How to make money on Instagram in 2024
With over one billion active monthly users, Instagram is one of the world’s most popular social media platforms. A massive user base and engaged audience means more and more people are turning to Instagram as a source of income.
Whether you're looking for a side hustle or want to make it your full-time job, there are plenty of ways to make money on this platform. From influencer marketing to selling products through sponsorships, this guide will help you get started with monetizing your account.
If you want to learn how to make money on Instagram, these six tips should help get you started.
Summary/Overview
1. Join affiliate programs
Affiliate programs are marketing arrangements where retailers pay commissions to external partners – the affiliates – to generate sales or website traffic.
In short, online platforms allow marketers to generate custom links that can be shared with their followers. When someone clicks the link and makes a purchase, the marketer receives a commission for the sale. Affiliate social media marketing is an effective way to earn money because it allows Instagram influencers to promote recommended products and earn a passive income from their custom links.
To get started, switch your Instagram account to a creator account, which will give you access to the Instagram Shopping feature – this allows you to connect your account with affiliate programs. This will enable you to link to products on other websites in exchange for a commission when someone purchases something after clicking through one of your posts.
Many larger companies and popular brands have their own individualized programs you can join and start promoting immediately. Influencers can also join affiliate networks explicitly designed for this purpose. Some popular affiliate programs include:
- Amazon Associates
- eBay Partner Network
- CJ Affiliate by Conversant (formerly Commission Junction)
- Rakuten Marketing
- ShareASale
- Clickbank
- Shopify Affiliates Program
Alternatively, you can reach out directly to companies and brands in your industry that have affiliate programs. Additionally, micro-influencers should consider looking for small businesses in your area that could use some exposure on Instagram. Not only will this be a great way to make money online, but it also allows you to support local businesses and help your community.
You should always focus on creating quality content and engaging with your Instagram followers, which will drive traffic and sales. It’s also important to note that affiliate links should never be your primary focus. Instead, they should be used as a supplemental source of income.
When monetizing your Instagram page, it is essential to carefully consider the brands and products you are promoting. Not only should they be relevant and of high quality, but they should also align with your values and message. After all, your audience will likely be able to tell whether you genuinely believe in the product.
2. Collaborate with brands
Making money from sponsored posts is another great way for influencers to monetize their Instagram presence. By working with brands and companies to create content that features their products or services, you can get paid to promote their business on your account.
Before collaborating with brands, you must have a strong, engaged following and your own brand identity. Brands look for influencers whose content aligns with their products, so your Instagram account must have a defined niche and target audience.
Additionally, brands are looking for high-quality, visually appealing content. When creating an Instagram post that will be paid for, it’s crucial to ensure it is eye-catching and informative. Use high-quality images, interesting captions, and relevant hashtags to entice people to click through.
When you are ready, start reaching out to brands you genuinely love and want to promote. Consider creating a media kit highlighting essential information about your Instagram account, such as engagement rates, audience demographics, and past collaborations.
Additionally, take the time to research the brand and its products before creating content for them. Understanding what kind of content will resonate with both your and the brand’s target audience will help you make an effective paid partnership that is more likely to drive conversions.
Once you secure a brand collaboration, deliver on your promise. Create content that exceeds the brand’s expectations. Consider offering multiple formats for branded content – from static posts to Instagram reels and stories. And when you finally decide to share your sponsored posts on your account, clearly disclose to your audience that it is sponsored content.
Remember, authenticity is key when it comes to brand collaborations and sponsored content – choose brands that align with your values and resonate with your audience. As you build your Instagram account, strive to develop and keep long-term relationships with brands. Hopefully, one day, brands will start approaching you for brand collaborations.
3. Sell your own merch
Consider selling your own merchandise on Instagram to make some money. If you have developed a strong brand on Instagram or feel you have something unique to offer, consider setting up an online store.
Think about the types of products you want to sell. Some examples of physical products include:
- Clothing and apparel: T-shirts, hoodies, hats, or other items with unique designs on your brand’s logo.
- Jewelry and accessories: Earrings, sunglasses, handbags, or other fashion accessories.
- Home decor: Wall art, candles, pillows, or other unique home accessories.
- Artwork and photography: Original artwork, limited edition prints, or other forms of visual art.
- Beauty and wellness products: Bath bombs, cosmetics, skincare items, and self-care kits.
- Handmade goods: One-of-a-kind handcrafted items or vintage finds.
- Customized products: Personalized items like custom-made jewelry or embroidered hoodies.
Once you know what you want to sell, create the product and set up an online store using an e-commerce website, like Shopify or Etsy. Then, integrate your online store with Instagram Shopping. Consider promoting your products across your social media channels and offering incentives or promo codes to your followers.
Create an Instagram Shop
First you must create an Instagram business account to qualify for an Instagram shop. This is done through the Settings menu on the app or website, where users can choose to switch their account type from “personal” to “business.”
Once this is done, users can set up their shop in Commerce Manager or get started directly in the Instagram app. Users will first have to select a checkout method and then can add products directly to their shop.
Here are some things to consider when setting up your Instagram shop:
- Product images are essential for grabbing the attention of potential customers. Product images should be a minimum of 500x500 pixels – consider including multiple angles of the product to showcase its features to prospective shoppers.
- Product descriptions should be easy to read and understand while providing potential customers with the information they need to make an informed purchase. Well-crafted product descriptions that include relevant keywords also help increase visibility and search engine rankings through search engine optimization (SEO) best practices.
- Product pricing should reflect the quality of your products and what customers can expect from them. It’s important to remember that Instagram takes a percentage of all sales made through its platform, so set your prices accordingly.
- Using hashtags to facilitate shopping categories is an effective method for businesses to promote their products and services and increase visibility among potential customers. By tagging posts with relevant keywords, entrepreneurs can ensure their content is seen by the right people more easily. This also helps to create a cohesive and organized shopping experience for Instagram users who can easily browse through categories to find the items they’re looking for.
Once users feel their Instagram shop is complete, they must submit it to Instagram for review and voila!
Create shoppable posts
Creating shoppable posts on Instagram can be quite lucrative if done right – product tags on posts allow creators to showcase and sell their products directly to their audience. Users can then make purchases without leaving the Instagram app, streamlining the buying process.
In short, Instagram allows creators to make product tags that they can display within their posts or reels. Users can then tap on a tagged product within a shoppable post to make a purchase. Shoppable posts are a great way to increase discoverability and display detailed product information in a user-friendly and streamlined way.
To create a shoppable post, simply create a new post on Instagram as you typically would and tap the “Tag Products” option. Select the products you want to promote from your Instagram Shop’s catalog and post. To create shoppable reels, follow an almost identical process.
4. Launch a paid course
Teaching via Instagram has become an increasingly popular way for people to share their knowledge and expertise with a larger audience. With the help of this social media platform, educators can quickly and easily reach a global audience of learners.
Launching a paid online course is one of the best ways to take advantage of these platform features. This strategy allows educators to create valuable content their followers can purchase and access whenever needed. Plus, teachers can promote their courses on Instagram to find new students.
Examples of possible paid courses include:
- Photography
- Instagram marketing strategies
- Social media content creation
- Business administration and management
- Digital design and animation
- Web development and programming
- Life coaching and mentoring
- Event planning and coordination
- Personal branding and networking
- Lifestyle blogging and podcasting
To ensure people know about your course, consider creating a landing page on your website or blog where users can learn more about the course and sign up. Link this back to your Instagram account and promote it in your bio to make it easy for people to find out more information and see what other courses you have available.
Promoting your course in posts and across channels is a great way to reach a wide audience and increase your engagement rate. On Instagram, you can create posts featuring informative graphics, images of the course content, or even videos explaining important concepts. Additionally, use hashtags to target relevant keywords and boost visibility.
Private consulting and coaching services
If you have special knowledge or skills and prefer 1-on-1 interactions, consider offering private consulting and coaching services to people who need help. You can explain your expertise and experience on Instagram by posting stories, pictures, or videos. Use hashtags so the right people will see your posts and be interested in hiring you for your services.
Examples of potential consulting and coaching services include:
- Business strategy and development
- Digital marketing strategies
- Social media management
- Public relations consulting
- Financial planning and investment advice
- Business coaching and mentorship
- Graphic design services
- Web design and development services
- Content marketing consultation
- SEO optimization and analytics consultancy
Offering a free consultation is an excellent way for influencers to showcase their expertise and services while gaining potential clients’ trust. Offering customers the chance to gain an introduction to what you have to offer without any financial commitment can often be the best way for entrepreneurs to build relationships with prospective customers.
Although it is necessary to showcase the types of services that you offer and how they are beneficial, it’s also essential to avoid overselling yourself. You don't want to come across as overly pushy or sales-oriented, which can be a turnoff for many potential customers. Instead, focus on providing helpful nformation about your skill set and experience that will entice customers to book an appointment with you.
5. Enable Live Badges
Instagram Live Badges is a feature that users can enable when livestreaming – the idea here is that viewers can purchase badges to show support for their favorite creators during a livestream. Additionally, when a viewer purchases a Live Badge, their profile picture will become highlighted in the comments section of the livestream.
To enable Live Badges, start a live video on Instagram by swiping right on your home screen and choosing the “Live” option at the bottom of the screen. Before starting your live stream, locate the Live Badges icon on the left side of the screen. If prompted, set prices for various badge tiers – this allows viewers to purchase various badges to showcase different levels of support.
Influencers must be 18+, have 10k+ followers, and comply with all relevant policies and guidelines to be eligible for Badges. Users can set up a direct deposit from the live stream to a bank or PayPal account.
When you launch a stream with Badges, let viewers know that Badges are enabled and thank any supporters with shoutouts.
6. Start an Instagram subscription
Instagram subscription is a feature where users pay a monthly fee to an Instagram account to access exclusive content. This is a great way for content creators and influencers to earn recurring monthly passive income.
Subscribers get access to:
- Subscriber badges: A special purple badge that appears in comments and DMs next to their username.
- Subscriber lives, stories, and chats: Exclusive content only available to subscribers. Creators can also create exclusive chats with up to 30 subscribers at once.
- Exclusive posts and reels: Permanent content that only subscribers have access to.
- Subscriber Home: A separate homebase for all exclusive subscriber content.
As an influencer with a subscription option, you also get access to subscriber promotions where you can turn on offers designed to help you grow and keep subscribers. For example, you can offer a 50% discount to your next five subscribers or a free month when subscribers try to cancel.
Strategically utilizing an Instagram account is an effective way for entrepreneurs to make money. By engaging your followers and building trust, you can create a loyal audience of people interested in what you have to offer. So now that you know how to make money on Instagram (and with some hard work and dedication), your Instagram account could become a great source of income.
This post was updated on January 26, 2024.