The power of social media increases every day, so much so that millions of individuals now utilise it as another income stream. How to monetise Instagram is a question we get asked a lot, and rightly so. The platform has over one billion active monthly users, meaning that almost 13% of humanity check their profile on a regular basis. With numbers like that, it’s no surprise that more and more people are looking at ways to monetise Instagram, and we’re here to help.
Be consistent
It sounds obvious, but consistency is key. You might think the first thing a brand is looking for is your follower number, but you’d be mistaken. Brands care more about engagement and how interested your audience is in your content. Follower numbers become futile if the followers aren’t engaged. We recommend posting regularly on the grid and utilising stories as much as possible. Stories in particular are the best tool for you to remain directly in front of your followers.
Play into the algorithm’s hands
Another question we get asked is ‘what is the Instagram algorithm?’. In short, it’s a set of rules which Meta uses to rank content on the platform. It decides what shows up on the feed and when – two key factors for those looking to monetise. The algorithm looks at metadata, hashtags and engagement to distribute your content to those who would want to see it. So, in order to get what you want out of the algorithm you need to BE RELEVANT. Know your followers and their interests, you can then create the perfect content and let Instagram do the rest.
Become an affiliate
In 2021 Instagram launched its affiliate marketing programme, which drastically increased the amount of monetisation opportunities that are available to creators. Meta actually introduced this at the same time it allowed everyone to post links to their stories. The affiliate tool allows individuals to work with brands and earn a commission for the purchases which come from their followers. Not only is this a win-win for both creator and brand, it’s also a great way to get in front of the brands you’re most keen to work with.
Know who you want to work with
When looking to monetise from Instagram it can be easy to fall into the trap of wanting to work with everyone, however, this isn’t a good look. We highly recommend knowing which brands you want to work with. Make sure they reflect your content and your personality. Having a brand which mirrors your own values and that of your followers will mean you’ll be much more successful with the content you post. Do your due-diligence, because if you don’t, believe us, your followers will!
The tools are there, use them to monetise Instagram
Remember the saying, ‘a workman is only ever as good as his tools’? Well, the great thing about Meta is that they give you a whole lot of tools. Meta wants you to do well out of Instagram as it reflects well on them (and helps grow users of course). As such, they give you everything you need to go and make it happen. We highly recommend maximising the use of the Instagram Dashboard, it’s full of tips, tricks and guidance to give you a helping hand.
Be patient and do the hard yards
The perfect tip to end on. Monetising Instagram isn’t going to be easy, if it was, everyone would do it. For those starting from scratch it can be a long and stressful process, but it’s important you put in the hard yards. By hard yards we basically mean nurturing your content. Don’t just see Instagram as a platform in which you post, Instagram is for connecting with other people so use it to the best of its ability.
