9 Smart Ways to Make Money on Instagram (Even With a Small Following)

Let’s face it, Instagram isn’t just about selfies, posting your favorite lunch, or pictures of your dog. I mean it is, but it’s also a serious money-making machine for creators, influencers, and businesses.

It’s especially great for those looking to escape their 9-to-5.

Like me!

If you’ve ever wondered how to actually make money on Instagram, this post breaks it down in a no-BS, easy-to-follow way. Whether you have 500 followers or 50,000, there’s a strategy here for you.

This one’s great for beginners.

You promote a product or service using a special link, and when someone buys through your link, you get a commission.

Amazon is one of the most famous companies offering affiliate opportunities, but there are thousands of companies where you can become their affiliate.
You can drop affiliate links in your bio, use a “link in bio” tool, or even share them through Stories (hello, link stickers).

Example: You can link a pet food/toy that your dog likes that is available on Amazon. 

Pro tip: Stick to stuff you actually use because your audience can tell when you're faking it.

This is possible if you already have a big following or if you end up gaining a lot of followers.

Once your channel is kind of big, brands will most likely reach out to feature their products in your posts or reels. Or if you are brave enough, you can reach out to them and offer to promote their products on your account for a fee. 

And no, you don’t need 100k followers to get sponsorship deals. Micro-influencers (under 10k) are in high demand because of their strong engagement rates.

How to get started: Pitch brands directly via DM or email. Check out people who have similar accounts to yours and see which brands they are promoting. Then reach out to that brand and see if they are willing to work with you as well.

This is where passive income starts happening.

You can create a variety of digital products like ebooks, templates, planners, PDF guides, etc., that people can purchase and download.

I did this with my e-book, Only Regrets (except my e-book is FREE!). Instead of selling it, I am giving it away in return for people’s emails so I can build a following of people who will enjoy my content.

You don't have to be a graphic designer or pro. Using programs like Canva or Reedsy, templates are provided where you can just drag and drop.

Bonus: Once you create a digital product, it sells itself 24/7—no packing, no shipping. If it’s good and useful, it will continue to sell without any kind of input from you.

Instagram is a great showcase for your talent. Whether you’re a coach, freelancer, artist, dog walker, carpenter, or consultant, use your profile to show off your skills and direct people to your services.

There is bound to be someone with less skill or experience than you who is willing to pay a little to get your services. 

Examples:

• Social media management

• Virtual assistant work

• Resume writing

• Language lessons
  
  

Tip: Make your bio clear with a call to action like “DM to book” or a link to your booking page.

If you sell physical products, handmade goods, art prints, or even dropshipping items, you can set up an Instagram Shop.

It lets people browse and buy directly inside the app.

I have not tried this and don’t know much about it since I don't sell physical products, but it has been doing great for small businesses who create interesting, customized, or unique products. My Instagram feed is always filled with people selling customized pet products, for example.

Platforms like Shopify or Etsy can sync directly with your Instagram account as well.

This is huge right now. You don’t need a following at all.

Just create content (photos, videos, testimonials, etc.) for brands to use in their ads and marketing.

Brands are constantly looking for authentic-looking content, and they’ll pay you to make it.

Though it is quite lucrative right now, I am still hesitant to try this, as it seems that there is probably so much competition makes it hard to make money to start.

You need to sign up on UGC platforms like Billo or Trend.

To be honest, this is more suited for those who are good-looking, young, and know trends.

So maybe that ship has sailed for me. 

Meta (the company that owns Facebook and Instagram) now lets creators offer paid subscriptions. Fans pay monthly to get exclusive content like behind-the-scenes Stories, exclusive Lives, private chats, etc.

Great for creators with tight-knit communities or niche content (fitness, art, education, lifestyle). This is probably something to aim for once you have a strong community of fans who love your content and are craving more!

Instagram is like a gateway drug; you can use it to pull people into your monetized world.

Got a blog with ads or affiliate links? YouTube with monetized videos? Course site? All these things can be advertised for free via your Instagram. 

Tease content on Instagram and send people to your money-maker. Especially if you are doing courses or special affiliate programs.

A mini clip or image of what your offer can entice people to go check out the full video or course. 

Tools to help: Rather than putting tons of links in your bio, something like Stan Store or Linktree can send people from your Instagram to a variety of different sites or links you have set up. 

This would be really good if you are a good writer or produce excellent content that might be a little too risque for Instagram.

For example, many people who write true crime or explicit romance stories might ask people to support their newsletter on a Substack or Patreon account to get exclusive content. 

I used to have a Patreon when I was "kind of" popular on YouTube. Some of my videos about crime or love hotels would lose monetization. Luckily, I did have a Patreon, and at one point, I had almost 50 people supporting me every month.

Some would pay as little as $1 a month, while others gave $50. It was way more money than I would ever make from YouTube revenue.

You don’t need to be famous. You don’t need a perfect feed. You don’t even need thousands of followers.

What you do need is a plan and the courage to put yourself out there. Instagram is just a tool.

The real power comes from how you use it.

Whether you're trying to build a side hustle or go full-time digital nomad, Instagram can absolutely be part of your toolkit.

Here is my personal Instagram and a new Instagram account I created for my faceless YouTube channel, Quickapedia.