Lesson 1 of 6 · all lessons
Ways to make money on Instagram
There are six common paths. Five of them end outside the app, on a store, a booking page or a brand's inbox.
Brand deals
A brand pays you, or sends a product, for posts that show it. You need a clear niche and a way for brands to reach you.
Affiliate links
You share a link to a product you use. When a follower buys through it, the shop pays you a commission.
Your own products
You sell something you made once, such as a guide, presets or a recipe e-book. Your store takes the payment and sends the file.
Paid calls and services
Followers pay for your time, such as a form check, a skin consult or a portfolio review. A booking page holds the slots.
Classes and events
You teach or perform, online or in a room, and people buy a seat on a ticket page.
Instagram's own programs
Gifts, badges and subscriptions pay you inside the app. Each one has its own rules.
Instagram's own programs and their rules
Instagram pays creators directly through tools in the Professional dashboard. Your account and content must follow Instagram's Community Standards, Partner Monetization Policies and Content Monetization Policies.
The Gifts rules come from Instagram's Gifts page. For the other tools, check the current rules on Instagram's eligibility page, because they change and differ by country.
These programs pay per gift or per view, so the money follows your reach. Pair them with a path you control, such as a product or a paid call.
| Program | What it pays for | Rules to know |
|---|---|---|
| Gifts | Viewers buy stars and send them as gifts on your Reels | A professional account, age 18 or older, at least 500 followers, a payout account and a country where Gifts is available |
| Badges | Fans buy badges during your Instagram Live videos | Listed on Instagram's eligibility page for each tool |
| Subscriptions | Followers pay each month for content only subscribers see | Listed on Instagram's eligibility page for each tool |
| Creator Marketplace | Brands find creators there for paid partnerships | Listed on Instagram's eligibility page for each tool |
Which path fits your account
Read your last 20 comments and DMs. The question people repeat tells you where to start.
| What followers ask | Start with | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Where is that from? | Affiliate links | A skincare creator links the cleanser from her routine Reel |
| How do you do that? | A guide, template or preset pack | A baker sells her sourdough method as a PDF |
| Can you help me with mine? | Paid calls or services | A fitness coach sells 30-minute form checks on video |
| When is the next one? | Classes or events | A florist sells seats at a December wreath class |
| Do you work with brands? | Brand deals | A podcaster offers one sponsor slot in each episode |
Brand deals need the most setup. The brand deals lesson covers the pitch, and the media kit lesson covers what brands read first.
The bio link where every path ends
Every path above needs one place to send people. On Instagram, that place is the link in your bio.
Instagram lets you add up to 5 links to your profile, in the app under Edit profile and Links. Lesson 6 has the steps.
A bio page gives every path its own spot behind one link. On More.You, a product block opens your store, a booking block opens your booking page, and a link block holds an affiliate link.
- 1Reel or postShows the result and names the offer
- 2Caption lineSays which button to tap
- 3Bio linkOpens your page
- 4BlockProduct, booking or link
- 5Store or booking pageWhere the follower pays
Theo Moves
Home strength training for busy parents
- BookingBook a 30-minute form check on video
- Product12-week home strength plan (PDF)
- LinkMy home gym gear (paid links)
- CollectionWork with me: media kit and past brand work
- FAQDo I need weights for the plan?
Caption and DM lines to copy
Put the offer in the first caption line. Instagram shortens long captions, so a line at the end is easy to miss.
Lines for posts, Stories and DMs
- Caption, first line
My 12-week home plan is the second button on my page. Link in bio.
- Reel, spoken at the end
Want the full routine? It's the first button in my bio.
- Reply to "where is that from?"
It's on my page under My skincare picks. That's a paid link, so I earn a small commission if you buy.
- Story text before the link
So many of you asked for this recipe. Here it is.
- Paid call offer
I have 4 form-check slots this week. Book one from my bio.
Mistakes that cost sales on Instagram
MistakeFive paths on day one
FixStart with the path your DMs point to. Add a second one when the first earns.
MistakeA bio link that opens your homepage
FixSend people to a page where the offer from the post sits at the top.
MistakeWaiting for a follower number
FixProducts and paid calls need buyers, not a count. Gifts need 500 followers, and the other programs set their own rules.
MistakeAffiliate links with no label
FixSay it is a paid link in the post and next to the link. The disclosure lesson has lines to copy.
Your task this week
- 1
Read your last 20 comments and DMs, and note the question people ask most.
- 2
Pick the path from the table that answers that question.
- 3
Add a block for it at the top of your bio page, and post one Reel that names it in the first caption line.
You are done when one post names your offer and the first button on your page opens it.
Questions
Can I get paid with 500 followers?
What are Instagram's monetization policies?
How do I get paid on Instagram?
How do I monetize Instagram Reels?
Read next
- Creator income streams
- Instagram creator subscriptions
- The Instagram affiliate program
- How to get brand deals
- Affiliate marketing on Instagram with posts, Stories and your bio
- Instagram for small business, from first post to first booking
- Your products in your bio, one tap from your store
- Clients book you from the link in your bio
