Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms in Kenya. According to statistics, 2.1 million Kenyans logged into Instagram in November 2020.
That number is expected to continue growing due to its popularity among the young and vibrant.
This means that you can make money from Instagram, not just by using it as a social media platform but also through marketing and advertising.
While there are several ways to earn an income from Instagram, we found the ones below to be the most effective.
Before we dive into the list, let’s answer one question that you are probably asking yourself;
How many Followers Do You Need to Make Money on Instagram?
Having a large following can help you make more money on Instagram, but it is not the only factor that will determine your earnings.
The number of followers you need will depend on how you plan to make money from your account.
For example, if you want to be an influencer marketer, you will need a lot of followers before brands or advertisers can notice you.
On the other hand, if you want to be an affiliate marketer, you will not need a huge following since you are only paid after a certain action is taken.
Additionally, the amount you earn may also depend on how active your followers are. Some with 20k followers who actively interact with their content will make more money compared to someone with 100k inactive users.
The secret is to create engaging content that can evoke comments, likes and even shares from your followers.
So, now you know how many or what kind of followers you need to make money, but how much can you really make?
Let’s quickly answer that below.
How Much Money Can You Make on Instagram?
The amount of money you can make on Instagram will depend on several factors. First, it depends on your experience as well as your level of expertise in marketing and advertising.
Secondly, how often you post on Instagram will also affect your earnings. Your followers engage more with your content when you post frequently.
Instagram’s algorithm also tends to place users that are active on top of the newsfeed.
The type of products or services you offer will also determine your earnings. If you sell products that are popular, for instance, beauty products, you might make more than when selling, say TVs which people only buy once in a while.
If you are an influencer, a copywriter, a graphic designer and so on, the amount you make will depend on the arrangement you had with the brand.
The bottom line is, you can make good on Instagram when you put in the right strategy and make sure you are doing the right thing. If you are known for fashion ideas, your followers will not take you seriously when you start promoting real estate products or you know… gas cookers?
Enough of that, let’s show you how you can make real money on Instagram.
How to Make Money on Instagram in Kenya
- Become an Affiliate Marketer
- Become an Influencer Marketer
- Sell Your Own Products and Services
- Become an Instagram Account Manager
- Include Sponsored Ads on Your Instagram Stories
- Become an Instagram Copywriter
- Design Instagram Graphics for Companies
1. Become an Affiliate Marketer
An affiliate marketer promotes other peoples products online and earns commissions when people make purchases using their affiliate links. This is different from an influencer marketer who doesn’t have to necessarily make sales in order to be paid.
You can easily create an Instagram account and then promote the product(s) by creating content that is relevant, simple and easy for your audience to understand.
The best way to make money on Instagram as an affiliate marketer is by identifying a niche with high interest among your audience.
You can also create reviews for specific products, like online courses, physical products or digital downloads then leave a link to purchase on your bio.
You don’t need a lot of followers to make money from affiliate marketing. Just be knowledgeable about the products you are promoting and you are good to go.
2. Become an Influencer Marketer
A social media influencer is someone whose opinion or popularity has a big impact on the market of a product, service or idea due to his/her large online following.
It’s very easy to make money on Instagram as an influencer because you just need to make quality and engaging posts about a product or service that you believe in.
Unlike affiliate marketing, you don’t have to directly sell a product and make sales in order to be paid. Just share valuable information about the benefits of using it and you will make sales naturally.
The best way to monetize yourself as an influencer is by partnering with brands who will pay you for posting their products on your pages or stories. Posting sponsored content is also a great way to make money on Instagram.
Remember that to be successful as an influencer, you will need a massive following of at least 100,000 followers who actively engage with your content.
3. Sell Your own Products and Services
This is another way to make money on Instagram where you can build an audience around your product(s) or service(s). The best ways to do this include; creating attractive pictures of the products, sharing a tutorial on how to use the product or service, giving discounts and then following up with your customers to sell more.
Instagram has made it fairly easy to sell your products online, simply by adding the “shop now” button on your bio.
Some of the easiest products to sell on Instagram include; books, music, beauty products, fashion items, digital products such as online courses and much more.
4. Become an Instagram Account Manager
This is another way to make money on Instagram where you help companies manage their Instagram accounts.
A lot of brands and businesses have social media managers whose job is to engage customers, create posts and also respond to customer concerns on the platform.
Another key component of this job is being creative as you develop strategies for the brand to make money from Instagram.
As an account manager, you will be paid based on how many followers the brand has or the number of engagements you have made in a month. You can also agree on a fixed fee per post or based on how many posts you will be producing each month.
5. Include Sponsored Ads on Your Instagram Stories
The introduction of Instagram stories in 2016 made it easier for brands to engage with potential customers and also run Instagram ads.
This means you can make money on Instagram by including sponsored ads in your stories. The first step is to create a compelling story that will get the attention of your audience.
Once you have done this, come up with a topic related to the product that your advertiser is promoting and ensure the content is interactive, engaging, and easy to understand.
If you have a huge Instagram following, you can make good money using Instagram stories. You can be paid a fixed fee or based on how many people view the ad.
6. Become an Instagram Copywriter
If you are good at writing, becoming an Instagram copywriter could be very lucrative for you. As a copywriter, you will simply be writing captions or posts for companies, brands, and businesses in order to build their Instagram audience and drive traffic to their sites.
The best way to do this is by coming up with engaging content that will encourage viewers to comment on your post or share it with other people. This will raise awareness about a company’s products and services.
Companies invest big money in Instagram advertising and they need great copies to help make their campaigns effective. That is why they are willing to pay top dollar for the best copywriters.
So, if you have a way with words and you can produce captivating stories and content, this could be a great way to make money on Instagram.
7. Design Instagram Graphics for Companies
This is another way to make money on Instagram where you create graphics such as logos or flyers for various companies in exchange for payment.
Usually, when a brand runs a campaign on Instagram, they want to accompany it with visually appealing graphics.
However, most are not willing to create these graphics themselves as they do not have the design skills. That is why they are willing to pay a designer or graphics creator to come up with these designs for them.
The best part of this method is that it’s very flexible as you can either create graphics on your own using a platform such as Photoshop.
You will need to have a good portfolio for this method to work as companies have the right to choose who will be creating their graphics.
The Bottom Line
Instagram is one of the fastest-growing social media platforms and many people are making huge money using the platform.
If you have good marketing skills, creativity, and a lot of free time, then you can also make money on Instagram in Kenya.
Even if you don’t have a huge following, there are ways to make some cash. The key is being creative and creating quality content.
