Affiliate marketing and Instagram marketing are both multibillion-dollar industries; combine the two, and you've got a rich side hustle on your hands. When their followers buy a product they've suggested, affiliate marketers on Instagram get rewarded.
Instagram is an excellent platform for affiliates, not only because half of all Instagram users buy every week, but also because the network's content formats—images, videos, and live streams provide the 360-degree perspective that most customers require before making a purchase.
This post will show you how to set up an Instagram affiliate marketing account, as well as seven ideas for increasing your commission.
How to Start Affiliate Marketing on Instagram?
Follow these three steps to set up your account for affiliate promotion before we get into how to make money on Instagram.
1- Switch to a Creator account
You'll need to convert your Instagram account into a Creator account to launch an affiliate marketing scheme on the platform. The steps are as follows:
- Open your Instagram account.
- Select Settings.
- Go to Account.
- Tap Change your account to a professional one and select Creator.
- Select the category that most accurately defines your affiliate market.
- Enter your contact information.
Bloggers, influencers, and content producers can use Instagram Creator profiles. It provides you with tools to help you expand your affiliate business on the platform, such as powerful analytics and streamlined communications.
By splitting your Instagram DMs, you can observe your follower growth, and audience demographics, and manage queries from those interested in your linked items.
2- Choose the right affiliate partners
To make money with affiliate marketing on Instagram, you'll need to find businesses that pay commissions on sales you make.
Start with one of two options:
- Affiliate marketing programs are a type of marketing that allows you to earn money Customers in various categories are encouraged to promote brands in exchange for a commission. Shopify, Amazon Associates, and the eBay Partner Network are all popular programs.
- Affiliate networks: Marketers can design personalized links, track commissions, and get payouts all from one dashboard using platforms like ShareASale, Rakuten, Awin, and CJ Affiliate. It's worth noting that various commission rates apply to different programs within a network.
While these two monetization options have the lowest entry barriers, you can grow your affiliate marketing business by proposing to work with businesses you're already familiar with.
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Approximately 80% of businesses collaborate with affiliates, while many high-ticket affiliate programs are by invitation only (or at least require some digging). You'll be able to get affiliate links to share on Instagram if you can demonstrate that you're already a committed client of the company.
3- Build your influence
When it comes to Instagram affiliate marketing, it's all about quality over number.
According to a Statista survey, Instagram influencers with fewer than 10,000 followers may charge over $193 per sponsored post, demonstrating that you don't need tens of thousands of followers to create a new cash stream using the app as an affiliate marketer. You only need a few individuals who are familiar with, like, and trust what you have to say.
The objective of Instagram affiliate marketing is to become an influencer in the eyes of your audience. Only then do you have a chance of getting them to click on your affiliate links.
The following are some suggestions for increasing your Instagram influence:
- When your target audience is online, post. If your followers aren't there to see your new Instagram material, it's pointless to publish it. In Instagram Insights, you can find the best times to post.
- Consistency is key. Help folks understand what to expect when they first click the Follow button. Sharing fresh material regularly provides followers additional opportunities to engage, which is a consideration taken into account by Instagram's algorithm.
- Mostly non-promotional stuff should be shared. Post largely non-promotional content to keep your content—and recommendations—credible. “I employ the one-in-20 philosophy, therefore just 5% of my postings are affiliate posts,” Marc Bromhall, the creator of Beginner Surf Gear, suggests. Any more than that, and you run the danger of losing your audience's confidence and credibility.”
- Choose a specialty. The idea is to become renowned in the industry where you sell affiliate items as a reliable source of information, news, or entertainment. Take, for example, Jake Thomas, the founder of Golden Hearts. He advertises golden retriever pet items, so it's no surprise that his Instagram profile is full of adorable dogs.
7 techniques for increasing affiliate sales on Instagram
The hard work doesn't stop once you've set up your Instagram affiliate account. Make the most of your Instagram revenue with these seven affiliate marketing ideas.
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1- Label Affiliate Products as a Paid Partnership
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued rigorous standards on how marketers must declare their affiliation with an associated brand in light of the rise in the number of Instagram users enticed to post items with their followers: “Readers have the information they need when the review has a clear and prominent statement of your relationship, and the reader can see both the review and the link at the same time.” ‘I receive compensation for purchases made through links in this post,' you may remark. Readers may not notice the connection if the disclosure and the link are separated in the product evaluation.”
Instagram just developed a tool to assist affiliate marketers in meeting the FTC's endorsement standards. The paid relationships label, as shown in Chantel Mila's Instagram post, shows that the affiliate marketer is compensated for sharing the brand's content.
But being honest with affiliate suggestions won't only get you into the good graces of the FTC. “I don't advocate you hide the fact that it's affiliate marketing, because then you come across as spam, misleading affiliate advertising, and promotions,” explains Lattice Hudson, founder of Lattice & Co.
“Be honest and fair with your [audience], building genuine relationships through genuine content.” They won't return if they just see a business motive—that you aren't looking out for their best interests.”
2- Create an Instagram Affiliate Storefront
Instagram announced new affiliate capabilities in June 2021, one of which is an in-app storefront for content producers utilizing the platform, comparable to the eCommerce brand's Instagram Shops.
From their profile, creators can display the goods with which they are affiliated. Affiliates may tag these goods from their Instagram feed to boost sales by using the View Shop page, which displays recommended products.
Although the Instagram affiliate stores tool is currently in development, it is anticipated to be available to US producers shortly. Meanwhile, experiment with the popularity of various affiliate items. When the tool is available to all authors, you'll be able to see which goods should be shown prominently in your affiliate storefront.
3- Add Affiliate Links to Your Instagram Bio
Instagram users frequently express their dissatisfaction with the fact that they are only permitted to post one link in their profile.
While Instagram listened and took this into account for Stories (more on that later), affiliate marketers have had to come up with workarounds to redirect Instagram traffic to their affiliate links.
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A landing page link aggregator is a common solution. Affiliate marketers may use tools like Linktree or Tap Bio to create landing pages with several affiliate links, such as this one from Lily Pebbles:
Lily shares the same link on all of her social media channels, encouraging her fans to jump between them using this landing page.
Lily's “Shop my favorites edit” link, on the other hand, connects Instagram followers to a section on her blog that showcases the fashion items she adores. Each one is supported by a RewardStyle affiliate link:
4- Create a Discount Code Story Highlight
Did you know that 88 percent of internet shoppers in the United States utilize promo codes? By posting discount coupons with your Instagram followers, you may include this in your affiliate marketing plan.
Instagram Stories are ideal for this. With over 500 million daily users, Instagram's Story format is one of the most popular, and affiliates may utilize the link sticker to direct people to items without having to use your bio link. (Instagram formerly limited the swipe-up function for accounts with more than 10,000 followers.)
Use Instagram Stories to share discount codes and take advantage of this direct connection opportunity. Use the link sticker to add affiliate links, as seen in this example from Sprocker Lovers:
Save your discount coupons to a Story highlight to take this money-making tactic a step further. Coupon codes will not expire after 24 hours if you do it this way. You may also monetize new visitors to your profile by displaying discount codes that they can use on linked items.
5- Record Product Demonstrations
When your Instagram followers know, like, and trust you enough to buy the things you promote, affiliate marketing works. Demonstrate how you utilize the software to help potential consumers achieve that without having to leave their Instagram feed in search of solutions.
This includes:
- For vlog-style videos, use Instagram Stories.
- Instagram Reels is a platform for sharing short, TikTok-style videos.
- Instagram Live is a live streaming platform that allows you to see product instructions in real time.
“The greatest Instagram affiliate material is often in the form of advice and real-life product implementations, not sales pitches,” explains BBQ Grill Academy CEO Hector Ruiz.
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“This is because a unique suggestion demonstrates to viewers that you enjoy the product or service you're promoting and how you utilize it in real life.” They will then click on the link to learn more about the product if they like what they see.”
💡 Product instructions work well in Instagram carousels, according to our experts. Break down each step into a photo or a short video and upload it to your Instagram page. Repurposing the information will not only give it more mileage, but carousels will also act as a more permanent spot to educate your audience about the items on which you'll earn a commission.
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6- Use Hashtags to Expand Your Reach
You'll need a steady supply of new Instagram followers to create an affiliate marketing business that provides passive money. More eyes on your material reduce the danger of audience fatigue, which occurs when individuals become weary of watching the same information over and over again.
Hashtags allow you to reach a larger audience with little effort. Instagram users may follow hashtags within the app, so even if they don't follow your account, your material may surface in their feed.
Begin your hunt for Instagram hashtags by looking at your competitors. Hashtags are often used by brands, bloggers, and publications to broaden their reach. For inspiration, look at the descriptions and initial comments on Instagram images they've posted.
There are additional platforms that display prominent hashtags in any certain business, such as:
Check that a hashtag isn't forbidden before adding it to your shortlist. Instagram has prohibited seemingly harmless keywords like #adulting, #beautyblogger, and #pushup. If you use them in your affiliate material, you risk being shadowbanned.
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Instagram Marketing 101: Using Hashtags, Stories, and More to Grow Your Business
7- Track Affiliate Performance
We previously discussed how an Instagram creator account grants you access to Instagram's Insights analytics function. Use this information to determine the effectiveness of your affiliate marketing activities on the platform.
The following are some key metrics to keep an eye on:
- Brand recognition is important. Discover how people find your material with Post Insights, whether it's through the Explore page, their feed, or directly through your profile.
- This is a profile activity. Check how many people click the link from your bio if you're directing followers to a link aggregation service.
- The percentage of people who are engaged. Examine this in terms of the affiliate product on sale, the sort of material, and the presentation. If tutorial-based Instagram Stories get more interaction than ordinary grid posts, give them more attention in the future.
Corroborate Instagram data with data from your affiliate marketing dashboard. While specific tracking (such as individual followers purchased) is difficult to get by, keep a watch out for:
- The most popular and least popular goods
- The conversion rate for affiliate items that have been promoted
- During moments of intensive Instagram promotion, affiliate conversions skyrocket.
Instagram Affiliate Marketing's Future
Instagram is continually improving its platform to make it more user-friendly for creators. That's fantastic news for affiliate marketers who use social media networks to supplement their income.
Switching to a creator account straight away, establishing affiliate partners, and growing your popularity can help you get off to a good start. Then you can start marketing affiliate items in a way that motivates others to buy them.
FAQ about Instagram Affiliate Marketing
Switch to a creator account to get started with Instagram affiliate marketing. Build your influence by acquiring new followers, then use Stories, Reels, and grid posts to advertise things that will pay you a commission.
For new marketers, affiliate networks offer the lowest entrance hurdle. Join an affiliate network like ShareASale and use the Instagram app to promote your partners' items.
When it comes to posting affiliate items on Instagram, it's more vital to have a high-quality following than a large number of followers. With fewer than 1,000 followers, you may start generating passive revenue on Instagram.
Instagrammers make money by sharing affiliate content on their profiles. They will receive revenue if someone purchases the product via their link. This percentage varies between 5% and 50%.
Instagram is the most likely to be used by many, which would give the opportunity to e-commerce companies to attract as many audiences as possible. I think it may also help with the marketing methods to generate more leads.
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