You may be wondering how you can make money on Instagram.
It’s not as easy as it seems but there are some ways to do so.
One way is by selling your own products and services, the other is through sponsored content where brands pay you for posts that advertise their product or service.
So if you’re looking for a new hobby or want to get paid while doing something fun, then this might be the perfect thing for you!
Table of Contents
- What is Instagram and how does it work
- How to get started on Instagram
- The best way to make money with Instagram
- Tips for getting followers on instagram
- Ways you can use your account to make money without being a celebrity or influencer
- How to find the best hashtags that will help you gain more followers and improve engagement
- Conclusion
What is Instagram and how does it work
Instagram is a social media app that lets you connect with your family and friends through photos and videos.
You can post pictures or videos and then add a caption or location data to it through the app.
It’s like Facebook where you can post statuses, only with visual media.
You can also follow people and brands on Instagram for constant updates of their content, and in return they will follow you too.
By following them it’s a great way to get inspired by what they post!
The app was created in October 2010 and since then has grown into something much bigger than anyone could possibly imagine.
Nowadays there are many celebrities that have an instagram account where they share photos or videos of themselves.
It can be anything from makeup tutorials, pictures with friends or family, events that they’ve been attending to just random funny things around the house or daily life.
Another use for the app is businesses who want to reach out to potential customers through their product.
Businesses are posting their products or services and then tagging the location of where they’re located.
This way anyone can search for a business in particular that’s near them and see what product they offer.
Plus if you like a brand and want to see more of their content, you have the ability to follow them through the app!
This is also great because brands can reach out to their customer base by asking questions, showing off new products or just simply posting pictures of what’s going on around the store.
So now that we know what it is and how it works, lets dive right into money making with instagram!
How to get started on Instagram
Now I’m sure you’re wondering how to get started.
There are many ways to do so, but the first thing you need is the app on your phone or tablet.
One way would be to find it in the app store by searching “instagram” or you can click here to get it for free from Apple or Android apps depending if you have an iPhone, iPad, Mac (from 2016) or android device.
Now that you’ve downloaded the app we can start earning!
Yet how?
You need a few things before doing so though.
First off let’s talk about owning an actual business account vs using a personal one.
You can’t really post sponsored content as easily with a personal account because customers won’t take you as serious and they don’t want to feel like they’re being “sold”.
So I recommend making a business account if you want to get into sponsored content.
You can also make a business page on Facebook and link that to your Instagram page since it’s the same company.
But I prefer doing so through instagram only because it keeps your brand completely separate from personal life but still makes everything organized in one area.
Set up your Business Account on Instagram
First download or create an Instagram account! (if you already have one skip this)
Now head over to the App Store or Google Play store depending what type of device you have and search “Instagram” then click “Get”.
After it downloads open the app, Click Sign Up and fill out all the information required.
Note: If you already have a Facebook account, you can link it to your Instagram account by going to “Link Accounts” > Click Link with Facebook so it will sync all of your info!
Now that you’re signed up we need to add some details about the business.
Do this by going on your profile page.
Now click on Edit Profile and scroll down until you see Business Info.
Once there fill out the sections as needed, click Save Changes and now your instagram is set up!
The best way to make money with Instagram
is to grow your followers and have people purchase from you.
So here’s the steps on how to do so!
Step 1: Build a foundation for your business
The first thing you need to do is make sure you have a solid foundation in place.
What I mean is you need to promote your account as much as possible through other social media platforms.
Step 2: Now that you’ve done so, start building your following.
I wish I could tell you the best way to do this, but there isn’t.
I’ve seen some people through sponsored content and people by interacting with their followers.
I’d recommend doing both so you can see which one works for you.
Step 3: Start making money!
Now that you’ve built your following, its time to start generating income from your Instagram account!
I like to do so by using sponsored content.
For example, if you’re a clothing store, you can get companies to pay you to promote their products in your pictures.
Earning you money of course!
You can also use Instagram like a social media manager and get a company to pay you a commission of the sale by posting their products.
It’s basically like being an affiliate for someone else! How cool is that!
Tips for getting followers on instagram
In a way, this is kind of like how you’d get likes on your photos.
By following these steps, your business account will start to grow and you can start making money!
#1: Interact with other users
There are a bunch of ways to do this, but the easiest is probably by commenting on other users’ pictures.
These people will then check out your page and if they see something they like, they’ll follow you!
#2: Use hashtags
Hashtags are basically keywords that are a “tag” for a certain topic so if someone searches it up.
They can find all of the posts that have that hashtag.
For example #makeup would be a makeup tag while #beauty would be more general.
I’d recommend doing both especially since you want to target as many search terms as possible!
Tips & Warnings
If you post 5 photos at once, make sure each one is similar/something different or else people won’t take notice and just skip over them!
Try getting different accounts to promote your page so you have a bigger base.
You can also use hashtags on Instragam, but its not as effective as it is on Facebook or Twitter.
You’ll find that the people who follow those tags aren’t always makeup bloggers and will be more casual than followers of other social media platforms!
So if you’re looking for specific types of followers only, then I’d recommend finding them through Instagram search (Search Makeup, Beauty, Fashion) while if you want random ones use hashtags!
#3: Do what makes sense for your business!
I’m in the makeup game so my posts are always makeup related.
I’m sure if you’re a clothing store your posts will be more about outfits and what not.
So think about your target audience and make a strategy!
When you have all of this in place, then all you need to do is watch your money roll in!
So there’s my follow-up on how to make money on instagram!
Hopefully this helped out anyone who was asking how to start an Instagram business!
If you’re looking for more social media tips & tricks, make sure to check out my other blog post here!
Ways you can use your account to make money without being a celebrity or influencer
#1: Get endorsements
Many people don’t know this, but brands are willing to pay a hefty sum for their items to be worn by someone famous.
There are several ways you can do this! Some people send their clothes to celebrities and ask them to wear it, others just post a picture of themselves with a product or use an item from the website, while other just do Instagram sponsored posts.
If you have a local business and want the entire city to know, your account can be seen by a lot of people when you get a celebrity endorsement.
#2: Sell your own make up!
If you have a knack for putting together killer looks, then selling your own products may be the way to go.
As long as it works with whatever brand you’re promoting, you can put it in a swag bag and people will love receiving free stuff!
#3: Get paid to promote products
Just like being an affiliate, there are companies that will pay you to post about their products on your page or blog (As seen here).
You don’t have to be a famous person just so they’ll do this! All they ask is that you have lots of followers so that their product will get spread around even further.
How to find the best hashtags that will help you gain more followers and improve engagement
#1: Search for different tags using Instagram search
There are a ton of different tags that people are using for each one on your niche.
To find them all, do a search and then look at the most popular ones!
#2: Look for tags used by people in your niche
If you really want to go deep into it, then post on questions that are related to your products or services and see what other have answered.
You can even comment on their answers too!
#3: Make sure its easy for people to use!
I’d recommend using short hashtags (under 10 characters) so it’s easier for people who are looking through their feed to skim through them quick instead of having to read a whole word!
How To Make Your Content Standout From The Crowds On Social Media So Its Seen By More People And Gets Shared More Often
Conclusion
The best way to make money with Instagram is to leverage the power of influencers and celebrity accounts.
If you’re not a celebrity or influencer, there are still plenty of ways to make money on Instagram without having millions of followers!
You can find great hashtags that will help increase engagement and follower count by doing some research and trying out new things.
Have you tried any creative ideas for making money online? Let us know in the comments below!