How To Make Money On Instagram As An Influencer

A social media influencer is someone who can influence others to participate in an activity or purchase a product by creating content on popular social media networks such as Instagram, Facebook, etc. 

Brands of all kinds are spending tons of money on influencer marketing. With the rising popularity of influencer marketing, it has become a lucrative way for people to earn money. That is probably the reason why many people are choosing this path to earn quick money and be famous. But it is not that easy as it appears. It requires a lot of time and effort to reach a stage where you have influence over your audience.

The amount a brand is willing to pay an influencer not only depends on the number of followers but also the engagement rate. An account with tons of followers that only gets a few likes or comments per post wouldn't be considered an influencer whereas an account with only a few thousand followers that receives a large number of likes and comments per post could well be considered an influencer because their followers are seen to respect their opinion and support whatever content they create. 

But, if you are really interested in making money through Instagram, we have got you covered.

Read on and learn how to be an Instagram Influencer and ways in which you can make money:

How to become An Instagram Influencer:

#1 Select a niche you're really passionate about:

Instagram is a powerful social media channel to target the new-age audience. Instead of being an all-rounder it's better to select a topic you're really interested in and make unique content related to that topic. You can choose any niche in which you have a good deal of knowledge and interest. Some of the popular niches are- food, entertainment, fashion, lifestyle, travel, etc.

After you've selected a niche in which you're interested, make sure to spend a considerable amount of time in researching and making meaningful content for your audience that adds value to their life.

#2 Be Consistent:

You cannot be a successful Instagram Influencer overnight. It takes a lot of time and efforts. Posting content consistently can help you gain followers and boost your engagement rate. Most Instagram influencers post daily or once in every two days however some even post a few times in a day. So make sure that you're active on Instagram and post your content regularly.

Don't follow the shortcuts like buying Instagram Followers or likes. Paid followers are not good for you. If you seriously want to be an Instagram influencer and make money, organic is the way to go.

#3 Get a Business Account:

If you are serious about being an influencer, you need to get a business account on Instagram. There are many benefits of a business account. The most important benefit is that you get access to Instagram Analytics. You'll be able to see not only your follower demographics but also which posts are getting better engagement. You will also be able to see the days and times which give you the best engagement rate. This will help you schedule your posts and help you understand your audience.

#4 Use Right Hashtags And Tag Relevant Brands:

Make your Instafeed appealing and use the right hashtags for each post. Hashtags are important because it lets your content be found by other Instagram users. Instagram allows you to use a maximum of 30 hashtags on a photo, make sure you use them all. But use the right hashtags that are related to your content.

Once you have gained a few thousand followers and have a decent engagement rate, you can tag relevant brands or can send them direct messages on Instagram. Brand outreach is so important to be successful. So don't be afraid to reach out to brands and tell them what you can offer them.

Ways To Make Money On Instagram As An Influencer:

#1 Sponsored Posts:

A sponsored post is a photo or a video that highlights a product or a brand. These posts are accompanied by captions that may include branded hashtags, @mentions, or links. Instagram influencers earn most of the money by creating original sponsored content for brands. Instagram influencers can be paid anywhere from $5 to $10,000 or more per campaign, and there is no established industry standard as yet. Once you have gained a few thousand followers and a decent engagement rate, reach out to brands for creating sponsored posts for them. You can hire an agent or negotiate directly with brands.

#2 Affiliate Marketing:

Affiliate marketing is basically when you promote a product and get paid per sale. With the new swipe up feature of Instagram, many influencers promote a product through Instagram story and give a link to the audience to buy the product. But this feature is only available to accounts having more than 10,000 followers. This is a great way to earn money when you have a good influence on your audience. 

There are many more ways to earn money on Instagram. But as an influencer, these are the 2 major sources of income for them. 

I hope you found this article helpful. Do share your views in the comment section below.