The advent of Instagram saw everyone become a photographer. The world suddenly saw the need to share quality, breathtakingly shot pictures, at spectacular scenes, and in the life-changing events. Since then, the sharing of experiences on Instagram has taken the social media space by a storm.
As one of the best social media sites, Instagram boasts of over a billion users in a month. A seventh of the world’s population, or more, log in to their Instagram accounts every month. It is an exceedingly incredible populace for anyone trying to reach the audience using a business idea, even if for a startup.
So, how can you use Instagram to make money? Below are a few tips that can equip you with a few hacks on how to make money on Instagram.
1. Focus on Sponsored Content
To generate an income from Instagram, you have to post sponsored content. Sponsored content means that a brand has hired you to create content and help market them using your influence on Instagram.
While this may require you to be an Instagram influencer, the trick lies in having a decent-to-impressive following. Your ability to gain the trust of your followers and be able to lure them into a product is the catch for most brands.
Statistics show that as of 2019, there are over 500,000 active influencers. If you are bent to following this trajectory of posting sponsored content, there’s more than enough competition for you already. Here’s how to get started as an influencer to attract brands.
- Develop Your Niche
If you want to make money online, you have to develop your brand around your niche. Brands tend to approach influencers whose niche and brands intermarry, whose authentic touch can be felt on each of their followers.
Take time to develop your niche. If you are an ardent lover of American football, a peek into your Instagram account should give the general feeling of American football. That way, brands targeting American football fans will find it easy and engaging to use you for sponsored content.
- Grow Your Audience
All sponsored content aims to reach the highest number of people available. It is crucial as an influencer to develop your audience and cultivate within a bond of trust. Most influencers have numbers that easily convince brands to engage with their accounts. Therefore, as an upcoming influencer, develop your audience by posting relevant content consistently.
- Partner with Brands
To get your brand out there, partner with brands to create awareness around your brand. You can pitch them directly and show them what you have, or you can sign up with an influencer marketing platform.
2. Become an Affiliate Marketer
To make money online using this option it requires that you tread carefully as affiliate marketing has a bad reputation. It is associated with empty promises that end up as lies. Therefore, to earn a living out of it, extra care is required.
As opposed to sponsored posts, affiliate marketing has it that your efforts are rewarded once your followers make a purchase. It isn’t all about creating awareness but boosting the sales of a product. There are always laid out mechanisms that can have sales tracked back to you.
As an influencer, you are required to post links that will direct clients into purchasing the product. As Instagram doesn’t support the addition of links on posts, influencers had to have links on their bio. But recently, the introduction of Instagram checkout has changed the landscape. Here’s how to get started as an affiliate marketer on Instagram.
- Choose a Niche
An affiliate marketer’s niche is more product-based as the end goal is to increase sales. Choose a niche and get an audience that you can satisfy with your product reviews, as many affiliate marketers begin as product reviewers.
- Affiliate with Merchants
Find merchants to affiliate with or join a network that will enable you to get connections with existing merchants. For example, if the networks are Japanese, you will probably need Japanese translation services that can be found at the translation services reviews website called PickWriters.
Affiliate networks are designed to give you a wide range of products to choose from, and you can choose to have more than one.
· Post about the product
The surest way to have the product purchased is by creating awareness of it by posting it. Actively post the product to remind your followers that in case they need the product, they can find it by clicking on a link you have shared.
3. Sell Your Products
You can make money online by selling your products. It could be the coffee table you regularly feature in your pictures or customized t-shirts. It could also be your consultancy services or your expertise in a specific field. And if you have an already existing business, Instagram should be in your marketing strategy.
To get started with selling your products, below are a few tips.
· Build a Website
To efficiently utilize e-commerce, build a website where your followers will be redirected. You will need to create a landing page that will direct your customers into more products and the required information.
· Post Your Products
Feature your products regularly on your Instagram posts and stories. Make sure your followers know that you have products that are upon purchase.
· Fulfill Your Orders
Complete orders by customers by delivering them on time. You can delegate to a third-party logistics company or decide on traditional drop shipping.
In conclusion, to make money online, consistency is vital, integrity too. The struggle to meet the numbers may lead you to the temptation of buying fake followers. Resist the urge and, instead, engage your audience by responding to customer inquiries.
Observe professionalism in all dealings. Know your worth so that nobody can underestimate your worth and use you in transactions. Also, check out Instagram tools to help you in saving time.
Bio
Donald Domby is an impeccable writer with vast experience in writing articles. His articles have been published in many online publications, websites, and blogs. He currently writes for 3to5markerting, where he shares his excellence in marketing.
