2020 threw us all for a loop and even though 2021 is looking up for many of us, it is still feeling unpredictable. Maybe you’re like me and you have started looking for a side hustle or how to make money using Instagram. A lot of you may even be wondering how many followers you need to make money on Instagram. You may be surprised to find out that you don’t need 10K and a swipe up to bring in income, even though those milestones are worth celebration and can bring your Instagram business to the next level.
How to Make Money Using Instagram Through Brand Partnerships
If you follow me on Instagram you may have noticed more of my posts appearing as Paid Partnerships with brands recently. The change in content is largely because I have been pursuing more brand partnerships over the last year. Working directly with brands is by far one of the best ways to make money on Instagram and other social media platforms.
But B, what’s a brand partnership and where do I start? I’m so glad you asked! A brand partnership is when you agree to work with a brand by offering marketing deliverables, such as an Instagram post or reel either in exchange for a product or a fee (or both) for those services. As an Instagram content creator you are the model, photographer and creative director!
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission at no cost to you.
I didn’t know where to start either! So I decided to take Julie Solomon’s Pitch it Perfect course and it completely transformed the way I approach brands and gave me the confidence to pursue more online endeavors like launching my own podcast. Julie is a very successful business coach and the host of the Influencer Podcast.
Her course dives into how to pitch to brands (even if you have no experience), how to make money without a large following, and offers so much more! From pitch & media kit templates, to real life examples of email threads, and even exclusive access to a community of like-minded content creators & influencers the Pitch it Perfect course sets you up for success in making money online.
Being a part of the PIP community has been amazing over the last year. I have gotten to witness amazing success stories as people begin to implement what Julie teaches. One influencer made $90,000 in Q4 of last year, while another started with 3,000 followers and now has a million dollar business. Julie’s course gives influencers the tools they need to succeed in online business today.
As a Pitch it Perfect affiliate, I may earn a commission should you choose to enroll in the course using my link. I will only share products and courses I truly believe in and that I know will bring value to you.
How to Make Money Using Instagram Through Influencer Platforms
Another way to secure brand partnerships is to sign up for Influencer platforms. These platforms essentially connect you, the influencer, with brand marketing campaigns. Again some paid and some gifted depending on the brand’s campaign. Most platforms you’re able to select the campaigns you’d like to be a part of and apply through the platform. If selected, the brand or platform will be in touch with campaign details, directions and deadlines.
Influencer platforms can make it easier to secure brand partnerships, however there are some drawbacks. The con to using a platform, instead of working with a brand directly, is that you lose the opportunity to develop a relationship with that brand and also lose the ability to negotiate rates since most (not all) Influencer platforms will have set rates for each campaign.
Another drawback to using a platform is most have very strict requirements for follower count and engagement rate. So if you’re just getting started, you may not be approved for the platforms or simply not qualify for the campaigns even after being accepted. Some reputable Influencer platforms that have paid campaigns for influencers include Cohley, Aspire IQ, Mom Select, Mavrck, and Socialix.
How to Make Money on Instagram With Gifted Partnerships
If you’re just getting started and would like to begin creating content for brands, then using platforms that offer gifted products could be helpful. This is not a long term answer to making money, but it is a great way to gain experience and begin to showcase your talents as a content creator.
There are a few platforms that also send gifted product campains such as Influenster, ApexDrop, and Heartbeat. Heartbeat does have paid campaigns but the pay rate is very low. If you’re just getting started you could definitely try it out to build out your brand content and to see if you enjoy content creation as a business.
You can also work with brands directly for gifted partnerships. As you begin to create content, you may have brands reach out to you offering free products, or perhaps they reply to your personalized pitch with a gifted offer. This is a great way to build a relationship with that brand for future partnerships! Julie’s Pitch it Perfect course also teaches how to flip a gifted offer into a paid collaboration, and when to pass.
How to Make Money on Instagram Through Affiliate Marketing
Another way to make money using Instagram is through affiliate marketing. Affiliate marketing is when you post a product link and earn a commission from the sale. The problem with affiliate marketing, is that if you don’t have a large following or hyper engaged audience, then you’re probably not going to make a ton of money getting started.
Some of the easier affiliate programs to start with are the Amazon Affiliate program and the Target affiliate program. The Amazon Influencer program requires a larger follower count than the initial Amazon affiliate program, but it is definitely worth applying for because you can create your own Amazon Storefront through the Amazon Influencer program showcasing all of your favorite products found on Amazon.
Click here to see my Amazon Storefront.
If a brand has an affiliate program, you can usually google search the, “Brand name + affiliate program” and find an application. Others will also have it listed at the footer of their websites. You will want to choose brands/companies that you already love so that it’s natural and easy to begin sharing the links on your Instagram.
There are also affiliate platforms like RewardStyle(LTK) and ShopStyleCollective that allow you to link products from a variety of retailers and earn a commission on the sales through your links. These programs are a little more exclusive than the Amazon and Target programs, as they work with more brands and are looking for quality content.
Now I know that Instagram is not the end all be all for making money online, but if you’re a mom like me and looking to start somewhere, this is a great place to start. I highly encourage my other mom friends that are content creators to start their own blog/website as soon as they can , but I know this isn’t ideal for everyone getting started. If you’re just getting started, or have been a content creator on Instagram for a long time, the Pitch it Perfect course is a way to take your Instagram business to the next level. Julie truly does give you all the tools to succeed in your creative endeavors on Instagram and other social channels.
Follow me on Instagram to see my online business up close and personal.
