Are you ready to turn your passion into a profit on Instagram? There are more ways than ever to become an influencer on Instagram, and you can even start making money with a small following.
This comprehensive guide will cover how to grow your Instagram followers and engagement, how Instagram influencers make money, and how to get started with Instagram influencer marketing.
How to Grow Instagram Followers
Becoming an influencer on Instagram has a lot of perks, but it’s not as simple as it looks. It requires time, consistency, and dedication to succeed on Instagram. Luckily, there are techniques you can use to grow your following, even if you are starting with a small audience.
Define Your Niche
The first thing you need to do is choose a niche and stick with it. Your niche is the topic you post about, such as photography, food, or the environment. It’s important to choose a niche that speaks to your interests and something that will make it easy for you to create endless amounts of content.
Once you narrow down your niche, use it to guide your content. Make sure to post content specific to your niche to ensure you don’t confuse your audience. Your goal is to attract followers who are interested in your niche. Tailoring your content to topics you and your audience are passionate about is key to bringing them to your profile and keeping them as loyal followers.
Post Content Consistently
The Instagram algorithm rewards profiles that post consistently. That does not mean that you need to post every single day. However, you need to get into a rhythm of posting that you can maintain.
Posting more often can help your followers get to know you and improve your content’s reach so that you bring in new followers. Additionally, brands want to work with Instagram accounts that post consistently.
One way to maintain consistency is to create a schedule of topics that you post about. For example, each week you could post one behind-the-scenes post, one how-to post, and one “get to know me” post. You can also save time and plan ahead by content batching.
Create High-Quality and Engaging Content
While posting consistently is important, you should not sacrifice quality in the name of quantity. Instagram rewards accounts that post high-quality content that offers value to your followers.
To post high-quality content, use a healthy mix of each posting style. Your weekly posting schedule should include static posts, carousels, reels, and stories.
Additionally, make sure you’re engaging with your followers on your posts. Respond to comments and direct messages.
On your Instagram Story, use interactive features like question boxes and polls. The more you offer high-quality content and connect with your followers, the more they’ll want to share your account with their friends.
Collaborate With More Established Accounts
A great way to get in front of potential followers is to collaborate with accounts with more followers than you. Find accounts that are in your niche and engage with their content. Once you get to know them, reach out about a collaboration.
You can collaborate with another influencer in many ways. For example, you could share each other’s posts in your own stories, or you could create new content together, such as showing different ways to style the same clothing or creating an entertaining and informational outfit montage video.
Keep in mind that Instagram is a social app, and it’s important to make genuine social connections to grow an authentic following. Do not reach out to people you haven’t engaged with or taken the time to get to know. Instagram collaborations must be authentic to reach new followers.
You can also ask people with more established accounts what they did to become an influencer on Instagram to learn from their experience.
How Do Instagram Influencers Make Money?
There are several ways to make money on Instagram, and you don’t have to have a huge following to monetize your account. The main ways to earn a profit are through sponsored posts, affiliate marketing, and selling products or services through the app.
A sponsored post is when brands pay you to feature their products in your posts. Instagram influencers charge a set price per post, and it does not matter whether your followers buy the product.
For example, if you’re a food influencer, you could incorporate an ingredient in one of your recipes and tell your followers why you chose to use it. However, it’s important to be genuine and only promote products you actually use and love.
Another way to make money through Instagram is with affiliate marketing. You promote products through your posts and provide a personalized link or discount code for your followers to use. In this model, the brands pay you a percentage of the purchases that your followers make. You can sign up for a free platform, like Mavely, to get started with affiliate marketing. Just be sure to familiarize yourself with social media monetization requirements before posting.
Lastly, you can sell your products or services on Instagram through an online course. Keep in mind that you will need to point your Instagram followers to a separate website or email list to make a sale.
How to Get Started In Instagram Influencer Marketing
Instagram influencer marketing is when you partner with brands to promote their products. Brands look for influencers that have engaged followings and fit into their niche. For example, if you’re a photographer, you might partner with other brands in the photography industry, like editing software or camera equipment.
The beauty of Instagram influencer marketing is that you do not need a large following to get started. Brands care more about how engaged your audience is because that will lead to more sales. Additionally, brands like working with nano-influencers and micro-influencers to spread their marketing budget across several Instagram accounts instead of paying one macro-influencer.
Note: A nano-influencer has 1,000 to 10,000 followers. A micro-influencer has 10,000 to 100,000 followers, and a macro-influencer has more than 100,000 followers.
How To Work With Brands on Instagram
One way to get started with Instagram influencer marketing when you don’t have a large following is to personally reach out to brands you have an affinity for and want to work with. Put together a pitch packet that mentions your follower target audience, your account’s personality and mission, and other audience insights.
Create an account with Mavely, to make this process quicker and easier. Mavely connects influencers with brands that are a great fit for their content. Mavely makes Instagram collaborations seamless so that you can grow your following and start making money. When you work with Mavely, you can select brand partnerships based on your interests and quickly turn your passions into a profit.
Make Money on Instagram Today with Mavely
Establishing yourself as an influencer on Instagram doesn’t happen overnight, but as long as you are dedicated and consistent with your efforts, your followers will find you. Additionally, you can start making money through Instagram influencer marketing with a smaller following, and partnering with a platform like Mavely can make the process seamless. Mavely works with over 1,200 of the world’s top brands and is completely free. Our platform offers a variety of tools and resources, including analytics, resources from industry experts, and dedicated account managers. Start earning today with Mavely!
