How to Earn Money with Instagram: The Ultimate Guide

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Do you love posting pictures and videos on Instagram? Why not make money out of it? It’s really simple to earn money by posting stuff on Instagram. In this article, we will show you how to make money on Instagram with your photos and videos. We’ll also give you some tips on how to get started. So whether you’re a beginner or an experienced Instagrammer, read on for all the information you need to start making money!

Instagram is a great platform for people of every age. People have different interests on Instagram. You can post images and videos on every topic to make money on Instagram. There are many ways to make money from Instagram. But in this article, we will show you the most popular and easy way to earn money from Instagram.

instagram shop

Instagram has become one of the most used social media channels, with millions of users posting, liking, commenting, or sharing images on a daily basis. The story function in particular is one of the most popular functions on Instagram, with which users share short impressions of their everyday life with friends and thus often present themselves to the public.

Many also use the social network as a source of income and earn good money with their posts on the platform. Have you been dealing with this topic for a long time and wondering whether you too can make money with Instagram? Then in this article, we will explain to you how it can succeed, which requirements you have to fulfill and which strategies make the most sense.

The potential of Instagram

In recent years, Instagram has developed into one of the most lucrative social media channels for influencers worldwide. Because about one billion users use the platform monthly and about 500 million even daily. This makes Instagram one of the most popular networks and, like Facebook, Twitter and Co. enable users to network around the world. In the meantime, numerous users have developed into successful influencers and earned a lot of money via Instagram. So much that some of them can even more than live well. The topics of the influencers are fundamentally different, as there are different target groups for them. From travel, beauty, and lifestyle to sports and fitness to niche content such as art or gardening, everything is represented. There is not just one way to make money with Instagram. Of course, the first thing you think of is cooperation, but that’s just the most classic way.

Content is still the be-all and end-all if you want to earn money with Instagram. But what exactly this content should look like and how often it should be posted, we will show you in more detail later. But one thing is certain: Only with interesting, exciting, or even funnier content will you reach a larger audience that is also willing to follow you. Because that’s what it’s all about in the end: getting as many followers as possible, because only then can you earn money with Instagram at all.

Requirements to make money from Instagram

In order for you to be able to use these opportunities as a source of income, however, you have to meet a few requirements. You can implement some of these requirements relatively quickly, others less so. We list the basic requirements so that you can see at a glance whether you might already meet them.

ACTIVITY

In order for you to be interesting for many Instagram users, you have to produce and publish high-quality content on a regular basis. If your account is inactive and nothing happens, you will hardly be able to generate any attention. How much content is the right amount often varies? Some post several times a day, some at longer intervals. Here it is important to find a middle ground so that you do not spam your followers, but convince them with good content every now and then. You also have to be interactive and address your followers personally. This also shows whether you are passionate about your posts and whether you enjoy them. It is, therefore, necessary to prove a certain authenticity and thus build a community.

REACH AND FOLLOWERS

The second requirement is somewhat more difficult to implement. Because you have to have a certain reach to make money with Instagram. The simple equation applies here: The more followers, the more reach, the more likely it is to make more money. But how many followers do you need to have? Depending on the niche you serve, you need to be able to present a different number. In general, however, you should already be followed by a four-digit or, depending on the case, five-digit number of users. If you are not yet able to show this following, you should take your time and build up your profile with high-quality content at regular intervals and with a lot of patience. Because before that, it will hardly work to make money from Instagram.

instagram followers

TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT

In order for your profile to look attractive, you should attach great importance to the quality of the photos. Whether you simply take pictures with a good smartphone camera or even a professional camera is up to you. It is important that the images look high quality and that you have an eye for a consistent design. Because the first time you look at your account, there should be a common thread running through your feed that reflects your topic in a typical and authentic way.

Make money with Instagram: These strategies work

If you now meet all the requirements, you can think about how you could make money on Instagram. As already mentioned, there is not only one possibility here. Depending on the topic or reach, there are different sources of income for you, which we would now like to present to you.

COOPERATIONS

The most well-known way to earn money with Instagram is the classic cooperations. This means that you offer your profile as advertising space and get paid for brand-related posts. For example, you can present a certain product of a company in a post or you can create content for the Instagram presence of this company. Micro-influencers in particular are becoming more and more interesting for companies because they authentically present their products to a small but suitable target group. You are already a micro-influencer with just a few thousand followers.

AFFILIATE MARKETING

Affiliate marketing via Instagram offers a second important source of income. Basically, this means that you can also introduce your followers to a product or service and convince them to buy it. If you make a purchase, you will receive a commission payment. This is usually done via links so that the customer can go directly to your partner’s product and pay. On Instagram, however, the integration of links is difficult because the platform does not allow you to insert clickable links. So, with the exception of one link in the bio, it’s difficult to just put URLs in the post here. Therefore, use short links that the user can easily remember or copy and then paste into the web browser. Another possibility would be to link a landing page with the affiliate link via your link in the bio so that the followers can also go to the desired website with the product via your bio.

However, once you hit the 10,000 followers mark, Instagram allows you to swipe up the story button so you can easily paste a link there. The user then swipes up in your story and comes directly to the partner’s website for the product. Unlocking this feature not only makes it easier and more convenient for you but more importantly, for your followers. This means you are more likely to get your commission.

SALE OF OWN PRODUCTS

If you have your own products, you can of course also sell them via this channel. You should then show your products on your profile and make them the topic of your feed. Because Instagram offers you an attractive platform for customer acquisition that you should definitely use. It is then a good idea to add the link to your online shop in your bio so that your followers can buy your products quickly and easily.

SALE OF OWN PHOTOS

Since Instagram is a social media channel whose posts consist of images, this is the ideal platform for selling images and photos. Whether as a photographer, artist, or travel blogger – in your feed you have the opportunity to prove your skills behind the camera or as a designer. Videos, graphics, or paintings – use the visual advantages of this platform and communicate that your works can also be purchased in high quality.

Of course, you can also offer these for sale on other platforms. Nevertheless, it is worth mentioning this possibility here separately because Instagram offers a good platform for the sale of digital products in principle.

instagram on iphone

How Much Money Can You Make From Instagram?

A question that surely interests you burning is sure how much money you can make with Instagram. What does the amount depend on? Do posts and stories bring in the same amount? What guidelines can I use as a guide?

Basically, the rule is that there are no rules. There is no formula that calculates how many followers a post or story can cost. Every influencer has its own value. This differs from industry to industry and differs from influencer to influencer. Of course, every influencer has a certain market price that can be used as a rough guide. How high your own value is, of course, depends to a large extent on you. You determine your appearance and you determine your cooperation and partners. And the partner also influences the price, because the requesting company, whether large or small, in turn, affects the price range. There are hardly any upper or lower limits because the actual price largely depends on your negotiating skills.

A PRACTICAL EXAMPLE

But in order to give you specific figures, we would like to present two examples from the successful fitness and beauty industries. For example, a fitness influencer with around 800,000 followers can charge $1,500 for a story that offers 15 seconds of ad space. At the same time, a beauty influencer can make as much as $7,000 from a 15-second story on her account, which also has around 800,000 followers. With a contribution even up to 12,000 dollars. So here it comes down to your own value and what the industry has to offer.

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Make money with Instagram: 9 effective tips

With all of these sources of income, however, you don’t necessarily have to limit yourself to a specific one. Rather, you can use a combination of several to make a profit. In order for you to succeed in this, there are a few tips that you should definitely keep in mind. We have put together six ultimate tips to help you with your project.

AUTHENTICITY IS EVERYTHING

If companies approach you and believe that you are serving their target group with your account, then you should also check at the same time whether you want to present this product or service to your followers. Therefore, not only pay attention to the money but also to remain authentic. Accepting every deal can quickly make your profile look impersonal and unnatural. In the worst case, your followers will no longer believe you and you will lose them. So know your target audience and their interests.

Authenticity also means that you should not buy likes or use bots to increase your reach. Try to build your channel organically, otherwise, you will be unattractive to many companies and partners. Because then no interested customers are responsible for the interactivity on your profile, but fake accounts with fake likes.

ANALYZE YOUR COMPETITORS

It is quite relevant to know what your competitors are doing and what strategies they are pursuing. In general, you should not lose sight of your direct competitors who serve the same niche as you and keep an eye on them. Not only so that you are always informed, but also because suitable cooperations may develop. Derive strategies for you from their communication if something turns out to be very successful.

Of course, you can also take a close look at other successful influencers in your industry and find out how they work. You will quickly realize that there are many ways to be successful on Instagram.

DEFINE YOUR OWN GOALS

You should have realistic goals for your project from the start. Sure, making money with Instagram sounds great and you can earn a lot of money if you have built up a large fan base. But that doesn’t happen from one day to the next. Therefore, it is important that you first set realistic goals and then gradually expand them.

You should also ask yourself what exactly you want to achieve with your project before starting. For example, do you want more followers, more likes, or more reach? Your goals will have a direct impact on your strategy and the way you present yourself.

USE HASHTAGS WISELY

Of course, you’ve heard of hashtags before. But did you know that they can also be very helpful in making money with Instagram? Therefore, use them wisely and don’t just use any hashtags.

The best way to do this is to find out which hashtags are relevant to your niche and which of them are being used most frequently. In addition, you should also make sure that the hashtags you use are not too general, but still have a certain meaning. So don’t use hashtags like #love or #fun, but rather specific ones that are directly related to your content.

DON’T LET COOPERATION PARTNERS WAIT

If you get inquiries from companies, you should take care of them immediately. Nobody likes to wait long. If you do not regularly review your requests for suitable cooperation, companies may have already found other partners in the meantime. You should also make sure that long-term partnerships can develop from these inquiries, so always appear professional and reliable. To be perfectly prepared, you can also send the company a media kit or provide information for business partners on your landing page.

INTERACT WITH YOUR FOLLOWERS

To ensure your authenticity remains, you should respond quickly to questions or comments from your followers. They need to get the feeling that you are entering into a personal discourse with them and that their opinion is important to you. If you convey closeness and personality, your followers will remain loyal to you, recommend you to others and your number of followers will increase. Companies can also notice this interaction positively.

BE CREATIVE

When it comes to content, you should always be creative. Boring or uninspired content will hardly get any attention and quickly lose followers. So try new things from time to time and dare something. This can be done, for example, by using different filters, processing techniques or by changing your perspective again and again. Also use the stories function on Instagram, which offers many possibilities for creative content.

THINK A GOOD PRICE

If you offer real added value for companies with your profile, then be aware of this and don’t undersell yourself. Depending on how many followers you have, you can get paid well for your cooperation. For this, find out about your network what can be required in this industry. Don’t be afraid to negotiate and give a reasonable price. Many companies have recognized the value of influencer marketing and are willing to invest in you as an important partner.

NOTE THE IDENTIFICATION OF ADVERTISING

Whatever you do, you need to be aware of Instagram’s guidelines. This also includes marking advertisements in your posts so that your followers can also recognize them as such. This promotes transparency and also credibility. Simply write under the corresponding post that it is an advertisement. If you would like to go into more detail, you can also use hashtags such as #ad or #sponsored.

By following these six tips, you will quickly realize how easy it is to earn money with Instagram and at the same time maintain your authenticity. Of course, this requires a little effort, but it pays off in the long run.

Conclusion: Not every cooperation is worth the money

Ultimately, anyone who fills their profile with authentic and high-quality content and interacts with their followers can earn money with Instagram. The number of winnings can also vary greatly, as this depends on many factors. You should now realize that you can lose significant money by accepting every collaboration and every request for ad placement. As a result, you lose authenticity and thus the credibility of your followers. Pick an industry or niche that reflects your passion, as it will make it much easier for you to increase your reach. If you focus on a particular target group, this will make it easier for companies to approach you. And last but not least: think about what price you are willing to give for your Advertisement. If you offer real added value, don’t be afraid to charge a reasonable price.

If you want to learn more about how to earn money with Instagram, check out our ultimate guide. This guide will show you everything you need to know about making money with Instagram.

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