Here’s my guide on how to make money just from posting on Instagram
When Instagram was just starting out in the early 2000s, there was a rise in influencers. For example, people like the Kardashians, who promoted Sugar Bear Hair. Now, the definition of influencer has completely changed; People with less than 5,000 followers can make a decent amount of money promoting brands, people like me! I currently have a little over 2,000 followers on Instagram and have partnered with brands like Madewell, Grubhub and Juicy Couture…and I got paid for all of them! Here’s a guide on how you too can make some extra money through your Instagram.
- Her Campus and its related companies
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Her Campus mainly focuses on article publicity, but its related companies connect college, Gen Z and millennial women to relevant brands. These companies are: Campus Trendsetter, College Fashionista and InfluenceHer Collective. Through these companies I’ve worked with Juicy Couture, Audible, Pinterest and, most recently, DivaCup. I’ve also connected with a network of women on Instagram and TikTok, where we support each other with engagement (likes, comments and saves.) You can apply directly on their respective websites and they get back to you within a month.
- Platforms made specifically for College Students
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An asset for many companies, in terms of marketing, is building their presence on college campuses. There are several companies which connect college students to several brands. As a representative of these brands, you would have to post on social media and sometimes host on-campus events. During the fall 2021 semester, I worked as a Madewell Influencer through Youth Marketing Connection. My responsibilities included posting photos every other week as well as weekly instagram stories and Tik Toks/Reels twice a month. This program also had an Ambassador position, which involved hosting monthly on-campus events in addition to social media posts. I’ve also worked with Grubhub and Olive and June through InternQueen, where I posted and represented the brand on campus and got paid hourly for it! Another company which connects college students to brands is Riddle & Bloom. I haven’t worked with them yet, but have heard great things about the company.
- Political and Social issues
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One of my favorite companies to work with is People First (formerly Main Street One). These posts focus on politics. I’ve done two posts regarding Senator Ron Johnson (to get him out of office) and a post encouraging people to get a pap smear. They also have posts related to the Covid-19 and flu vaccines. They are very generous in the amount they pay their influencers and are always open to negotiation.
- Use relevant hashtags
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I’m not one who takes their Instagram super duper seriously; I post what I want, but I do make sure I’m using relevant hashtags because that’s how brands find you and how you can grow engagement. I recommend researching what hashtags specific companies are following, as well as using a hashtag generator, which will give you relevant hashtags. I’ve worked with Blowfish Malibu twice doing a paid campaign and they found me through ambassador hashtags. Instagram limits how many hashtags you can use, so in order for you to optimize your appearance, make sure you use the maximum.
- Don’t be afraid to make videos
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One of the best ways to grow your account is to utilize reels. Reels tend to reach a broader audience, so you’ll end up with more engagement. Reels does this in the same way that Tiktok does, allowing you to see content from more people than just who you’re following. I’ve seen exponential growth in my own account as well as those that I manage after using reels. Reels can be anything from get ready with me, to your favorite recipes, to a day in your life. Plus, cross-posting on Tik Tok is beneficial for extra engagement.
Taking the leap into the world of influencer marketing can be intimidating, but through it, I have connected with an amazing network of people who support the things I do. Plus, I’ve been able to make a significant amount of extra money doing something I love.