by James Sowers |
Last Updated: May 17, 2019 This post may be sponsored or may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission, at no additional cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Read the full disclosure.
Over the past couple of years, Instagram has rapidly captured the world’s attention.
After its acquisition by Facebook, this social media platform has quickly become one among the most used apps around the globe.
People from all age groups have Instagram accounts, and 100 million new users join every month.
Statistics state that this app has around 75 million active users every day.
With numbers like that, it would be a shame to not make money on Instagram.
It’s increasing popularity has shown that this app is a lucrative space for people to start making a good amount of money.
If you are confused on what you can do, let me guide you with these 5 creative ways on how to make money on Instagram.
1. Sponsored Posts
With Instagram, you can create sponsored content for brands to help bring some money your way.
Sponsored content involves creating a post that showcases a brand or product.
Here’s a perfect example from Diana Maliqi’s sponsored post:
These posts should contain captions that include links, mentions, or hashtags to highlight the product.
Also read: 9 Best Passive Income Ideas: Make Money Online While You Sleep
When you have a decent amount of followers and engagement, brands would want to collaborate with you to promote their products.
Depending upon how big your Instagram account is, you can earn anywhere between $50-$2000+ per sponsored post.
I have seen that most brands these days do not necessarily need formal ambassadors anymore.
This method has become dispensable after the rise of social media influencers.
In order to make sure your sponsored content doesn’t shoo away your followers, you need to create photos or videos that showcase how you feel about a certain brand or product so viewers can relate to you.
An engaged audience can do wonders for a brand’s reputation as well as your bank account.
To know how to get sponsorship on Instagram, check out Caroline Forsey’s post on Hubspot.
To know how to become an influencer on Instagram, check out this class that you can get in for FREE on Skillshare.
2. Promote Your Blog
Blogging is hands down my favorite way to make money online.
Why? Because it’s passive.
Even if I am not putting in any work on my blog, it’ll still bring in money.
Also read:
How to Start a Blog and Make $1,000/month OnlineHow To Make Money As A Freelance Writer: I Made $461.36 In A Week
You can monetize your blog by selling products as an affiliate, displaying ads, writing sponsored posts and the list goes on.
However, to make your blog profitable you need visitors who will read your posts.
And that’s where Instagram comes handy.
All you need to do is, create a post which includes either a picture or video that showcases the content and nature of your blog.
When you upload it, make sure to include a link to your blog page on the bio of your Instagram profile.
Here’s an example:
Sponsored posts can bring you money from brands, but creating posts for your own blog will also translate to income as more people will visit your blog.
3. Sell Ebooks On Instagram
Ebooks have become all the craze since the past few years, and a lot of people have cashed in on this idea.
If you want to start selling eBooks and make money from it, I highly recommend taking the eBook Bestseller Bootcamp by Ana.
It is a beginner to advanced video course that shows you exactly how to write and sell your eBook to make passive income out of it.
FYI, Ana makes a consistent $500-$3500/month by selling eBooks online.
Use code “EBB20OFF” to get $20 OFF
If you have already authored an ebook and are wondering how to promote it, then look no further than your own Instagram account.
Instagram has its own shoppable feature that you can use to advertise and sell your ebook.
All you have to do is create a photo or video about the ebook, connect the Instagram shoppable feature on this post, and you are all set.
A shoppable post is distinguishable from other posts by a tiny shopping bag on the lower left side.
Clicking on a shoppable post will open up details like the price and link to the product.
4. Promote Your Online Courses
If you are wondering how to improve your online course sales, you should invest some time on Instagram.
Your Instagram account serves as your channel where you can share posts related to your your online courses, what they entail, and even some behind-the-scenes content.
Melyssa Griffin does it in the best way on her Instagram Profile:
Instagram can act like your very own reality show where you can take your viewers through the journey of making and releasing online courses.
This is a great way to pique their interest on what your courses are about.
I have learned that pictures and videos are the best way to keep an audience engaged, so why not use Instagram to promote your online courses.
Make sure to include a link on the bio section so users can easily find your sales page and register.
My friend Phil Ebiner has a brilliant class on selling online courses to make money. You can get in for FREE on Skillshare.
5. Sell ShoutOuts
If the term is new to you, a ShoutOut refers to when a user mentions a brand, product, or another account in their Instagram caption or as a picture post.
ShoutOuts are a simple, but effective way to make money on Instagram, and it takes little to no effort at all. (Obviously, if you have a huge following already)
All you have to do is mention a brand or account on the caption.
ShoutOuts is an effective way for brands to use other accounts to increase exposure and drive more followers to their instagram profile.
You can choose the pricing per ShoutOut based on the number of followers you have.
Final Words
With Instagram becoming such a lucrative platform to make money, more and more people are choosing to become influencers.
With these 5 creative ideas you could make a serious amount of money on Instagram.
Before you start, I would suggest that you gather a substantial amount of followers first.
A large following increases your chances of collaborating with other users on Instagram and making more money.
Once you have this covered and use one of my ideas, you are all set to go.
Leave a comment below if you enjoyed reading this post. 🙂
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