10 Ways to Make Money on Instagram

Jessica Van Sack-Downey
3 min readSep 25, 2022

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Instagram isn’t just for brand awareness anymore. With the right strategy, brands, businesses and public figures can use Instagram as a direct route to revenue.

Instagram vector image with dollar signs on post mockup

There are a lot of different ways to make money from Instagram, and in this post we’ll outline 10 methods. Keep reading to learn more!

Here are 10 ways to monetize an Instagram account:

  1. Getting paid as an influencer. You can collaborate with brands on sponsored posts directly or through 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.
  2. Implement Subscriptions. Charging a subscription fee for premium content is a new, effective way to get paid on Instagram. 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. More info: Instagram Subscriptions | Help Center
  3. LinkinBio Sales. Creating and selling digital products such as downloadable graphics is easy. Platforms such as Stan Store, WooCommerce and more let you create a special link in your bio designed specifically for Instagram users. Invite users to take action with phrases like “shop now” directly in your profile in order to help drive awareness of these sales channels. This creates a new stream of passive income that your Instagram page can promote.
  4. Barter. 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.
  5. Sell Advice. 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.
  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. Sign Up for the Amazon Influencer Program
  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

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