Thinking of how to make money on Instagram? Making money on Instagram, is easier than you think. I’m going to tell you how in this article plus a couple extra that are not so obvious!
We will talk about these strategies a lot in my posts and videos, but we’ve never really broken them down into step-by-step tutorial forms. So here we go!
How to Make Money on Instagram
1. Sell Sponsored Posts on Instagram
This is probably one of the most effective ways to make money on Instagram. Many brands want to reach your audience and yours may want access to theirs. If you have an engaged following, then partnering with companies to promote their products can be successful for both parties involved. To get started simply send over some of the photos or videos that reflect what your account represents (i.e., lifestyle, fashion, travel, etc.). If they like what they see and want to work together on a post, then you are good to go. It’s that easy.
2. Participate in Instagram Takeovers
One of my favorite things about having a blog is getting the opportunity for influencers who share similar interests as me (fashion, lifestyle, beauty) to take over my Instagram one day per week. Not only does this give me exposure to new audiences but it also gives them some much-needed coverage! These posts will often include at least one link back to their site or social media accounts for you to follow along from there. However, be sure not to spam your audience with too many affiliate links because it can get irritating for them and cause them to unfollow you.
3. Create Your Own Brand or Collaboration
We have seen someone drive a Lamborghini down the street before but never in my life would I have thought that it would be used for an Instagram photo shoot. Well, actually it was…and the guy behind the wheel was Jeremiah Johnson of @highriselvn (right). His brand is focused on handmade menswear and has taken Miami by storm (pun intended). Jeremiah is another one of those social media influencers who can post anything he wants wherever he pleases and create demand as a result.
However, when you are more discreet about your business ventures they can often get overlooked like these sunglasses from JoyRideLA. This account focuses on travel, fashion, and lifestyle. If you have an active Instagram account that falls into one of these categories, then they may be interested in collaborating with you on a post that would include their products!
4. Sell Your Photos As Stock Images
Another way to make money on Instagram is by selling your own photos. You are probably thinking “how can I sell something that is free?” A lot of social media influencers including myself have been selling stock images for years now! It all started when Shorpy, a historical photo blog with over 1 million followers on Facebook, decided to take their immense (and beautiful) archive of vintage photographs and put them up for sale. Nowadays there are countless online marketplaces where you can share your photos and make money from them whenever they’re purchased. One great platform to check out is Stocksy United.
5. Offer a Services Page on Your Site
We have seen this method work wonders for certain niche Instagram accounts. Take, for example, @scottsdaletreasures which is focused on selling high-end collectibles from all over the world (left). They were able to turn their large following into revenue by setting up an eCommerce page on their site where followers can purchase items directly from them! Not only does this save you time in replying to messages but it also allows them to spend more time posting about what they love most rather than managing orders and shipping out products.
6. Sell Your Own Merchandise
If you are like me (who loves creating branded merchandise), then this may be a great way for you to make some extra cash. People are always looking for new ways to show off their love for a certain brand, person, or idea so if it is something that resonates with them then they will probably be willing to pay a premium price.
7. Advertise Another Business On Your Account
If you already own another website or business then this can be a great way for you to make money (without having to create a product of your own). Since you already have an established audience, it will be relatively easy for you to get them to come over and check out what you are promoting.!
8. Teach Music Production Online
This way of how to make money on Instagram may not come as much of a surprise but there is actually quite a large market for online courses on how to produce music. From software tutorials like Ableton Live, Logic Pro X, or FL Studio …to more advanced topics like…
9. Submit Your Content To Niche Blogs
Social media marketing is all about reaching the right audience with the right message at the right time so why not take it a step further by partnering with niche blogs that are relevant to your music? This was actually one of my favorite ways to use Instagram and I ended up generating over $1,000 from only four different websites! Some of these would pay me as little as $5 for an article while others paid as much as $500! As long as you continue to produce valuable content and find reputable blogs or publications then you are sure to turn this into a full-time revenue stream.