How to Make Money on Instagram

Before we get into the actual ways to make money on Instagram, we'll mention some basic Instagram and social media stuff, and we'll explain how these elements affect opportunities to make money.

The first on our list is, as you may guess, the number of followers. A lot of people wonder how many followers one actually needs to make money on Instagram. It might surprise you that there's no correct answer to this question. This basically means that you don't have to have a certain number of followers to earn on Instagram, which is great, especially if you are a beginner in the world of social media. Of course, the more followers you have, the better chances are the brands will recognize you as a person of online influence, but that's far from the only criteria.

Here are some useful insights:

• nano-influencers (less than 1,000 followers): can play an important role for brands seeking to foster brand loyalty and boost sales;
• micro-influencers (1,000 to 100,000 followers): collaborate with brands for sponsored posts or affiliate marketing;
• macro-influencers (100,000 to 1 million followers): powerful influencers that attract high-paying brand deals;
• mega-influencers (1 million+ followers): work for significant fees for promotions and endorsements.

Besides the sheer number of followers, you have to take into account the number of unique users who see your content - your reach. Quality content, hashtags, keywords, and consistent posting are some of the most important factors when it comes to reach on Instagram.

Finally, there's the engagement. Simply put, it's when people interact with your content (like, comment, and share!). Brands like to work with influencers whose audience is engaged because it means they are active and that they genuinely like the content. Moreover, high engagement is a signal to Instagram that your content is valuable, meaning it will almost certainly increase your visibility. It also directly affects your earning potential - more engaged followers are more likely to buy products you promote or convert through affiliate links.

Now that we explained the basics, it's time to turn to the concrete ways you can use to make money on Instagram!

1. Work with brands on sponsored content

Sponsored content is a pillar of Instagram monetization. If you decide to do some sponsored content, you will leverage your followers to showcase products or services, while the brand will get exposure to a targeted and enthusiastic audience. Choosing brands that resonate with your style and values is crucial since it's the only way the content will be truly authentic.

Besides the authenticity and the quality of content, you absolutely have to be completely transparent! Influencers are required to disclose their partnerships by using hashtags like #ad or #sponsored to comply with FTC guidelines, ensuring their audience is aware of the promotional nature of the content.

2. Affiliate marketing

Affiliate marketing is a performance-based strategy where influencers and content creators promote products or services through unique affiliate links, earning a commission for each sale generated from their referrals. This form of monetization works on a simple principle: you partner with brands or affiliate programs, receive custom tracking links, and incorporate them into your Instagram content. When your followers click on these links and make a purchase, you earn a commission, often a percentage of the sale. This way you can monetize your recommendations without the need to handle product inventory, customer service, or shipping.

To incorporate affiliate marketing into your Instagram strategy, first join affiliate programs or networks relevant to your niche. Second, create engaging and informative Instagram content that incorporates the affiliate products or services authentically. As with the sponsored posts, here you also have to maintain transparency by disclosing your affiliate relationships in your captions or stories to ensure your audience knows when you're promoting products for potential commission.

3. Recommend

If you're looking to monetize your social media presence, you should definitely use some of the Recommend perks on Instagram. Utilizing Recommend, you can establish your very own online shop, a personalized store where you can put your favorite products across diverse categories like food, fashion, beauty, electronics…

The ingenious part lies in sharing your shop link directly in your Instagram bio. This link acts as a gateway to your store, allowing your followers to browse and purchase the products you endorse. The best part? Each sale generated through this link earns you a commission, transforming your Instagram bio into a potential revenue stream. It's like a link-in-bio that makes you money!

4. Instagram shopping

Another great way to make money on Instagram is by using their Instagram Shopping feature. It allows businesses to showcase and sell their products directly through Instagram. Brands can tag their products in posts and stories, providing product details and pricing information. When users tap on a tagged product, they are taken to a dedicated product page within the app, where they can view additional images, read product descriptions, and make a purchase, all without leaving Instagram.

To use Instagram Shopping, you need to set up a Facebook Shop and connect it to your Instagram business profile. Once the shop is set up, you can start tagging products in your organic posts and stories, as well as running shoppable ads.

5. Tutorials and workshops

As a content creator with unique skills and knowledge, you can turn your expertise into income by offering online tutorials and workshops on Instagram. To make money from tutorials, you have several options, including hosting paid workshops, setting up subscription-based models, or collaborating with educational platforms.

We suggest you start by creating engaging and informative content on your Instagram profile. Use various formats like posts, stories, IGTV videos, and reels to offer glimpses of your knowledge. Furthermore, think about offering more in-depth tutorials or workshops as paid content. You can do this by creating exclusive content accessible through subscription services or by hosting live workshops where participants pay for a structured learning experience. Additionally, explore partnerships with educational platforms to expand your reach, and share your courses and workshops with a broader audience.

6. Drive traffic to your blog

If you're a writer, Instagram can be a powerful tool to drive traffic to your blog. You should probably start by optimizing your Instagram bio to include a link to your blog, making it easy for your followers to access your content. Share visually appealing and engaging posts that offer a sneak peek of what readers can find on your blog. Use captions to provide context and encourage your followers to click on the link in your bio to read the full blog post. In addition, take advantage of Instagram Stories and IGTV to share snippets, behind-the-scenes content, and teasers related to your blog posts.

To make the most of Instagram in driving traffic to your blog, take a content marketing approach. Tailor your Instagram content to complement your blog posts. For instance, if you're a food blogger, share appealing images of your recipes on Instagram and tease the full recipe on your blog. If you blog about travel, use Instagram to showcase stunning travel destinations and share travel tips, linking back to detailed travel guides on your blog.

7. Earn live badges

If you enjoy doing live streams, on Instagram you can make money by getting live badges. To qualify for live badges, your account has to meet eligibility criteria. In other words, you need to have a minimum number of followers and live viewers. During the live session, your followers can purchase badges to show their support, and these badges will appear next to their names in the comments.

Encourage badge purchases by expressing your gratitude and offering special perks to badge holders, such as exclusive content or shoutouts. The revenue earned from live badges is a direct result of your followers' support, with Instagram allowing you to keep a portion of the earnings. Consistency and genuine engagement with your audience are key to maximizing your earnings through live badges, as well as maintaining a regular live streaming schedule.

It's important to note that the availability of live badges may vary depending on your region and eligibility status, so stay informed about the latest developments!

1. Post consistently: Posting regularly keeps your audience engaged and ensures that your content remains visible on your followers' feeds. Create a content calendar to maintain a consistent posting schedule, and use Instagram scheduling tools to automate your posts for optimal timing.

2. Optimize your bio: Craft a bio that clearly communicates your niche or expertise, include relevant keywords, and provide a call to action.

3. Engage authentically: Respond to comments, engage in meaningful conversations, and show appreciation for your followers.

4. Use Instagram Stories: Instagram Stories provide a dynamic way to connect with your audience. You can use it to share behind-the-scenes content, quick tips, and teasers for upcoming posts or products. On Instagram Stories you can use a myriad of different options to engage with followers, such as quizzes, questions, or polls.

5. Leverage IGTV: IGTV allows you to share longer-form video content. It's great for in-depth tutorials and product reviews, among others. You can also link it to your blog or website to drive traffic.

6. Use hashtags: Use relevant hashtags in your captions to increase the discoverability of your content.

7. Collaborate with other influencers: Collaborations with other influencers are a great way to expand your reach. Giveaways, takeovers, and co-created content are just some possible forms of collaboration.

8. Write engaging captions: Informative, emotional, fun… but, most importantly, well-written captions will add that special tone to your content. Encourage your audience to interact by inviting them to comment or share their thoughts.

9. Stay updated: Instagram continually introduces new features and updates. Stay informed about these changes, as they may present further monetization opportunities.

Just like Pinterest or TikTok, Instagram also offers many ways for content creators to turn their passion and creativity into a source of income. If you want to make money on Instagram, you have to be aware of the 3 important factors: followers, reach, and engagement. While there is no fixed number of followers that guarantees success, focusing on building an engaged and authentic audience is key.

Diversifying your income streams is crucial on Instagram. Sponsored content, affiliate marketing, the combination of Recommend and Instagram, live badges, and educational content are just a few of the avenues to explore. Combine these strategies with Instagram-specific tactics like optimizing your bio, leveraging Stories and IGTV, and making the most of shopping features. By consistently creating valuable content, engaging with your audience genuinely, and staying informed about the latest Instagram updates, you can successfully transform your Instagram presence into a lucrative venture while remaining authentic and true to your passions.