How to Make Money on Instagram Without Followers Fast

A lot of folks want to make money on Instagram, but they don't all have a huge following (yet). 

Sound familiar? If you’re in the same boat wanting to earn a side income (or even a full time income!) keep reading because we have some great news for you. 

You don't need millions of followers to make money with Instagram!  

Anyone can earn money with an Instagram account because it’s evolved into an incredible marketplace with over 2 billion monthly active users! 

With the right strategies, you can tap into this huge earning potential even as a small account. 

Let’s dive into how to make money on Instagram without followers!

Instagram's Monetization Landscape 

First, let's get one misconception out of the way - being an influencer with tons of followers isn't the only path to Instagram success.  

There are so many other creative ways to monetize an Instagram account now!  

From Instagram Shopping to affiliate marketing to offering your own services, small accounts have more options than ever to get their piece of the pie.  

The key is to get strategic and make the most of Instagram's built-in business tools.  

And, while admittedly, the title of this post might be a little deceiving, the truth is it’s easier to make income quickly now compared to when Instagram first started. 

What we mean by “make money on Instagram fast” is that you can implement so many strategies the same day you create your Instagram account. And, before you even have 10,000 followers - heck before you even have 100 followers - you can start making money. 

No more waiting until you’ve got 10,000 followers in the pipeline to monetize. 

Of course, that’s not to say everyone will make money on their first day. But, with some strategy, you can get eyeballs on your offers, and the more people see what you’ve got, the more sales you’ll make.

Setting Up Your Instagram Business Account

Before you start monetizing, you need to set your account up for success.  

The first thing you should do is switch to an Instagram Business account if you haven't already. 

This will unlock features like Instagram Shopping, contact buttons, and analytics. 

Optimize your profile by choosing a handle relevant to your niche, writing a bio that pitches your products or services, and adding a professional profile picture. 

Your bio is prime real estate, so make sure to include a strong call-to-action and link to your shop or website! 

Click here to learn more about the elements of a solid Instagram bio. 

Creating a Profitable Instagram Shop Without Followers

Instagram Shopping has been a game-changer for the world of ecommerce. 

You can now integrate your product catalog and allow users to shop directly from your photos and stories - no website needed!  

Even small accounts can set up a shop and sell products. The key is to choose the right products. 

Do your market research to find trending products with good profit margins. Consider your niche and what products your target audience would love. It's better to specialize than to offer a random assortment.  

You'll also need great product photos, persuasive descriptions, and a smooth checkout process.  

With a professional-looking shop and smart product curation, you'll be on your way to your first sale in no time.

A Quick Look At Affiliate Marketing on Instagram

Affiliate marketing is another smart way to monetize without a huge follower count.  

Here's how it works - you promote other brands' products and earn a commission on each sale made through your unique link.  

To get started with affiliate marketing on Instagram, join high-quality affiliate programs in your niche. 

Share these products authentically through photos, stories, Instagram Reels, and lives. When folks buy, you make money - no large follower count needed! 

The key is to only promote products you truly believe in and to disclose your affiliate partnerships for transparency.  

Sprinkle your affiliate links in your bio, stories, and Instagram Shop. When your followers make a purchase, you'll earn money!

Making Money as a Micro-Influencer

Don't write off influencer marketing just because you're starting small!  

Nano-influencers (1-10,000 followers) and Micro-influencers (10,000-50,000 followers) often see higher engagement rates than mega-influencers.  

These high engagement rates actually make these accounts super attractive to brands. In our post How Many Instagram Followers Do I Need to Make Money, we shared that you can earn $10-$500 per post without breaking a sweat! 

Start by picking a specific niche you're passionate about - whether that's sustainable fashion, plant-based cooking, or digital art.

Share authentic, valuable content consistently to build a dedicated following, even if it's small.

Brands love working with creators who have an engaged, trusting audience.

Also see: Get Paid Now: 5 Steps to Land Successful Brand Deals 

Reach out to brands that align with your values and aesthetic. Don't be shy about pitching yourself, even with a small amount of followers!

Many brands now look at engagement rates and content quality over pure follower count.

You can start with gifted collaborations to build your portfolio, then work your way up to paid partnerships. 

Pro Tip: Create a simple media kit highlighting your engagement rate, audience demographics, and best-performing content. 

This shows brands you're professional and serious about partnerships, regardless of your follower count. But, don't include any rates in your media kit. You could be leaving a lot of money on the table if you do. 

Remember - if you choose to monetize with brand deals, it's better to have 1,000 followers who absolutely love your content than 100,000 who scroll right past it.  

Focus on building genuine connections, and the brand deal monetization opportunities will follow!

You'll also need to disclose any and all sponsored content/sponsored posts. Not only is it good for transparency, Instagram actually requires it. 

Maximizing Instagram's Business Tools

To set your monetization up for success, you need to leverage all of Instagram's Business tools.  

Create content that educates, inspires, and entertains.  

Carousel posts tend to get high engagement.  

Get comfortable on camera and show your face - this builds trust! Use Reels, Stories, and Lives to connect with your audience and show your affiliate products or services in action.  

Make your Instagram content as professional-looking as possible, even if you're just using your phone. There are so many free editing apps now to level-up your visual game.  

Just as importantly, dive into your Instagram analytics often to track your click-through rates, shop views, and audience data.  

This will help you keep optimizing your strategy to boost your earnings.

Alternative Instagram Monetization Streams

Beyond Instagram Shopping and affiliate marketing, consider what other revenue streams you can add, like offering services or digital products. 

Maybe you're a jewelry designer who can offer styling consults or a marketing strategist who can sell Instagram caption templates. 

You can also maximize your revenue by setting up shop on print-on-demand platforms like Printful or Shopify. They'll handle the production, shipping, and customer service for you. 

Selling via dropshipping is another option - you can sell products without holding inventory yourself. Again, just make sure to only work with reliable suppliers and order samples to check quality. 

Marketing Without Followers 

Now, you might be wondering how you're going to market your offerings without a lot of followers.  

It's all about connecting with the right people. Let’s explore a few ways to get the word out about what your offers are: 

– Hashtags are going to be your best friend in attracting customers. Research niche and product-related hashtags and use them in every post to get discovered. The more visibility your Instagram account gets, the easier it is to make money.  

– Tag relevant accounts for the chance to get featured. You can also pitch potential partners such as influencers in your niche for collaborations and shoutouts - this is a great way to strategically expand your reach to their group of followers. 

– Comment on ideal customers' posts to get their attention. Maybe you’ll get lucky and they’ll click through to your Instagram profile right away. If nothing else, it will push your Instagram handle up in the algorithm because Instagram likes when people are active regardless of their follower count. 

– Host an Instagram contest or giveaway with an entry requirement to follow you and tag friends. Bonus points if you can convince a few influencers to partner with you on this giveaway.

How can you make money with a contest? Through sales via your profile and stories, of course. And, you could also turn this giveaway into a brand deal to earn money too!

Imagine your dream company sending you a free product that you can leverage to increase your number of followers. We've seen it happen, and it can happen for you too! 

At the end of the day, focus on providing value, showcasing your products or services, and engaging with your niche audience.  

With consistency, your Instagram account and income will keep growing.

Scaling Your Instagram Business

As your Instagram account and customer base grows, it's important to have systems in place so you can scale sustainably.  

This means investing back into your business - whether that's upgrading your equipment, hiring a virtual assistant, or purchasing a social media scheduling tool.  

Set growth goals for metrics like followers, monthly sales, and email subscribers.  

The more you can automate and streamline, the more you can focus on connecting with customers and expanding your offerings.

Use Instagram and Make Money Today

Instagram has opened up a whole new world of earning opportunities for creators and entrepreneurs in every niche. 

With these strategies, you can absolutely start monetizing your account and make money without a huge following.  

Yes, it takes work, experimentation, and consistency - but it's so worth it to turn your passion into profit.  

Our best advice? Just start. Choose one or two monetization strategies that resonate with you and commit to implementing them.  

Stay authentic, get creative, and focus on serving your audience. With every action you take, you'll be one step closer to Instagram success. 

You've got this! Now go get that money flowing and make your entrepreneurial dreams a reality.

And, if you want help with captioning things like your Instagram Stories and Instagram Reels, try Castmagic. Our AI-powered platform can help you make quick work of repurposing your long form audio and video content into social media-ready assets. Click here for a free trial!

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