Welcome to the world of Instagram money-making! My name is Investor Blak and I've been a digital marketer for 5 years. I'm here to share my proven strategies for earning cash on Instagram. In 2022 alone, I made a whopping $15k from affiliate marketing alone, with Instagram traffic.
Don't believe the hype that you can't make money on Instagram – in this article, I'll show you 7 legit ways to do just that. Keep reading to learn how to turn your Instagram account into a money-making machine!
Before we dive into the specific strategies for making money on Instagram, I wanted to take a moment to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about the topic.
This is because many people are skeptical about the potential to make money on the platform, so I want to address some of these concerns upfront.
In this section, I'll cover questions like: Is it really possible to make money on Instagram? How much can you realistically earn? And, what types of accounts are best suited to monetization? By answering these questions, and a few others, I hope to set your expectations and give you a better understanding of the opportunities available on the platform.
Is it really possible to make money on Instagram?
Yes, it is possible to make money on Instagram. There are several ways to monetize an Instagram account, including sponsored posts, affiliate marketing, and selling products or services. However, it is important to note that it can take a significant amount of time and effort to build a large following on Instagram, and not all accounts will be successful in monetizing their content. Additionally, it's important to be aware of the platform's terms of use and advertising guidelines, and to disclose any sponsored content or affiliate links in accordance with them.
How much can you realistically earn?
The amount of money that can be earned on Instagram varies greatly depending on the size of the account's following and the methods used to monetize the content.
For influencers with a smaller following, earnings may be limited to a few hundred dollars per sponsored post or affiliate sale. However, top influencers with millions of followers can earn tens of thousands of dollars per sponsored post or even more. Additionally, if you are a business owner or entrepreneur, you can use your Instagram page to promote your products or services and drive sales, which can result in significant income.
Remember that earning money on Instagram is not easy, it takes a lot of time, patience, and hard work. There are many factors to consider such as engagement, niche, consistency, etc.
Also, it's important to consider the cost of running the account, such as purchasing equipment and paying for editing software, before calculating potential earnings.
What types of Instagram accounts are best suited to monetization?
There are several types of Instagram accounts that are well-suited to monetization, including:
Influencer accounts: Accounts with a large and engaged following in a specific niche or industry (such as fashion, beauty, travel, or fitness) can attract sponsored posts and partnerships from brands looking to reach that audience.
Business accounts: Companies and entrepreneurs can use Instagram to promote their products or services and drive sales through the platform. This can include e-commerce accounts, service-based businesses, or brick-and-mortar stores.
Creative accounts: Artists, photographers, and other creatives can use Instagram to showcase their work and attract paying clients or customers.
Niche accounts: Accounts that focus on a specific niche or interest, such as home decor, parenting, or food, can attract sponsored posts and affiliate marketing opportunities from brands that cater to that niche.
Please note that, regardless of the type of account, to be successful in monetizing your Instagram account, you need strong engagement, consistent posting, and clear branding, this way you can establish yourself as a reputable and trustworthy source for your niche.
How to Make Money with Only 1,000 Followers
Even with a relatively small following, it is possible to monetize an Instagram account and make money. Here are a few ways to do it:
Affiliate marketing: Share affiliate links for products you use and recommend, and earn a commission for any sales made through your link.
Sponsored posts: Reach out to small businesses in your niche and offer to create sponsored content for them.
Product sales: If you have a small business, you can use Instagram to promote and sell your products.
Services: Use Instagram to promote any services you offer, like photography, graphic design, or social media management.
Influencer marketing: Reach out to other Instagram accounts with a similar niche and offer to collaborate on sponsored posts or brand deals.
Shoutouts: Reach out to brands or other influencers and ask them to give you a shoutout, which is a post that promotes your account to their followers.
Always remember that even with a small following, you can still create engaging and valuable content, and by doing so, you can attract more followers, and more potential customers or brands. Additionally, it's crucial to be authentic and transparent with your followers and to disclose any sponsored posts or affiliate links in accordance with Instagram's guidelines.
How many followers do you need for Instagram to pay you?
There is no set number of followers that you need to have on Instagram in order to be paid by the platform. The amount you can earn through sponsored posts and other brand partnerships is determined by a variety of factors, including the size and engagement of your audience, the relevance of your content to the sponsoring brand, and the terms of the partnership agreement. Some influencers with as little as 10,000 followers have been able to secure sponsored partnerships, while others with millions of followers may not be as successful in monetizing their following.
Does Instagram pay per post?
Yes, Instagram pays influencers and content creators through sponsored posts. Sponsored posts are posts on Instagram that feature a product or service and are paid for by a brand. The influencer or content creator is typically compensated for creating and publishing the post, which includes a caption and one or more images or videos. The amount of money that a content creator can make per sponsored post varies widely, and depends on factors such as their follower count, engagement rate, and the terms of the partnership agreement.
How to make money on Instagram without followers?
There are several ways to make money on Instagram without a large following, including:
- Affiliate marketing: You can promote products or services and earn a commission for each sale made through your unique affiliate link.
- Influencer marketing on smaller niches: You can focus on a specific niche or micro-influencer, and reach out to brands that cater to that niche.
- Selling your own products: You can use Instagram to promote and sell your own products, such as digital products, e-books, or physical merchandise.
- Shout outs: You can offer shout outs to other Instagram accounts in exchange for money.
- Sponsored posts: You can still land sponsored post deals with a smaller following if you have a specific niche and a high engagement rate.
- Dropshipping: You can start a dropshipping business by using Instagram as a platform to promote and sell products.
It's worth noting that building a following can take time, but with the above options you can still monetize your account even with a small following.
Who is the highest-paid on Instagram?
As of 2023, the highest-paid person on Instagram is Cristiano Ronaldo, a professional soccer player. According to a report by Hopper HQ, a company that tracks social media influencer fees, Ronaldo earns an estimated $1.3 million per sponsored post on the platform. Other highest-paid people on Instagram are Kylie Jenner, Selena Gomez, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Kim Kardashian, Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr, Beyonce, and other celebrities, influencers, and personal brands with large followings and high engagement rates.
Keep in mind that these figures are estimates, and the actual amount earned by these celebrities and influencers through sponsored posts on Instagram may be higher or lower than the reported numbers. Additionally, these figures only take into account income from sponsored posts, and not from other monetization strategies such as merchandise sales or brand endorsements.
How to earn money from Instagram by uploading photos
There are several ways to earn money from Instagram by uploading photos, including:
- Sponsored posts: You can work with brands to create sponsored posts that feature their products or services. You will be compensated for creating and publishing the post.
- Affiliate marketing: You can include affiliate links in your Instagram captions or bio and earn a commission for each sale made through your unique affiliate link.
- Selling your own products: You can use Instagram to promote and sell your own products, such as digital products, e-books, or physical merchandise.
- Shout outs: You can offer shout outs to other Instagram accounts in exchange for money.
- Stock photography: You can upload your photos to stock photography websites and earn money every time one of your photos is downloaded or used.
- Print on Demand: You can use print-on-demand services such as redbubble, Society6, Teepublic, etc, to sell your photos on various products like mugs, t-shirts, tote bags, and more.
It's important to note that, in order to be successful in monetizing your Instagram account through these methods, you'll need to have a sizable and engaged following, as well as high-quality and visually appealing photos that align with your niche. Additionally, you should follow Instagram's policies and guidelines regarding monetization and sponsored content.
How to make money on Instagram without selling anything
There are several unique ways to make money on Instagram without selling anything, including:
- Creating a membership platform: you can use Instagram to promote a membership platform where users can access exclusive content, perks, or benefits.
- Virtual events: you can use Instagram to promote and host virtual events such as workshops, webinars, or online classes.
- Crowdfunding: You can use Instagram to promote a crowdfunding campaign and raise money for a cause or project.
- Offering services: You can use Instagram to promote and offer services such as freelance writing, graphic design, or photography.
- Become an affiliate marketer for a course or program: you can promote online courses or programs, and earn a commission for each sale made through your unique affiliate link.
- Instagram Challenge: You can create a challenge for your followers and offer a prize to the winner. You can monetize this by charging a small fee for participation.
- Instagram Quiz: You can create a quiz and offer a prize for the winner, brands can sponsor the quiz and pay you for it.
- Influencer marketing agency: you can use your experience and expertise to start an influencer marketing agency and help other brands and influencers to monetize their Instagram accounts.
Keep in mind, for all these options, you'll need to have a sizable and engaged following, as well as high-quality content and visually appealing photos that align with your niche, to be successful. Additionally, you should follow Instagram's policies and guidelines regarding monetization and sponsored content.
Now that we've covered some ways to make money on Instagram without selling anything, let's dive deeper into “7 Legit Ways To Earn Money From Instagram”.
These methods have been proven to be effective by many influencers and content creators and can help you monetize your Instagram account and turn your passion into a profitable business.
Whether you're just starting out on the platform or you've been building up your following for a while, there's something for everyone in this list of ways to earn money from Instagram.
7 Legit Ways To Earn Money From Instagram
Instagram has become one of the most popular social media platforms in the world, with over one billion monthly active users. It's not just a place to share photos and videos with friends and family, but also a powerful tool for building a personal brand, promoting a business, and making money. In this article, we'll explore 7 legit ways to earn money from Instagram.
Affiliate marketing
Affiliate marketing is a great way to earn money on Instagram by promoting products or services and earning a commission for each sale made through your unique affiliate link. It's a win-win situation for both the influencer and the brand, as the influencer earns money while helping the brand reach a wider audience. Here are a few tips on how to make money on Instagram through affiliate marketing:
- Choose the right products: It's important to choose products that align with your niche and will appeal to your followers. For example, if you're a fashion influencer, promoting clothing and accessory products will be more relevant to your audience than promoting technology products.
- Create quality content: To be successful with affiliate marketing on Instagram, you'll need to create high-quality content that showcases the products you're promoting. This could include product reviews, unboxing videos, or tutorials.
- Use affiliate links: To earn a commission for each sale made through your affiliate link, you'll need to include the link in your Instagram captions or bio. Some brands will also provide you with unique discount codes that you can share with your followers.
- Promote the products in a natural way: You want to make sure that your posts don't look too much like an advertisement, this could turn off your followers. Instead, you can use a natural way of promoting the products by showing them in use or giving your personal opinion.
- Use Instagram stories and IGTV: Instagram stories and IGTV are great ways to promote products and include affiliate links. You can create content such as “try on haul” videos, quick product reviews, or tutorials to showcase the products in a fun and engaging way.
- Monitor your progress: It's important to track your progress and see which products are performing well and which ones aren't. This will help you adjust your strategy and promote the products that are more likely to convert into sales.
- Follow Instagram's policies: Always make sure you're following Instagram's policies and guidelines regarding affiliate marketing and sponsored content. You don't want to risk your account being flagged or even banned for breaking the rules.
The next on my list is influencer marketing.
Influencer marketing
Influencer marketing is a powerful way to earn money on Instagram by working with brands to create sponsored content that promotes their products or services. Influencer marketing is a form of marketing in which focus is placed on influential people rather than the target market as a whole.
Here are a few tips on how to make money on Instagram through influencer marketing:
- Build your brand: To be successful with influencer marketing on Instagram, you'll need to have a strong personal brand and a sizable and engaged following. This means consistently creating high-quality content that aligns with your niche and resonates with your followers.
- Identify your niche: To be successful with influencer marketing, it's important to identify your niche and focus on it. Brands want to work with influencers who have a specific audience that they can reach.
- Optimize your profile: Make sure your Instagram profile is optimized for brands to easily identify your niche, reach and engagement. This includes a clear bio, a professional profile picture, and consistent branding.
- Collaborate with brands: Reach out to brands that align with your niche and offer to collaborate with them. Be prepared to provide them with a media kit that includes your follower count, engagement rate, and examples of your previous sponsored posts.
- Create quality sponsored content: When working with brands, it's important to create high-quality sponsored content that aligns with your personal brand and resonates with your followers. This could include product reviews, tutorials, or unboxing videos.
- Be transparent: Always disclose sponsored content as such in accordance with FTC guidelines and Instagram's policies.
- Measure your success: Keep track of your sponsored posts and measure their success. This will help you understand which brands and types of content resonate best with your audience, and allow you to negotiate better deals with brands in the future.
By following the above steps, you can effectively use influencer marketing to monetize your Instagram account and earn money by working with brands to promote their products or services. Remember, building a personal brand and a sizable and engaged following takes time and effort, but with the right strategy and persistence, you can turn your passion into a profitable business. Additionally, always follow Instagram's policies and guidelines regarding influencer marketing and sponsored content.
Selling your own products:
Selling your own products on Instagram can be a great way to monetize your account and turn your passion into a profitable business. By using Instagram to showcase your products and drive traffic to your website or e-commerce store, you can increase sales and earn money. Here are a few tips on how to make money on Instagram by selling your own products:
- Identify your niche: To be successful at selling your own products on Instagram, it's important to identify your niche and focus on it. This will help you create a targeted and engaged audience, which is more likely to be interested in your products.
- Create quality content: To showcase your products and drive sales, it's important to create high-quality content that aligns with your niche and resonates with your followers. This could include product photos, videos, or tutorials.
- Optimize your profile: Make sure your Instagram profile is optimized for potential customers to easily identify your niche and products. This includes a clear bio, a professional profile picture, and consistent branding.
- Use Instagram's shopping feature: Instagram has a shopping feature that allows you to tag products in your posts and stories, and link them directly to your website or e-commerce store. This makes it easy for your followers to purchase your products.
- Use Instagram stories and IGTV: Instagram stories and IGTV are great ways to showcase your products and create a sense of urgency. You can use these features to share new product releases, limited time offers, or behind-the-scenes footage of your products.
- Use Instagram ads: Instagram ads can be a great way to reach a wider audience and drive sales. By targeting specific demographics and interests, you can increase the chances of reaching potential customers.
- Measure your success: Keep track of your product posts and measure their success. This will help you understand which products are resonating well with your audience, and allow you to adjust your strategy accordingly.
Shout outs:
Shoutouts are a great way to earn money on Instagram by sharing a post from another account to your own followers. This can be a great way to reach a new audience and increase your own following. Here are a few tips on how to make money on Instagram through shoutouts:
- Build your following: To be successful with shoutouts on Instagram, you'll need to have a sizable and engaged following. This means consistently creating high-quality content that aligns with your niche and resonates with your followers.
- Identify your niche: To be successful with shoutouts on Instagram, it's important to identify your niche and focus on it. This will help you attract other accounts that align with your niche and are more likely to be interested in your shoutouts.
- Optimize your profile: Make sure your Instagram profile is optimized for brands and other accounts to easily identify your niche, reach and engagement. This includes a clear bio, a professional profile picture, and consistent branding.
- Reach out to other accounts: Reach out to other accounts that align with your niche and offer to do a shoutout for them. Be prepared to provide them with your follower count, engagement rate, and examples of previous shoutouts you've done.
- Create quality shoutout content: When doing shoutouts, it's important to create high-quality content that aligns with your personal brand and resonates with your followers. This could include a short video or a post with a caption promoting the other account.
- Be transparent: Always disclose shoutouts as such in accordance with FTC guidelines and Instagram's policies.
- Measure your success: Keep track of your shoutouts and measure their success. This will help you understand which accounts and types of content resonate best with your audience, and allow you to negotiate better deals with other accounts in the future.
Following these tips will allow you to effectively use shoutouts to monetize your Instagram account and earn money by promoting other accounts to your followers. Remember, building a personal brand and a sizable and engaged following takes time and effort, but with the right strategy and persistence, you can
Sponsored posts:
Sponsored posts are a popular way to earn money on Instagram by working with brands to create content that promotes their products or services. Influencers and content creators are typically compensated for creating and publishing the post, which includes a caption and one or more images or videos. Here are a few tips on how to make money on Instagram through sponsored posts:
- Build your following: To be successful with sponsored posts on Instagram, you'll need to have a sizable and engaged following. This means consistently creating high-quality content that aligns with your niche and resonates with your followers.
- Identify your niche: To be successful with sponsored posts on Instagram, it's important to identify your niche and focus on it. This will help you attract brands that align with your niche and are more likely to be interested in your sponsored posts.
- Optimize your profile: Make sure your Instagram profile is optimized for brands to easily identify your niche, reach and engagement. This includes a clear bio, a professional profile picture, and consistent branding.
- Reach out to brands: Reach out to brands that align with your niche and offer to collaborate with them. Be prepared to provide them with your follower count, engagement rate, and examples of previous sponsored posts you've done.
- Create quality sponsored content: When working with brands, it's important to create high-quality sponsored content that aligns with your personal brand and resonates with your followers. This could include product reviews, tutorials, or unboxing videos.
- Disclose sponsored content as such: It's important to disclose sponsored content as such in accordance with FTC guidelines and Instagram's policies, by clearly identifying it as sponsored content. This can be done by using hashtags such as #ad or #sponsored or adding a disclaimer in the caption or post.
- Measure your success: Keep track of your sponsored posts and measure their success. This will help you understand which brands and types of content resonate best with your audience, and allow you to negotiate better deals with brands in the future.
- Be selective: Not all sponsored post opportunities are a good fit, be selective and only work with brands that align with your niche and values.
- Be professional: When communicating with brands, always be professional and responsive, this will help you establish a good reputation and increase the chances of getting more sponsored post opportunities in the future.
- By following these tips, you can effectively use sponsored posts to monetize your Instagram account and earn money by working with brands to promote their products or services. Remember, building a personal brand and a sizable and engaged following takes time and effort, but with the right strategy and persistence, you can turn your passion into a profitable business. Additionally, always follow Instagram's policies and guidelines regarding influencer marketing and sponsored content
Drop shipping:
Drop shipping is a popular way to earn money on Instagram by selling products from a supplier or manufacturer, who ships the products directly to the customer. This allows you to sell a wide range of products without having to keep inventory or handle shipping and fulfillment yourself. Here are a few tips on how to make money on Instagram through drop shipping:
- Build your brand: To be successful with drop shipping on Instagram, you'll need to have a strong personal brand and a sizable and engaged following. This means consistently creating high-quality content that aligns with your niche and resonates with your followers.
- Identify your niche: To be successful with drop shipping on Instagram, it's important to identify your niche and focus on it. This will help you attract a targeted audience who is more likely to be interested in the products you're selling.
- Find a reliable supplier: Finding a reliable supplier is crucial for your drop shipping business. Look for suppliers that have a good reputation, offer a wide range of products, and have a good return and exchange policy.
- Optimize your profile: Make sure your Instagram profile is optimized for potential customers to easily identify your niche and products. This includes a clear bio, a professional profile picture, and consistent branding.
- Use Instagram's shopping feature: Instagram has a shopping feature that allows you to tag products in your posts and stories, and link them directly to your supplier's website or e-commerce store. This makes it easy for your followers to purchase the products you're promoting.
- Use Instagram stories and IGTV: Instagram stories and IGTV are great ways to showcase the products you're selling and create a sense of urgency. You can use these features to share new product releases, limited time offers, or product demonstrations.
- Use Instagram ads: Instagram ads can be a great way to reach a wider audience and drive sales. By targeting specific demographics and interests, you can increase the chances of reaching potential customers.
- Measure your success: Keep track of your product posts and measure their success. This will help you understand which products are resonating well with your audience, and allow you to adjust your strategy accordingly.
- Be transparent: Always disclose that you are doing dropshipping and that the products are being shipped by the supplier, this can help with customer support and return management.
Consulting:
Consulting is a great way to earn money on Instagram by leveraging your expertise and experience to help others. As an influencer, you have developed a large following and a certain level of expertise in your niche, which can be leveraged to offer consulting services to businesses or individuals. Here are a few tips on how to make money on Instagram through consulting:
- Build your brand: To be successful with consulting on Instagram, you'll need to have a strong personal brand and a sizable and engaged following. This means consistently creating high-quality content that aligns with your niche and resonates with your followers.
- Identify your niche: To be successful with consulting on Instagram, it's important to identify your niche and focus on it. This will help you attract clients who are looking for someone with your specific expertise.
- Optimize your profile: Make sure your Instagram profile is optimized for potential clients to easily identify your niche and expertise. This includes a clear bio, a professional profile picture, and consistent branding.
- Offer consulting services: Reach out to businesses or individuals that align with your niche and offer consulting services. Be prepared to provide them with your follower count, engagement rate, and examples of previous consulting work you've done.
- Create quality content: When offering consulting services, it's important to create high-quality content that aligns with your niche and showcases your expertise. This could include blog posts, videos, or tutorials.
- Be transparent: Clearly communicate your services, fees and terms of service to potential clients to avoid any confusion.
- Measure your success: Keep track of your consulting work and measure its success. This will help you understand which clients and types of consulting are resonating well with your audience, and allow you to adjust your strategy accordingly.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, Instagram can be a powerful platform for earning money if used correctly. Whether you're looking to monetize your account through sponsored posts, affiliate marketing, influencer marketing, selling your own products, consulting, shoutouts, or drop shipping, there are many different ways to earn money on the platform. The key to success is to build a strong personal brand, identify your niche, consistently create high-quality content, and stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices. By following these tips and strategies, you can turn your passion into a profitable business and take advantage of the many opportunities that Instagram has to offer. Remember to always follow Instagram's policies and guidelines, and keep in mind that it takes time, effort, and patience to build a sustainable income from the platform.