Instagram is a creator’s best friend.
It allows creators to tell their story, build an audience, engage with fans, and earn money.
It's also one of the many platforms prioritizing creators and working to make it easier than ever for them to monetize their passion.
If you're hoping to do just that, follow the four easy steps below to start your journey of making money on Instagram as a creator.
1) Upgrade to a creator account
Instagram introduced creator accounts in 2018 to give creators access to helpful tools and data.
These accounts are designed for anyone who wants to monetize their personal brand, including:
- influencers
- content creators
- artists
- public figures
- models
- videographers
- +more
By switching to a creator account, you’ll gain access to a number of unique features.
One of the best features available to creator accounts is the ability to create shoppable posts and tag products. When a person clicks on your tag, they will be directed to a product page where they can learn more or make a purchase.
You can even use one of Instagram’s merchandise partners, like Spring, to send customers straight to your merch store.
If you want to make more money on Instagram, switching to a creator account is worth it just for the product tagging feature alone. That said, there are other great benefits that are worth mentioning, including post-scheduling options, DM-filtering options, detailed follower growth insights, and more.
These features make your life easier and increase your success on the platform.
The best part is that it’s extremely easy to switch to a creator account on Instagram. Just follow these steps:
- Click on the three lines on your profile page in the top right corner.
- Click on Settings.
- Select Account.
- Scroll down and click Switch to a Professional Account, then select Creator.
- Choose the category that best fits your brand.
- Add or review your contact information.
And that’s it!
You can switch back to a personal account just as easily, but creator accounts offer so many benefits that you’re likely to get hooked within a matter of minutes.
2) Partner with brands
Partnering with brands is one of the most common and effective ways creators make money on Instagram.
According to Influencer Marketing Hub, you can make the following:
- $10 – $100 for 1000 to 10,000 followers
- $250 – $750 per 1000 engagements
Creators with a larger following typically have an easier time securing partnerships and making more money. However, sponsored posts can pay off big time, even for those with smaller followings, if there’s a high engagement rate.
Brands pay creators and influencers to advertise or recommend their products or services in a photo or video, Story, Reel, or a combination of those.
When looking for a brand to partner with, it’s essential to find one that aligns with your values and beliefs–otherwise, you risk compromising the trust of your audience.
For example, if you’re a makeup artist that preaches using cruelty-free products but then promote lipstick that was tested on animals, your future content won’t seem as authentic.
Take your time finding the right brands that mesh with your values on the creator marketplace, and be prepared to pitch them on why they should advertise with you.
3) Fill out your bio section
Many successful creators on Instagram use their bio section to add important links, such as a website, YouTube channel, blog, etc.
If you have multiple links you want to share with your audience, create a link in bio, which allows you to feature multiple links on a single URL. You can create one for free on Amaze, as well as product pages that can be added to your link in bio to showcase featured items.
You also want to use your bio section to tell brands and users what type of content you produce.
Since you have limited character space, stick to relevant keywords, share your contact information, and get creative with fun emojis.
4) Offer tutorials or live training sessions
Setting up online tutorials or live training sessions is an easy way to increase your income and engage deeper with your audience.
These tactics are advantageous if you have a particular area of expertise that can be taught online.
If you were a fitness influencer, for instance, you could post short workouts for free on Instagram and offer access to the full-length video for a small price.
This longer-form content will also help you establish stronger relationships with your followers by extending the time they spend engaging with your content.
You can also sell tickets to live training sessions, where followers can speak and interact with you on Zoom, Google Meets, etc.
Live training sessions also help you build a more loyal fan base by allowing them direct access to you and an opportunity to connect personally with you.
Conclusion
Whether you’re just starting out or already have a decent following, all the tips above can help you monetize your passion and start to make a living as a creator.
Check out our blog for more creator tips and tricks, and sign up for a free Amaze account, which allows you to easily promote your products and services with customizable product pages, link in bio profiles, advertisements, and more.
