How To Become an Instagram Influencer and Make Money From It — Whatever is Lovely by Lynne G. Caine (2024)

How To Become an Instagram Influencer and Make Money From It — Whatever is Lovely by Lynne G. Caine (1)

I’m pretty sure that you’ve heard of the word “influencer” or Instagram influencer before and you’re probably wondering what it means or what does it take to become one. You may even be following a few of them on Instagram…

But what really is an Instagram Influencer?

An Instagram influencer is an individual who shares his or her “passion”, things that he or she likes, places that he or she visits, and so on through Instagram. An Instagram influencer normally has a significant number of following and “influences” his or her followers in their buying decisions, thus the term “influencer.”

When I first started blogging back in 2011, Instagram was fairly new. I had it but it was not the platform that it is now. It has definitely evolved and gotten big and it’s become a lucrative business to those who have started early and made hundreds of thousands of or even millions of followers in the network.

An Instagram influencer is not necessarily a blogger unless he or she also has a blog. If that makes sense. However, a blogger normally has an Instagram and some has a significant number of followers enough to be considered an influencer.

In my case, I am a blogger first and my Instagram is just an extension of my blog.

Is it reallypossible to make money off of Instagram?

It sure is possible. Personally, even though I may not have hundreds of thousands of followers, I have made a significant amount of money off of Instagram. Famous influencers have made six figures and some charge $25,000 upwards per post.

Why Instagram?

  • As of April 2017, there are 700 million Instagram users.
  • As of May 2017, there are 400 million DAILY users.
  • As of January 2017, there have been 40 billion photos shared.
  • It’s easy to start your brand.
  • It’s free.
  • You can make money through the platform.

Who can be an influencer?

  • Fitness enthusiasts
  • Crafters / DIYers
  • Fashionistas
  • Foodies / Cooks
  • Car lovers
  • Wanderlusters (Frequent Travelers)
  • Mommy or Daddy
  • Beauty lovers
  • Cats (Handled by owner)
  • Dogs (Handled by owner)

How to create and build your brand on Instagram as an Influencer?

  1. Determine what you would like to use Instagram for.
    – A personal brand just for fun or hobby?
    – A personal brand to later on turn as a business or make money from.
    – Or BOTH.
  2. Pick your niche.
    Choose what you’re passionate about or have vast knowledge of – whether be it local places to visit in your town, fashion, food, cars, parenting, fitness, beauty, etc. Don’t go into something that you’re not necessarily knowledgeable just because someone else you follow or think is making a lot doesn’t mean that you should get into that niche as well. Stay in your lane. Find your passion and do just that.
  3. Create a REAL and business profile.
    I’ve recently just converted my Instagram profile from personal to business. Reason being is that a business profile provides me some insights/analytics tool for me to help me grow my platform. It is okay to start with a personal profile though if you wish. You can always convert to a business but either way, both are free, so you might as well start with a business profile.Be sure to spruce up your profile with information that is readily available for potential brand collaborators such as email address, website, location and what you do (i.e. corporate by day, influencer by night, etc.)
  4. Create fun and creative photos related to your brand.
    – Set a theme:
    Some have semi black and white / dark theme.
    Some have a bright theme like mine.
    – Bright photos tend to work well on Instagram. It’s easier on the eyes and project happiness and fun.
    – Some have unicorn, mermaid, fairy tale, all things pink
    and fancy theme.
    – But DON’T LIMIT yourself to a theme. You don’t always have to post every single one of your post related to your theme. Sometimes, people like spontaneous, random, real life fun stuff (and this in and of itself can be your theme).
  5. Post photos that are aesthetically pleasing.
    Instagram is a visual platform, thus, 100% of the time, you capture your audience with your photos.Here are some tips:
    –Taking photos is 75% lighting and 25% composition. Study composing your photos,even if it’s just a selfie.
    – Natural lighting is ALWAYS better. Depending on what you’re shooting, find the best natural lighting that works for you. If you have a photographer, then you don’t have to worry about this a lot of times but it’s always good to be skilled with this.
    – If you’re doing fashion andflat lays, use plain white or link pink stock card or marble
    wall paper like this.
  6. Use popular hashtags that are related to your niche or brand.
    Do your research on the popular hashtags that are related to your brand.
  7. Create fun, funny, authentic, relatable, relevant caption.
    – People follow people that they can relate to in everyday life.
    – Do not be afraid to be authentic and true to your brand in your captionbut always be
    mindful on setting a good and positive example.
  8. Post consistently.
    Some swear by 3x daily postings made a difference / increased their followers. Find what works for you. I normally create my posts days ahead of time and plan it.

How do you monetize your brand on Instagram?

There are three different ways you can monetize your Instagram account.

  1. Through content creation/partnership with other brands.
    Most legitimate influencers are creative people who love producing their own content for their followers. This way, they can also control the aesthetic of their photo gallery. You get this gig as an influencer mostly through the brand directly reaching out to you or through a PR (public relations company).When you’re approached for a “campaign” or an insta project, the brand or PR company normally has a set of requirements for the campaign and you create your content based on those requirements.
  2. Through affiliate marketing.
    So far, the only affiliate marketing platform that can work directly with Instagram is Rewardstyle which is an invite only network for fashion/style, lifestyle, and home decor bloggers.However, there’s always a way around this such as posting the affiliate link on the caption. The only downside to this is that it is not clickable and can often turn away potential affiliate sales. Another way would be to post the affiliate link on your bio. But if you’re an affiliate for multiple products, this can be tedious.If you’re following some fashion bloggers, you will normally see a #liketoknowit hashtag which means their post is linked to a brand that paysa commission when someone purchases any of the items they are showing through their link or post.
  3. Through shout outs.
    This is kind of similar to content creation or partnership with a brand. But often, with shoutouts, the material is provided. This type of project is normally accepted by accounts that only use other people’s photos and give them credits. If you are okay to using the brand’s photo and caption, then you can do a shoutout.

Becoming an Instagram influencer is not an easy feat anymore, most especially because of the algorithm changes. As you may already know, in order for you to be considered an influencer, you must have hundreds of thousands or millions of followers. But not only that, the engagement (number of likes and comments versus your number of followers) in your account is also looked into when brands and PR companies are considering to work with you.

But don’t lose heart, with a very consistent work and a strategy to grow your account, it is possible to become one. Follow the tips above and develop your own workflow as well. Also, you need to get on the list of influencer networks, PR companies and digital marketing agencies. Check outto get on those lists so you can connect with more brands and get more paid projects.

Consider becoming an Influencer a business. You will have to make your own investment at first – time, effort, money. The return on your investment can be very rewarding.

How To Become an Instagram Influencer and Make Money From It — Whatever is Lovely by Lynne G. Caine (2024)

FAQs

Does Instagram actually pay influencers? ›

Can you make money on Instagram? Yes, you can make money on Instagram. According to CBInsights, Instagram is one of the top platforms where influencers and creators can monetize their content and lure more followers (Learn more: how to make money as an influencer).

How many followers do you need on Instagram to get paid? ›

Instagram Subscriptions allows you to monetize your video and audio content. You must be eligible for Instagram Subscriptions to enable Subscriptions. Remain compliant with Instagram's Community Guidelines and Content Monetization Policies. Have a professional account on Instagram with at least 10,000 followers.

How much are Instagram influencers paid? ›

Instagram posts
Influencer TierCompensation
Nano$500 – $2,000
Micro$2000 – $8,000
Mid-tier$8,000 – $20,000
Macro$20,000 – $45,000
1 more row

Can I get paid with 500 followers? ›

How many Instagram followers do you need to make money? Theoretically, you can make money with any number of Instagram followers. Still, the larger your audience and the better your engagement, the more money you can make.

Who pays you as an influencer? ›

Influencers make money from subscriptions, tipping and donations. Influencers sometimes have a paid content level that offers more exclusive content than they share for free on their social media accounts. Followers can pay monthly to subscribe to this content.

Who pays influencers to post? ›

There are different forms of agreements/arrangements. The most common type is based on sponsored social media posts. An influencer makes a post about a certain product or service and a business will pay for the promotion. Terms of this agreement include: the number of posts wanted; the type of posts wanted.

How many followers on Instagram do you need to make $1000 per month? ›

To earn $1,000 a month, you will want at least 10,000 followers. How much do you make with 10k Instagram followers? With quality content, a marketable niche, and good engagement, you can earn $1,000 or more monthly with 10,000 Instagram followers. How many views do you need to make money on Instagram?

How many followers do you need to make a living? ›

While there's no magic number of followers required to start earning, reaching around 5,000 – 10,000 followers is often seen as a milestone where collaboration and sponsorship opportunities increase. However, it's important to remember that how many followers you have is just one piece of the puzzle.

How do influencers get started? ›

Finding your niche is the first step you can take to becoming an influencer, as it helps you identify your target audience and connect with your community. Developing a social media strategy and being consistent with your engagement are two essential steps for finding success as an influencer.

What is required to be an influencer? ›

Some of the foundational skills you'll need as an influencer include: mastering the latest features of different social media platforms; cultivating authentic relationships with an audience; developing content people love; editing audio and video content; live streaming; conveying your expertise or authority on a ...

Do influencers pay taxes? ›

Influencers work as independent contractors for the companies they promote. Independent contractors are considered self-employed. “In addition to standard federal and state income taxes, self-employed individuals are also obligated to pay self-employment taxes,” Pianoforte said.

How do TikTok pay? ›

TikTok does not directly pay creators to produce and upload videos. TikTok does offer funding for creators in the form of the TikTok Creativity Program. Still, payment varies based on factors like the number of video views, engagement rates, and the authenticity of users engaging with the post.

How do you receive payment on Instagram? ›

To add or manage your Instagram payout settings, tapPayouts in the professional dashboard. Learn how to add a payout account on Instagram. You must be eligible for Instagram payouts and meet our Partner Monetization Policies and Content Monetization Policies. You must have a payout account to receive your payment.

How much does Instagram pay for 1,000 views? ›

Average Instagram Pay For 1000 Views

One can easily expect a salary of $0.01 to $0.05 at their job. However, with good engagement rates and good quality content, the payout can range from $6 to $9 per post or even more. Both the effective rate and payment can affect each other.

How do I get paid by Instagram? ›

Before you can receive a payout, you must set up a payout account on Instagram. When you earn money using our monetization tools, you'll receive earnings to your payout account. Before you can receive a payout, you must: Meet Instagram's Partner Monetization Policies and Content Monetization Policies.

How much Instagram pay for 1,000 followers? ›

Instagram accounts with 1,000 followers make $1,420/month on average and up to $100 per sponsored post. However, Instagram does not pay influencers directly, so you can begin making money whenever you land your first sponsorship deal or join an affiliate program, even if you don't have 1,000 followers yet.

Do social media influencers actually make money? ›

Here's what we found: The average amount they make each month is only about $323. Influencers with a big following, like 100,000 to almost a million followers, only make about $1,727 a month. Even those with more than a million followers don't make a lot more – their average is around $6,109 a month.

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