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There are over 500 million active users on Instagram and this social media platform has blossomed into one of the most bustling marketplaces in all history — the perfect place for seasoned merchants and startup endeavors alike.
There is much money to be made on Instagram. As a matter of fact, there are 5 important ways that you can begin to leverage your account and bring your winnings to the bank on this prolific photo-sharing platform.
So, let’s jump right in and begin learning more about how to make a living on Instagram with Blastup.
1. Become an Instagram Influencer
Anyone who has heard of Instagram has also heard of the many influencers that call Instagram home. But in case you have been living under a rock, influencers are those that have amassed a large following of loyal followers. This is accomplished by building a high level of trust with their captive audiences and using this trust to influence these followers to buy certain products and avail themselves of specific services just by making recommendations. This, naturally provides brands with the opportunity to reach new clients without having to revert to the hard sell approach.
So, how can you make cash from this? Big brands looking to market their products will partner up with specific influencers that help the company get the word out about their brand, products and services. If you would like to make this cut you will first need to build your Instagram account to the level of influencer. You can then make thousands of dollars for each sponsored post you make. All you will actually have to do is post a photo of you recommending the product in question and that’s all. Just imagine all the possibilities, if you can line up enough partnerships, you could be set for wealth.
But before you begin you will need to consider a content plan. Here is a word of warning, it can be tempting to take things too far and place sponsored ads in every other post. The result? You will lose your following as they will see that you have no interest in your followers and are only seeking to enjoy the profits. Never forget that your followers are real people and have gathered on Instagram primarily for social reasons like making friends and learning more about current trends. For this reason, when it comes to sponsorships, you should be very careful about the brands you choose to partner with and the posts you choose to make. Make sure the tone and spirit of your brands are in line with your own and shared with the following you have gathered. For example, an athlete would do well to follow sports brands and a tech-savvy engineer should promote technology — and not the other way around.
2. Sell Products Online
In addition to being a versatile social media tool. Instagram is also a well-appointed marketing platform where visitors can see a product, learn more about it and then shop and buy the product if they so choose. This makes it perfect for setting up an ecommerce business. As a matter of fact, you could conceivably set up your entire sales process right here. This means you could sell products that you create or manufacture yourself, or that you source from other manufacturers — which is an especially good idea if you don’t actually have anything to sell or you can’t be bothered with the minutiae of production.
Because Instagram is a free platform, you will be able to start up your business as small as you like and move on from there. Begin small with three products you feel strongly about and be on the lookout for trends and interests changing around you. You can then engage and observe as you begin to scout around for the best opportunity to present your products.
This is where resellers have a chance to make a killing, they can focus on selling while the producers do the tough work. Of course, the most important thing will be to choose items in which you are especially interested and know that other people also have an interest. You will then need to establish a plan with your supplier and purchase your supply in great bulk. This means you will be able to provide these options for your clients at rates that are far cheaper than what they will find for the same item at regular retail price.
Even if you don’t have an official website, you will still be able to accept the payments from your customers shopping on Instagram. There are even payment options that will set you apart from older boring shopping pages. On the other hand, if you are planning to go all out in your Instagram ads from the very beginning, you may want to consider getting yourself a high risk market account as they work better for handling greater volumes of sales.
3. Sell Dropshipped Items
If you would like to be a seller, but aren’t relishing the prospect of storage and inventory, you could consider dropshipping. All you will have to do is sell items on your Instagram account as you normally would and have suppliers do the shipping and packaging directly from their warehouse to the buyer’s location.
Many smaller businesses today are choosing to use the dropshipping plan because it is so convenient. The dropshipping business model is contingent only on clear communications and precise coordination. There are no region restrictions as you can ship all across the map and you can also travel as you see fit because there are no physical locations for you to keep track of. As long as you are efficient and can keep your client’s concerns as your top priority, you will be just fine.
It is a good idea to consider working with a reliable VPN provider. This will improve your communications, preserve your online activities and ensure that you are never blocked if you enter a place with high censorship.
4. Sell Your Own Content
At the end of the day, you should remember that Instagram is all about selling your own content. There are many ways that you can make money from content creation. If you are a photographer, artist, programmer or designer, you can use this advantageous platform to sell your content. Post captivating snippets and samples of your work on Instagram and direct your audience to follow a link to your main website where they can make a purchase. Instagram is also a great place to hold your portfolio and attract an audience.
5. Become an Affiliate
The final example in our post today is being an affiliate marketer. By integrating yourself in an affiliate program, you can market other people’s products and services and gain a cut from the profits. Just ensure they’ve a solid online reputation and product Some of these affiliate programs even have a pay-per-click campaign which will allow you to earn some cash each time a link is clicked.
Affiliates are like the cross between a seller and an influencer. You will use your influence to sell products to your followers and gain a commission for sales made to your partner brand. Affiliates make their money on Instagram by sharing a trackable link or by providing promo codes that ensure that sales generated from their participation convert into cash in their pocket.
The real game is getting people to click on these links and engage with your affiliate marketing plan. One good way to go about this is by creating engaging content that attracts an audience but is not too pushy. You can also place links in your bio and invite your audience to “learn more” about the products and/or services you are promoting.
