10 Ways to Make Money On Instagram

Instagram isn’t just for brand awareness anymore. Increasingly, Instagram is becoming a money-making engine in line. With the right strategy, brands, businesses and public figures can even use Instagram as a direct path to revenue.

I'm rounding up the top 10 ways to monetize an #Instagram account, including less obvious methods and techniques to help you make the most of your Instagram presence:

1. Getting paid as an #influencer for branded content. Although Instagram isn't as front and center as TikTok is with its creator marketplace, it does have one. Download this invaluable guide to joining the Instagram Creator Marketplace here. Becoming an influencer is still the most obvious way to make money on Instagram. Yet, the devil is in the details. You may end up earning less than you thought, even with tens of thousands of followers or more. I've spoken with plenty of influencers who have near or at 7-figure follower counts and they're not living as large as you might think. The reasons for this are complicated. My advice is to specialize in a specific niche, the more specific the better. Then, go directly to brands and make deals that cut out the middleman. Later, you can collaborate with brands on sponsored posts directly or through #influencermarketing agencies that specialize in connecting businesses with creators. Another option for working with brands and companies is to sponsor events. This can be an effective way to generate income if you have a large following of people who are interested in attending the event that you are sponsoring. Check out this great starter guide from Grin on making the most of your influencer account is here.
2. Subscription fees. Charging a subscription fee for premium content is a new, effective way to get paid on Instagram. With subscriptions, you can create exclusive Instagram content and offer benefits with Subscriber Lives, Stories, Badges, Posts, Reels and Group Chats. Instagram subscriptions allow users to offer exclusive content and benefits to their most engaged followers for a monthly fee. Followers can subscribe through an in-app purchase on their mobile device. For more info on how to start a subscription program for Instagram followers, check out this guide to Instagram Subscriptions. It's unclear how long this feature will be around, or whether it will go the way of Instagram's in-stream Reels ads, which were discontinued after a year.
3. LinkInBio Sales. If creating digital products such as downloadable graphics is something you're already doing, placing a link in your bio is a no-brainer. But not all links are created equal. Platforms such as Stan Store (my favorite, although not cheap), WooCommerce are designed specifically to generate sales. Complement this by inviting users to take action with phrases like “shop now” – included directly in your profile to help drive awareness of these sales channels. This creates a new stream of passive income that your Instagram page can serve to promote.
4. Bartering with brands in exchange for a discount or waived fees on experiences in travel and hospitality. Many hotels, cruise lines and more have programs designed to host social media influencers and provide discounted or free experiences in exchange for featuring them in posts. Just remember to add the appropriate disclosures including the paid partnership button so that users know your posts are sponsored, even if there's no direct exchange of money.
5. Giving paid advice by linking a platform such as BuyMeACoffee directly in your bio. If you have expertise in a particular area, you may also be able to offer consulting services through your Instagram account. This can be an effective way to monetize your account if you have a large following of people who are interested in learning more about the topic that you are consulting on.
6. Online Course. Teaching followers a skill or a course on a topic you are familiar with, leveraging a platform such as Xperiencify, SamCart or Kajabi to create a curriculum. Promoting it to your Instagram followers and combining that with a nano influencer campaign will help to generate course signups.
7. Affiliate Links. An affiliate link is a special type of link that allows you to earn commission on sales that are generated from clicks on the link. To use affiliate links, you will need to sign up for an affiliate program with a company or brand. Once you have been approved, you can start sharing links on your Instagram account. Become an affiliate and generate revenue by driving sales of products you endorse. Use a platform such as LikeToKnowIt to drive sales and place your LTKI link in your Instagram bio for some extra buzz.
8. Join the Amazon influencer program and get paid to recommend products and rare finds on the e-commerce platform by incorporating these items into your Instagram posts. This, I am told, is a huge potential money-maker if you're dedicated to creating content involving your product finds. Sign up for the Amazon Influencer Program here!
9. In-App Shopping. Instagram in-app shopping provides a growing number of tools for those selling a product. Shoppable posts and stories are a great tool to integrate products into your content. The shop tab allows customers to buy from you without ever leaving the app.
10. Earn badges for going live. People can buy badges to support your live video in real time, while also connecting you with your biggest fans. More info here: Go Live and Earn Extra Income With Instagram Badges

As with all these ideas, it's important that you follow Instagram's partner monetization policies so that you are earning money without any worries.