In 2024, how to monetize Instagram? It doesn’t matter if you’re new to Instagram or you’ve been using it for a while, there are many ways to earn some cash from your pictures and videos. You don’t need tons of followers; what you need are good ideas and a little creativity. We’ll talk about different ways to make money, like selling stuff, working with brands, and using special features on Instagram that help you earn.
Let’s explore how you can make your Instagram bring in some money this year.
How to Monetize on Instagram
1. Create Sponsored Content
Working with brands to make paid or ‘branded’ posts is a good way to make money on Instagram and it’s very popular too. This is also called ‘influencer marketing.’ With this method, you help advertise a brand’s product, service, or campaign and you might get free stuff too.
To do this, pick partners that fit with what you’re about and what your followers like. When you post on Instagram (like showing how to use something, running giveaways, or opening products), always say if it’s a paid post to keep your followers’ trust.
Instagram wants you to say when posts are paid, and you can do this in a few ways:
- Use the ‘Paid Partnership with’ tag on your posts
- Use #sponsored or #ad hashtags
- Say in the caption that your post is an ad
Before you say yes to working with a brand, talk about how much they’ll pay you. This depends on how many people follow you and how much they like and comment on your posts (it’s best if more than 2.5% of your followers do this). You might get $100 for a post if you have 10,000 followers or even more than $10,000 for a post if you have 1 million followers.
It’s really important to make sure the stuff you post fits well with what the brand wants and shows off what’s special about you. This helps make sure that when you get paid to share something on Instagram, it’s something your followers and the brand will both like.
Not sure how to begin? Look at what you need to do to join the Instagram Creator Marketplace. It’s a place where you can find brands to work with or let brands find you.
2. Join an Affiliate Program
You can earn money on Instagram by joining programs that pay you for promoting products that match what you post and what your followers are into. Starting is simple, just:
- Sign up with a brand you like to be their promoter.
- Use their special link or code when you make a post.
- Make a little money every time someone buys something because of your post.
How much money you get from this depends on the topics you talk about, the products you promote, their prices, and how much the brands earn from what’s sold. But generally, you can earn about 5% to 25% from each thing sold through your link or code.
When you use special links to promote products on Instagram, always tell your followers it’s an affiliate link. This helps them know you’re partnering with certain brands. Make your posts interesting so people want to click on these links. Whether you’re talking about travel gear or beauty products, using these links can help you earn money for every sale made through them.
To find companies that let you promote their products this way, you can start with Amazon’s program or look for other good-paying ones. If you want to promote a brand you like, search the brand’s name and “become an affiliate” online to find out if they have a program you can join.
3. Sell Online Courses
If you create courses – like teaching or coaching – you can use Instagram to sell them. Post about your courses, share stories, and give little previews or lessons.
Talk to your followers through live Q&A sessions to get them interested. You can also make short fun videos that show what your course is about, which can attract more people.
The trick to doing well is to give your Instagram followers what they need. First, let them access one of your courses for free. As you get more followers and add more courses, encourage them to buy the ones that cost money.
Making a group of people interested in your courses shows you’re good at what you teach. This makes more people notice you and can help you earn more money.
4. Offer Paid Subscriptions
Earn money on Instagram by sharing special stuff only for people who pay. This could be secret behind-the-scenes looks, how-to guides, or special hellos. You can do this right on Instagram or send people somewhere else to pay.
For example, if you’re an artist, you can show videos of making art just for those who pay every month. If you’re into fitness, you can share special workout videos. Or as a life coach, you can create a members-only group.
This makes your followers feel special like they’re in an exclusive club. As time goes on, even more people will want to join, no matter the cost, which could be from a little to a lot.
To start getting paid on Instagram, you need to set it up once you:
- Have at least 10,000 followers
- Use an Instagram account for Creators or Businesses
- Stick to Instagram’s rules for making money and being nice
- Be at least 18 years old
- Agree to Instagram’s payment rules
You’ll see an option to start this in your account settings when you’re ready.
5. Enable Instagram Shop
Creating an Instagram Shop lets you sell your products or business right on Instagram. Since more people are buying things online, and it’s expected to get even bigger, now is a good time to start your shop, especially if your potential buyers are already using Instagram.
To get started, you need to follow Instagram’s rules for sellers. Then, use special tags in your photos that link to your products. Remember to post clear and interesting photos and write captions that catch people’s attention to advertise your items.
You can also sell things through Instagram Stories, making shopping more fun and interactive. Keep adding new items to your shop and use Instagram’s tools to see what your followers like. Making your shop engaging will help you sell more.
6. Set up Your E-commerce Store
Start selling directly by opening your online store on Instagram. This method is cool because you can show off and sell stuff like designs, photos, PDFs, music, and more, as well as physical things. Then, you can send your followers to another site to pay for these items.
If you have an online store, you can link it to your Instagram with Linktree. This tool lets you put a special link in your Instagram bio. When people click on it, they can go to a page you set up with links to important pages you want them to see.
By adding a link to your products in your Instagram bio, you can make your Instagram look like an online shop. This way, you can show off and sell your products or merchandise to more people. It’s best if your followers can buy things from you easily, without having to do a lot. So, making it easy for them to shop directly from their feed is very important.
7. Create Video Ad Placements
Earn money on Instagram by putting ads in your videos. Videos are viral on Instagram now, and companies want to use them to show what they sell or do.
You can team up with brands to make videos that fit your Instagram and have ads in them. If your ads look like the rest of your posts, your followers will still like them, and you’ll get paid for these ads.
You can make money from 4 kinds of Instagram videos:
- Instagram Reels: short clips where you can teach something quick or show products.
- Instagram Stories: quick 60-second videos to share stuff or promote things.
- Instagram Live: live videos where you chat with your followers right then.
- Long-form video: longer videos for teaching, sharing past events, or reviewing things.
Companies might ask you to show their products in your videos, and you can earn money depending on how many people watch them. You get paid for every thousand views, so the more people watch, the more money you make.
To get companies to work with you, it’s good to reach out with a plan showing how they can make gains by partnering with you.
8. Go Live to Earn Badges
Talking to your followers on Instagram live videos can help you make more money. Instagram lets people buy badges while watching your live videos to support you, just like TikTok lets fans tip creators.
Fans can buy badges that cost a little bit of money ($0.99, $1.99, and $4.99), giving you a quick way to earn money while you’re streaming live.
When you do cool and fun live shows on Instagram, you entertain your followers and can also earn money if they buy badges. This makes you and your followers feel closer and more connected.
This way to make money, with badges, is for everyone in the US. But in places like the UK, Japan, Brazil, Mexico, and Germany, you need a special invite to start. Also, you need at least 10,000 followers to begin earning from badges.
9. Become a Brand Ambassador
Being a brand ambassador means you’ll make posts for companies, but it’s not the same as being an affiliate. You get into a special kind of teamwork with the brand that helps both of you.
As a brand ambassador, you choose to work with brands and products you like and share good things about them with your followers.
You might promote a few brands at the same time, but you’ll only talk about products you use a lot and plan to keep talking about them, not just once.
Having a good and honest relationship with these brands can help you make money regularly and keep your followers believing in you. Over time, your followers will start to link you with the brand, like how people think of Nike when they see Michael Jordan.
Final Thoughts
Making money on Instagram in 2024 means being clever and thinking outside the box. It’s not just about the number of followers, but how much they interact with what you post. Try different ways to make money, like selling things, teaming up with brands, and using Instagram’s special money-making features.
Always think about what your followers like and stay true to yourself. If you keep up with new tools and rules on Instagram and follow these tips, you can make your Instagram bring in money this year.
Just be patient, be real, and see how your hard work starts to pay off!
Instagram monetization FAQs
How many followers do I need to monetize my Instagram?
You don’t need a huge number of followers to make money on Instagram. A report from HypeAuditor says you can make up to $1,400 a month even if you only have 1,000 followers.
How do you qualify for monetization on Instagram?
To use Instagram’s money-making options like Subscriptions and Badges, you should be 18 or older, stick to Instagram’s guidelines, and have a professional or business account with at least 10,000 followers.
What should you not do when trying to make money on Instagram?
Making money on Instagram can be tricky, and it’s easy to slip up. One big mistake is not valuing real interaction with your followers. Having a smaller group of active followers can bring in more money than a huge number of followers who don’t engage. Also, don’t rely on just one way to make money; having different ways to earn—like your own membership offers or paid posts—helps keep things steady even when Instagram changes its rules.