How the heck do people actually make money off of Instagram?

This is a question that we get EVERY SINGLE DAY. So, let’s clear the air once and for all! Before we begin, let’s clarify something: the amount of money you can make on Instagram depends MORE on your skills as a business person than on your follower count or engagement rate. There are plenty of influencers who have 10k followers and are making MORE money than those with 200k! We know this because many of them are our clients!! So, how do they do it?

Here are seven ways to make money on Instagram: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

1. Paid Brand Collaborations

This is when a brand pays you to post about their product or service. One post can cost anywhere from $50-$5,000. These deals are great, but they don’t just slide into your DMs. The best way to land a paid brand collab is to go out and pitch yourself to the brands you want to work with!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

2. Digital Products

You know that eBook or online course that your favorite blogger is always talking about? That is pure PASSIVE INCOME! Instead of using their influence to drive sales to someone else’s site (for a negligible commission), they have created their own product and are directly driving sales to it. Digital products allow you to easily scale your clientele with minimal overhead costs and maintenance.

3. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is when influencers post about a product or service using a special link or promo code. Then, every time someone buys something using that link/code, the influencer receives a small commission (usually between 1-20%).

4. Photography

As an influencer, your primary job is to create content. Some of the best photographers of our time are influencers. So why not put a price tag on your photos! This is another form of passive income that can easily and quickly be scaled up.

5. Events

There are two ways to make money at events. 1) Capture the event and promote it to your own audience. 2) Create custom content of an event (photos, videos, etc.) for the brand to use on their own social media.

6. Brand Ambassadors

Take paid collaborations one step further, and get yourself on a monthly retainer with a brand. As a brand ambassador, your job is to represent the business and build brand awareness that converts to sales. If you’re looking to become a brand ambassador, it’s best to work with companies that fit your niche and truly align with your values.

7. Business

If a business has an active Instagram account, there is absolutely no reason why it can’t take advantage of all of these monetization techniques while ALSO driving traffic and sales to their business. Talk about a double whammy! Need an example? Check out AMR Digital Marketing’s Instagram!

Are you ready to start making money on Instagram? Give it a try today. You have nothing to lose and only money to gain! If you need help, reach out to us, this is what we specialize in! 

Written By: Leah Ross, AMR Digital Marketing, Copywriter