.
For other options, you may want to consider choose an e-commerce platform Or a website creator to launch an e-commerce site and then use Instagram as another marketing channel.
If you are a beginner, you can also start a dropshipping business so you don't have to ship your own products or manage returns.
Another option is to learn for sale on Amazon and to promote your products on Instagram in this way.
In any case, you should add links to your content on your Instagram account.
Simply write a call to action and include a link to the website so that interested people can find out more about your offer.
And if you switched to a Instagram creator account, you can create shoppable posts to sell physical products in-app. See how Katie Sturino did it:
From cheap cosmetics and second-hand clothing to luxurious apartments and expensive cars, people buy all sorts of products on Instagram.
No matter what you're selling, your potential customer is probably there. However, it's important to find your niche and examine the competition by researching the hashtags and keywords you want to target.
3. Post sponsored posts.
Influencer marketing is on the rise, according to Social Toaster : 92% of people trust word-of-mouth recommendations, 76% of people say they are more likely to trust content shared by regular people than by brands, and 82% of customers want to get recommendations from friends before making a buying decision.
So it's no wonder that more and more brands are reaching out to influencers to get the word out.
Since users crave transparency on Instagram, all influencers should disclose sponsored posts, according to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines for online advertising. And this is what a sponsored post on Instagram might look like:
Daphne Nur Oz is a popular TV presenter with over 387,000 followers. So it's no wonder that big brands like J.Crew are reaching out to him for a chance to enter an already established community of engaged Instagrammers.
Want to know the best part? You don't have to have a solid audience to start making money with sponsored posts. When choosing the right influencer, most brands pay close attention to engagement rates, so even big brands like Dunkin' want to work with nano- and micro-influencers.
Because these influencers have in-person interactions with the majority of their followers, they provide better results, which means you can get an offer even if you have less than 1,000 followers count on Instagram.
4. Become a brand ambassador.
Sponsored posts work well on Instagram, but most businesses want to build long-term relationships with influencers, so they're looking for brand ambassadors who can promote a business in a positive light on a regular basis.
Instagram being The most privileged channel For influencer marketing, it's the perfect place for users to find brand ambassador programs and collaborate with businesses to promote their products. Major brands also frequently send free products to influencers so they can review and promote them.
For example, Jay Alvarrez is a lifestyle blogger who posts photos and videos on his Instagram and YouTube channels. With a highly engaged community of over 6 million loyal followers, brands are eager to build a long-term partnership with him.
Not only are brands inviting Jay to become a brand ambassador, but they are also inviting him to create capsule collections and co-branded products. In 2018, he designed a line of travel bags and luggage for the Norwegian company Douchebags.
Most brand ambassadors sign contracts with brands to promote their products. And to get better results, brands need to find an influencer whose audience represents the target audience. For ambassadors, that means a big opportunity to make money, as the standard salary for a brand ambassador is somewhere in the Range of $40 to $50,000.
Micro-influencers in a specific niche are often more valuable to brands than big celebrities because they have a more engaged audience.
In order to increase your chances of earning a living as an influencer, Instagram is a great way to make yourself known in order to sell exclusive content on platforms such asOnlyFans or Mym.
5. Create visual content for sales.
It's no secret that Instagram is a visual platform: People upload over 100 million photos and videos per day. However, it's not enough for brands to upload professional, polished photos of their product to stand out.
Modern customers crave authenticity, which is why they pay particular attention to user-generated content.
In fact, most consumers believe that the CGU is 35% more memorable than other media, so businesses of all sizes want to publish content created by their customers. In other words, it's an opportunity to sell the photos and videos you create.
In the travel sector, businesses of all sizes are inviting real travelers to take photos of their experiences while staying at the brand's properties, in exchange for free accommodation and remuneration.
Here is an example:
And here's how the company uses the same photo on their Instagram profile:
Publishing user-generated content in the travel industry delivers great results.
For example, a small town in New Zealand, Wanaka, got a 14% increase in tourism after working with Instagram influencers who shared images of the city on their profiles.
However, I don't recommend this approach unless you have a huge following. There is nothing more annoying for hoteliers than a fake influencer asking for a free stay.
6. Provide social media marketing services.
It's no secret that Instagram has high sales potential, which is why more and more brands want to use this platform to promote products, reach the target audience, and increase sales. According to Instagram Business, more than 25 million businesses and 2 million advertisers are present on the platform.
With competition getting stronger, brands need professional support if they want to stand out from the crowd. In other words, social media marketing services are in high demand.
A concrete example:
Jenn Herman is an Instagram expert who has proven her niche expertise — she writes for Social Media Examiner and she has worked with major brands. Today, Jenn Herman offers a wide variety of services, including social media strategies, consultations, and training. And guess what? Jenn uses Instagram to promote her social media marketing services:
Brands need a variety of social media marketing services, whether it's training, advice, or monthly support. Social media experts therefore have plenty of opportunities to find freelance jobs and make the most of their knowledge on Instagram.
7. Write captions for businesses.
The days when only big brands could afford to market on Instagram are long gone. Today, brands of all sizes want to use this platform to promote their products and services, and 92% of small businesses plan to invest more time and effort in social media marketing.
While big brands have great in-house content creation staff, entrepreneurs often look for freelance talent to cut social media marketing costs. Thus, they often want to find creative specialists who write captions for their businesses at a low cost.
Take a look at the most popular online job sites like Freelancer and Upwork, and you'll find hundreds of jobs like the following:
To get a full-time job offer, you need to prove that your application stands out from the crowd, and the best way to do that is to show off your social media marketing editorial portfolio. Additionally, you should manage your Instagram page creatively so that interested employers can see sample captions you write. The more creative and engaging your captions are, the more potential customers you can get.
8. Make masks and filters for Instagram Stories.
In 2016, when Instagram copied the ephemeral content from Snapchat and launched Instagram Stories, no one could have predicted the explosion in popularity of this content format.
Today, more than 500 million people watch or create Instagram Stories on a daily basis. Because this type of content is available for a limited period of time, people are highly engaged, and it gives brands more opportunities to engage their target audience.
What's more, businesses are creating Instagram Stories masks and filters to prove their niche expertise and promote their products. While some businesses have in-house designers who create filters for their brand, other brands want to collaborate with talent that specializes in Instagram masks and filters.
And if you are interested in creativity, you can build a source of income on Instagram, because the AR Spark studio allows all users to create AR filters for Instagram Stories. For example, Brend Cardenas uses her Instagram to promote the Instagram filters she creates:
With the increasing popularity of Instagram Stories, there's no question that the ephemeral content is the future of social networks. So, making Instagram masks and filters is a great way to show off your creativity and earn money on the platform.
9. Find freelance clients.
Instagram isn't just for posting cute photos of your puppy. Since we reached the milestone of one billion active Instagram users, it has become a wonderful networking platform, especially for people working in creative fields. Today, more and more professionals are using this platform as an online portfolio.
No matter what you do for a living, whether you're a filmmaker, a ghostwriter, or a speaker, you can use Instagram to find customers.
A concrete example:
Jing Wei is an illustrator who has worked with Etsy, Panda Express, the New York Times, etc. With over 20k followers, Jing uses her Instagram profile to share her latest work. In collaboration with Shake Shack, Jing Wei created the mural and posted the results of her work on her profile:
When people devote their Instagram accounts to work stuff like Jing Wei does, it's easy to understand that they may be interested in finding new customers. Plus, you can still use your Instagram bio to let your visitors know that you are open to looking for gigs. Here is a good example:
Additionally, you can stay proactive and offer your services — just find an Instagram account that should be interested in collaborating with you and swipe into their DMs.
For example, Al Falk is a web designer who uses this technique to find freelance clients, and it delivers results.
In short, the key to success is to remain credible in your niche, so it's important to highlight your work on Instagram and tell your visitors that you are open to new freelance opportunities.
Tips for putting Instagram at your service
Here are a few tips to keep in mind to make Instagram work for you.
1. Find your niche
Having an Instagram store is a great way to attract your target audience and sell more than you would via social media.
To choose the right niche for your business, it's important to do thorough research. If possible, try to live in this world rather than approaching the issue from an intellectual point of view: eat, sleep, and breathe!
2. Authenticity is the key
People like authenticity. Thanks to your photos, they will get a glimpse of your life. Besides, Instagram is also a great tool for developing your personal brand.
To stand out on Instagram, you need to create stories that are truly your own and share them with the world!
The Instagram algorithm is based on the relevance of your posts. In other words, if you post original content that is valuable to your followers, they'll see it more often in their feed!
3. Learn to make yourself known
Across all of your marketing channels (whether Instagram, Shopify, Tiktok, or any other channel), marketing is a skill you need to have.
For starters, it's easy to market your product by sharing personal stories of daily experiences to provide insight into how it's being used.
4. Be transparent and build trust
Whether you're running Instagram ads, creating reels, or doing an Instagram live, it's important to be completely transparent. In other words, all of your communications should be clear and easy to understand!
People do business with people they know, like, and trust. Therefore, creating a brand that your customers want to engage in conversation with is an integral part of online marketing.
5. Providing exceptional customer service
If you sell products on Instagram, your online store should be designed to provide exceptional customer service. And if you're just starting out, using a Shopify dropshipping store is the best way to do it!
Remember that Instagram is first and foremost a community. You sell your products on Instagram to connect with people who love them as much as you do.
If you want to make money online, you shouldn't just focus on selling products; it's also important to provide support to your customers and develop a customer base.
If you want people to trust you, you need to take care of them and be reliable.
How much money can you make on Instagram?
Celebrities can make a lot of money by posting on Instagram. In fact, the highest paid social media influencers get between 8,400 and 1.2 million dollars per publication. Obviously, your earnings depend on your reputation, your number of followers, and your ability to develop your Instagram over time.
To calculate the estimated earnings from your online presence and social accounts, it is important to calculate your engagement rate. Why? Engagement shows that your audience is active, so it's no wonder that influencer prices and costs are highly dependent on this measure.
Views and clicks mean nothing if users don't take action.
The formula is pretty simple: Combine the number of likes and comments per post and divide by the number of followers, then multiply by 100:
Regardless of your engagement rate, there is always room for improvement.
The main idea is to find your niche and promote your services so that your earnings can also increase.
FAQs
Can I sell products on Instagram?
Yes, it's possible to sell products on Instagram with Shoppable Posts. However, it is best to use a e-commerce platform in unison with Instagram to increase your sales channels. Here are the steps you need to take to get started:
- Create an Instagram account and convert it to a business profile.
- Make sure you have a Facebook page with an active product catalog.
- Make sure you are selling physical products as services are not authorized.
- Once you're eligible, you can add product labels to your individual messages. To do this, select a photo you want to tag, tap the product in the photo, enter the product name in your catalog, and click Done.
Can I make money with 1,000 Instagram followers?
You probably won't make a lot of money with 1,000 followers, but it's still possible. Brands typically pay between $10 per 1,000 followers and $500 for every 1,000 followers, depending on your niche and engagement.
If you have around 1,000 followers and want to make money, you should consider coupling your Instagram with other marketing channels.
For example, you could learn To create a blog and create links to your digital products or affiliate marketing articles from Instagram. Additionally, you could sell products on your own website with a e-commerce platform. While you may not make a lot of money with 1,000 followers, omnichannel marketing strategies can increase your revenue from other channels.
How many followers do you need to make money on Instagram?
The number of followers you need to make money on Instagram varies depending on your industry. While you can make money with 1,000 followers or 1 million followers, be sure to focus on engagement.
Micro-influencers who have highly engaged audiences may be more valuable to brands than big celebrities who have millions of followers. Remember, brands don't just want impressions and views, they want users to take action—leads, email signups, and sales.
How do you quickly get followers on Instagram?
In order to quickly grow your Instagram and increase the number of your followers, there are a lot of different strategies. Here are some of the best ones to try:
- Plan a social media marketing strategy on Instagram based on your target audience.
- Create a well-planned bio and profile.
- Have a consistent brand image and colors.
- Start sharing high-quality content and promote it through other social channels.
- Use a hashtag tool to find relevant hashtags and add up to 30 to each post.
- Schedule and publish regularly.
- Run contests, sweepstakes, sweepstakes, and provide promo codes to get users to follow you.
- Use influencer marketing tools to connect with other influencers in your niche and work to be featured on their accounts.
- Use Instagram advertising to pay to get more followers.
- Join Instagram communities in your niche and be an active member of the community.
Summary.
Instagram is one of the fastest-growing and most engaging social media platforms, so it's easy to make money on the platform if you use it the right way. From sponsored posts to social media marketing services, there are lots of creative ways for anyone to make money on Instagram.
At the end of the day, putting time and effort into Instagram is a great investment that builds over time. And it's never too late to jump on the bandwagon and start monetizing your Instagram account.
Check out my reviews on best social media management software to accelerate your growth this year.
