If you’re one of the millions of people who love taking and sharing photos, then you’ve probably considered turning your passion into a money-making venture. And why wouldn’t you? With over 1 billion active monthly users, Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms in the world.
What’s more, there are plenty of people out there making a healthy living from their Instagram accounts. In fact, some individuals have even turned their accounts into multi-million-dollar businesses!
So, if you’re looking to make some extra cash (or even quit your day job), then read on to find out how you can make money with Instagram.
Table of Contents
What is Instagram and How Does it Work?
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of how to make money with Instagram, let’s quickly go over some basics about the platform.
Instagram is a photo and video-sharing social networking service owned by Facebook, Inc, and if you haven’t noticed, it’s been around a while!
On Instagram, you can make posts by uploading photos and videos, which can be edited with various filters, and organized with tags and location information. Users can also browse other users’ content by tags and locations, and view trending content. People can “like” photos and follow others to add their content to a feed.
The photo-sharing app has its own eCommerce store (Instagram shopping), reels, and more, making it a perfect spot to start up a money-making business.
Make Money With Instagram
Now that you have a better understanding of what Instagram is and how it works, let’s get into the meat of this article: how to make money with Instagram.
There are a few different ways that you can make money with Instagram, and we’ll go over some of the most popular methods below.
Believe it or not, there are even more ways to make money using Instagram.
Sell Your Own Products or Services
If you have your own products or services to sell, then Instagram can be a great platform to market and sell them. This is especially true if your products are visual in nature (e.g., art, jewelry, fashion, etc.).
To make money in this way, you’ll need to set up an account for your business (if you don’t already have one) and start posting high-quality photos and videos of your products. Make sure to use relevant hashtags and post regularly to gain exposure for your account.
If you have your own products or services to sell, then Instagram can help you to promote them to your Instagram audience.
To create a business account on Instagram, you’ll need to first create a Facebook page for your business. Once you have a Facebook page, you can then create a new Instagram account for your business by following these steps:
- Open the Instagram app and tap on the three lines in the top left corner of the screen.
- Scroll down and tap on “Settings” and then select “Switch to Business Profile.”
- Enter your business’s name, website, and telephone number.
- Select the category that best describes your business.
- Tap on “Done” and follow the instructions to link your Facebook page to your new Instagram account.
Once your account is set up, you can start posting photos and videos of your products or services. Make sure to use relevant hashtags and post regularly to gain exposure for your account.
You can also run ads on Instagram to promote your products or services to a wider audience. And, if you have a physical store, you can include your address and business hours in your profile so that people can come visit you in person.
To run ads on Instagram, you’ll need to create a Facebook Ads account. You can then create your ad by following these steps:
- Open the Facebook Ads Manager and click on the “Create New Ad” button.
- Select “Promote Your Business” and then choose “Instagram.”
- Enter the name of your business, website, and telephone number.
- Select the category that best describes your business.
- Select your target audience and budget.
- Write a brief description of your ad.
- Add an image or video for your ad.
- Click on the “Create Ad” button and follow the instructions to submit your ad for approval.
When you have lots of instagram followers, you’ll get more interaction on your posts and more people will promote your instagram content. But even if you don’t have a million followers right away, you can use hashtags to reach lots of people and promote your personal brand.
Sell Other People’s Products or Services as an Affiliate
If you don’t have products or services to sell, then you can still make money on Instagram by selling other people’s stuff! This is called affiliate marketing, and it’s a great way to earn some extra cash (or even a full-time income).
Affiliate marketing is done by promoting products or services on your Instagram account and including a special link in your posts that allows people to purchase the product or service directly from the company’s website. You can also put the website link in your Instagram bio to link people to the company’s own online store.
When someone clicks on your link and makes a purchase, you’ll earn a commission on the sale. This commission will vary depending on the company, but it is typically a percentage of the total sale price.
To get started, you’ll need to find products or services that you’re passionate about and that are relevant to your audience. Then, you’ll need to find affiliate programs to join that sell those types of things. You can search for “affiliate program” + keyword (e.g., “affiliate program + fashion”), which will bring up a list of companies that offer affiliate programs in your niche.
Once you’ve found a few affiliate programs or affiliate networks to join, you can start promoting the products or services on your Instagram account. Make sure to use relevant hashtags and post regularly to gain exposure for your account.
Sell Photos to Instagram Followers
If you’re a talented photographer, then you can make money by selling your Instagram photos to your engaged followers. There are a few different ways to do this:
- You can join an existing platform like EyeEm or Foap and sell your photos through their site.
- You can create your own website and sell your photos directly to people who are interested in buying them (possibly tying your Instagram account to an ecommerce store).
- You can set up an account with a stock photo agency like Shutterstock or iStock and sell your photos or stock video through their site.
When selling your photos using your social media accounts, it’s important to use high-quality images that are well-lit and in focus. You should also post regularly and use relevant hashtags to gain exposure for your account. When people buy your photos, you’ll earn a commission on the sale, so the more photos, the better chance you have of making money from your Instagram post.
To increase your chances of having your photos selected, make sure to take high-quality photos and follow the submission guidelines for each website.
Become an Instagram Influencer
If you have a large following on Instagram, then you can earn money by becoming an influencer. An Instagram influencer is someone who has a large following on Instagram and can influence the purchasing decisions of their followers. Brands will often pay influencers (or micro influencers) to promote their products or services on their account.
The amount you’ll be paid will vary depending on how many followers you have, but it can range from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars per post. To make your life easier, you can join an affiliate network to jump-start your Instagram marketing effort. An affiliate network is a group of companies that work together to help each other sell products or services.
When you join an affiliate network, you’ll be able to promote products or services from a variety of different companies on your Instagram account. If someone clicks on your link and makes a purchase, you’ll earn a commission on the sale.
To get started, you can sign up for an influencer marketing platform like Hypetap or Influence.co. These platforms connect brands with influencers and make it easy to find opportunities to work together.
When pitching brands, be sure to include information about your followers (e.g., demographics, interests, number of Instagram followers) and your engagement rate (i.e., the percentage of people who see your posts that interact with them). The higher your engagement rate, the more valuable you’ll be to brands.
These and other influencers often use sponsored posts to promote their products and those of others. A sponsored post is one that is paid for by a brand or company. Typically, the brand or company will contact an influencer and ask them to promote their product or service in a post. In exchange for the promotion, the brand or company will typically pay the influencer a fee.
Use Instagram Account Ads
In addition to working with influencers, brands can also reach their target audience by running ads on Instagram. Ads are a great way to promote your products or services to a large group of people.
To create an ad on Instagram, you’ll need to create an account on Facebook and then link it to your Instagram account. Once you’ve done that, you can create an ad using the same tools you would use to create a Facebook ad.
To create an ad on Instagram, you’ll need to create an account on Facebook and then link it to your Instagram account. Once you’ve done that, you can create an ad using the same tools you would use to create a Facebook ad.
To create an ad, you’ll need to provide some basic information about your business, including your website URL, the type of product or service you offer, and a brief description. You’ll also need to select a target audience for your ad and choose a budget.
Once you’ve created your ad, it will be reviewed by Facebook for approval. Once it’s approved, it will start running immediately.
When creating your ad, be sure to include attractive visuals and an attention-grabbing headline. You’ll also want to make sure your ad is targeted to the right audience. To do this, you can use the same targeting options that are available on Facebook.
Once you’ve created your ad, it will be shown to people who are most likely to be interested in it. Instagram will show your ad to people based on their location, age, gender, interests, and other factors.
If you’re looking for a way to reach a large group of people with your message, ads are a great option, because you don’t have to have thousands of instagram followers in order to reach interested people.
Host an Instagram Giveaway
Another great way to earn money on Instagram is to host a giveaway. This is when you give away a prize to one of your followers in exchange for them promoting your account to their followers. The more followers the person has, the more exposure your account will get.
To do this, you’ll need to find a prize that’s relevant to your niche and that will appeal to your target audience. It could be something like a gift card, a piece of jewelry, or a product from your business. Once you have the prize, you can promote the giveaway on your Instagram account and ask people to enter by following you and liking or commenting on your posts, or by tagging their friends.
You can also increase the reach of your giveaway by partnering with other businesses or influencers who have a similar target audience. For example, if you’re giving away a piece of jewelry, you could partner with a clothing company or another jewelry company. This way, both businesses will benefit from the exposure and you’ll be able to reach a larger group of people.
Provide Instagram Consulting Services
If you’re an expert on all things Instagram, then you can earn money by providing consulting services to businesses and individuals who want to grow their following or improve their Instagram marketing strategy.
When providing Instagram consulting services, it’s important to be upfront about your rates and what you’re able to do for your clients. Be sure to set realistic expectations and deliver on your promises!
If you’re looking to start providing Instagram consulting services, here are a few steps to get you started:
- Start by creating a website or profile on a freelancer platform like Upwork or Fiverr. Be sure to include information about your skills and experience, as well as some samples of your work.
- Once you’ve got everything set up, start pitching your services to potential clients! When pitching your services, be sure to be upfront about your rates and what you’re able to do for your clients.
- Set realistic expectations and deliver on your promises! This is key when providing consulting services. Be sure to keep in touch with your clients after the project is completed and offer support where needed.
- Continue building your portfolio and skillset. The more experience and knowledge you have, the better! Keep learning new things and expanding your horizons.
Conclusion
There are lots of great ways to make money on Instagram. By using a combination of these methods, you can start earning money from your Instagram account today! Just remember to be creative, work hard, and focus on providing value to your audience. By doing this, you’ll be well on your way to success.
FAQ – Make Money With Instagram
How much money can I make with Instagram?
This varies depending on how you’re monetizing your account, but it’s possible to make thousands of dollars per month. The key is to be creative and think outside the box!
Do I need a large following to earn money on Instagram?
No, you don’t need a large following to make money on Instagram. There are a number of ways to monetize your account, even if you only have a few hundred followers. However, having a large following will definitely increase your earning potential.
How often should I post on Instagram?
This varies depending on your goals, but generally speaking, it’s best to post regularly (at least once a day) in order to grow your following and engagement rate.
What kind of photos should I post on Instagram?
When selling your photos, it’s important to use high-quality images that are well-lit and in focus. You should also avoid posting duplicate content or photos that are not your own. When promoting products as an influencer, make sure to only promote products that you actually use and believe in. Your photos should be high quality and engaging!
Do I need to be a professional photographer to make money on Instagram?
No, you don’t need to be a professional photographer to make money on Instagram. However, it helps if you have an eye for taking good photos. There are a number of ways to make money with Instagram, so you can choose the monetization method that best suits your skills and interests.
What are some other ways to make money with Instagram?
In addition to the methods mentioned above, you can also make money with Instagram by selling products, providing consulting services, or through affiliate marketing.
Can I make money if I’m under 18?
Yes, you can make money on Instagram even if you’re under 18. However, you will need to get parental permission before you start monetizing your account. Additionally, some of the methods mentioned above (such as affiliate marketing and selling products) may not be suitable for minors.
What are some other social media platforms that I can make money on?
In addition to Instagram, there are a number of other social media platforms where you can make money. These include YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat. It’s important to remember that each platform is different and requires its own strategy for monetization.
