Instagram is one of the most widely used platforms. With its growing user base, it makes sense to take advantage of Instagram to earn money online. However, one might get confused with all the monetization rules of Instagram.

Don’t worry, that’s what we are here for. Through our detailed guide, you will get key insights into Instagram’s monetization policy and exactly what is the minimum follower base you need to earn money from Instagram. So, to get a detailed idea, keep reading this article. 

Why Use Instagram to Make Money?

As of January 2024, there are 1.2 billion users on Instagram. That’s a huge market for any product you are willing to sell. Therefore, if you want to get serious about social media marketing then not considering Instagram will be a serious mistake. 

With its wide followers, you can have more reach and build up a following base easily. Besides, having a follower base can also lead to exciting opportunities in terms of branding and advertisement. 

But even if you don’t have many followers, it is still possible to earn money from Instagram. But before diving deep into the techniques of earning money from Instagram, it is important to know how many followers you need. 

How Many Followers Do I Need to Earn Money on Instagram?

There is no strict numerical limit or range from which you can earn money on Instagram. You can earn significant money from as little as 10,000 followers. Influencers with a follower range of 500 to 10,000 are nano influencers and they earn somewhere between $10 to $100 per post. 

Instagram offers various monetization opportunities for influencers, including incentive programs like Reels Bonuses. But to access features like Badges, a tipping tool for IG Live, creators need a minimum of 10,000 followers. 

However, these programs may have restrictions based on location, require creators to be at least 18 years old, and necessitate accounts to be registered as business or creator accounts. 

It's important to note that while these opportunities enable more creators to earn a living on Instagram, achieving a full-time income may not happen immediately for many.

If you have less than 10,000 followers the best option is to earn money through commissions from sales in affiliate marketing. 

Don’t worry, you don’t need 1,00,000 followers to earn money on Instagram. 

Following are the reasons why

Rise of Nano and Micro-Influencers: Brands are increasingly collaborating with "nano" and "micro" influencers, who typically have follower counts up to 100,000. 

These smaller influencers showcase the impact of niche and engaged communities on Instagram, where authentic engagement prevails over fake followers. Such collaborations can yield influencers hundreds to thousands of dollars.

Investment by Meta (Instagram's Parent Company): Instagram, owned by Meta, made a significant investment of $1 billion in content creators in 2021. This investment is part of Meta's larger initiative to support influencers financially. 

Additionally, Instagram introduced a creator-brand marketplace in 2022, providing a platform for sponsorships and further opportunities for influencers to monetize their content.

Link Sticker Feature: Instagram's widespread rollout of the link sticker in 2021 has made sharing affiliate links more accessible. This feature simplifies the process of influencers including affiliate links in their content.

How to Make Money on Instagram with 500 Followers

The good news is that you can make money from Instagram with just 500 followers. But it will be more challenging in comparison to someone with 300,000 or even 30,000 followers. 

Following are some of the methods to make on Instagram with around 500 followers. 

Affiliate Marketing

Making money through affiliate marketing on Instagram involves promoting products to your followers and earning a commission on sales made through your unique affiliate link or code. 

To start, switch to a creator or business account on Instagram, find affiliate partners or businesses to collaborate with, and then promote their products to your followers. You can share affiliate links in your stories, provide personal discount codes, and highlight your brand and products.

Instagram is an excellent platform for affiliate marketing because of its diverse content formats, allowing you to give your followers a comprehensive view before they decide to make a purchase. 

Moreover, Instagram is widely used for shopping, with 44% of all users shopping on the platform every week. This makes it an ideal space for affiliates to connect with potential customers and earn commissions through their promotional efforts.

Affiliate Linking

Using affiliate links can be a great way to make money from your Instagram account. To get started, you'll need to become part of an affiliate network. Once you're a member, you can add links to different products.

These links can be shared in your stories or posts, guiding your followers to the products and giving you the potential to earn money. Although it might take some time to see significant rewards, consistently using affiliate links can pay off over the long run.

It's crucial to disclose these links properly to ensure transparency with your audience. You have several options for incorporating affiliate links into your Instagram account.

Sell Your Products

Boosting your sales and expanding your audience is made easier by selling your products on Instagram. 

With over a billion users globally and an average daily usage of 145 minutes per person, Instagram is a widely popular social media platform. 

It provides a user-friendly space for selling products, allowing creators to directly engage with their followers and build meaningful relationships.

To start selling on Instagram, you can switch to a creator or business account, set up an Instagram shop, create shoppable posts, aim for the explore page, explore live shopping, and utilize Instagram ads. 

Collaborating with influencers, using product tags, curating user-generated content, and employing videos to showcase your products are also effective strategies.

Instagram Shopping, the platform's social selling solution, transforms your profile into a personalized shopping experience. 

Approved accounts gain the ability to tag products in posts, Reels, and Stories, providing a seamless and branded shopping experience for your followers. 

This feature enhances your selling capabilities on Instagram and helps you connect with potential customers more interactively.

Sell Niche Service

The fastest way you can grow and earn good money from Instagram is through selling niche services. Think of it this way, you are one of the few dedicated or specific accounts selling the service.

It will boost your account’s follower base and also ensure you sell services to earn more money. 

For example, you provide courses on astrophotography. It is a difficult task that requires camera gears, a telescope, editing software, and also knowledge of Astronomy. 

This can be quite an exclusive hobby for some people and if you provide a course on astrophotography, you will have a following base in no time and earn a lot of money. 

Once you set up your huge following base, it is time to capitalize on that and lead them to your eCommerce platform if you have any. If you don’t then you need to start working on one. 

Don’t worry, you don’t need to know a single line of code to build an eCommerce platform. This is what platforms like Crowdfundly are here for. 

Crowdfundly is a platform that will help you sell memberships, have a smooth transaction, and sell any digital product. 

On top of that, you don’t need to worry about building your site from scratch. Here’s why we recommend you use Crowdfundly: 

FAQs

How Many Followers on Instagram Do You Need to Make $1000 per Month?

You need around 10,000 followers if you want to make $1000 per month. This is not a fixed number. In some cases, you can earn more with that follower base while in some cases less. But having around 10,000 followers will help you get to $1000 per month. 

How to Get More Followers on Instagram?

To get more followers on Instagram, focus on quality first and then quantity. There is no strict timeline for posting. You post when you have to post but make sure that the content quality is good and adds value to your followers. This along with regular posting per day will ensure a steady growth of followers in your Instagram account. 

Is 10 Followers a Day Good? 

10 followers a day is good if you are looking for steady growth in your account. If you are looking to earn money in a quick time then you need to optimize your posts in terms of quality and quantity for quicker growth. But if you are in for a longer time, then 10 followers a day if consistent, is a good sign. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, you can make money on Instagram with 500 followers. But it is a challenging task. However, with our guide, you can make it happen. All you have to do is follow the steps properly. With proper planning and consistent effort, you can easily make money from your Instagram platform.