How to make money with 1k followers on Instagram?

With over 1 billion monthly active users, Instagram has become one of the most popular social media platforms for individuals and businesses alike. While having a large following opens doors to various money-making opportunities, even accounts with 1,000 followers or less can monetize their platform.

If you have around 1k Instagram followers and want to start earning money, this comprehensive guide will walk you through the various ways to make money on Instagram with just 1,000 followers.

Leverage Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is one of the easiest ways to start making money on Instagram with a smaller following. As an affiliate, you earn a commission for promoting products or services. Here are some tips to make money through affiliate marketing with 1k followers:

Choose affiliate programs wisely: Opt for brands that align with your niche and content style. Good programs for beginners include Amazon Associates, ShareASale, ClickBank, etc.
Be strategic about placements: Link affiliate products naturally within relevant posts and Stories. Don’t force placements that feel promotional.

Create affiliate-focused content: Dedicate posts and Stories to reviewing or unboxing products. Include affiliate links for readers to easily purchase.
Leverage in-feed links: Instagram allows one affiliate link in bios and one in posts/Stories. Maximize your opportunities.

Small details like tagging the brand and using custom links can help boost conversions from your 1k following. Start small by promoting just a few affiliate products at a time.

Sell Your Own Physical or Digital Products

In addition to promoting other brands through affiliate links, you can also make money by selling your own products. Here are some tips for getting started:

Leverage print-on-demand: Create custom t-shirt, phone case, sticker, or poster designs that are printed and shipped on-demand when someone makes a purchase.
Sell digital products: Offer digital downloads like photo filters, Lightroom presets, social media templates, online courses, ebooks, graphics, and more.

Add a shoppable link: Tools like Linktree allow you to create a “link in bio” page to showcase your products.
Promote strategically: Share your products in relevant photos, videos, and Stories. Run occasional sales or promotions to boost visibility.

The key is creating products tailored to your audience and niche. With just 1,000 engaged followers, you can drive steady sales through organic and paid promotion.

Offer Paid Promotions and Shoutouts

Collaborating with brands through paid Instagram promotions is an effective money-making strategy. As an influencer with a niche audience, you can profit from:

Brand sponsorships: Get paid to promote a brand’s product or service through feeds, Stories, Reels, etc.
Dedicated shoutouts: Create Instagram posts, videos, or Stories focused on a brand and their offerings.

Takeovers: Allow a brand to “take over” your Instagram Story for a day to share their content.
Ambassador programs: Get free products or services and monetary compensation for ongoing partnerships.

The key is finding brand partnerships that are the right fit for your audience and aesthetic. Be selective, start with small collaborations, and gradually build your rates as your following and engagement grows.

Sell Instagram Shoutouts

In addition to working with brands, you can also make money selling shoutouts to other Instagram influencers, businesses, entrepreneurs, artists, and more. The process involves:

Setting shoutout rates: Consider factors like engagement rate, niche, and audience size when pricing your shoutouts.
Promoting availability: Share shoutout offers in Stories, posts, and your bio linktree.

Screening requests thoroughly: Only work with legitimate businesses and influencers aligned to your brand.
Fulfilling orders: Create quality shoutouts tailored to each customer.
Establishing packages: Offer bundles like 5 for $100 or tiered levels for different types of promotion.

With a 1k following, you can charge $10-$75 per shoutout and likely fulfill 1-2 paid promotions per week. Be consistent, deliver value, and gradually increase rates over time.

Monetize with Instagram Reels

Instagram Reels presents a variety of money-making opportunities. With 1,000 followers, you can earn income by:

Reels Bonus Program: Earn cash bonuses when your short videos attract views and engagement.

Instagram Native Content Ads: Get paid when brands sponsor your Reels.
Leveraging Original Audio: Earn royalties when others use your audio in their Reels.
Promoting Products: Tag brands and link affiliate products within shoppable Reels.

The key is creating fun, engaging Reels consistently. Use trends, challenges, audio, stickers, filters, captions, tags, and more to boost views and stand out in the Reels feed.

Offer Consulting Services

Monetize your expertise by offering paid consulting services to brands and individuals interested in leveraging Instagram. With a 1k following, you can consult on areas like:

Content Strategy: Help brands and influencers craft engaging, effective social content.

Hashtag Research: Use your industry knowledge to identify top-performing hashtags and strategies.
Account Audit: Review accounts and provide feedback on areas for improvement.
Analytics Review: Analyze data and offer insights on how to boost growth and engagement.

Caption Writing: Craft custom Instagram captions tailored to specific brands or niches.

Promote your consulting services through your bio link and Stories. Offer packages at different price points or charge hourly consulting rates.

Sell Your Photography

Instagram provides a platform to showcase and sell your photography. With a following of 1,000 engaged users, you can start generating photography income by:

Offering digital downloads: Allow followers to purchase your Instagram photos as prints, wall art, phone cases, etc.
Uploading to stock sites: Earn royalties when your photos sell on stock image platforms.
Promoting prints/photobooks: Share previews and purchase links for physical photo products.

Personal branding: Establish your unique style to attract potential clients.

Share your best work, use relevant hashtags, tag clients, and leverage shoppable posts and stickers to maximize your photography sales potential.

Teach an Online Course

If you have extensive expertise in a particular subject, you can generate income by teaching an online course. To get started:

Pick a niche topic: Choose something you’re passionate about and know inside-out.
Outline the curriculum: Break the subject down into lessons and modules.
Record videos: Create engaging video content for each lesson.

Build course portal: Use a site like Teachable to host your course.
Promote on Instagram: Share previews, testimonials, and enrollment links.

Offer various purchase options like one-time payments or monthly memberships. Even a small, targeted audience of 1,000 can drive significant course sales through consistent promotion.

Sell Your Art

Instagram provides artists and creatives an ideal platform to share and sell their work. With a 1k following tailored to art collectors and enthusiasts, you can monetize through:

Shoppable posts: Enable purchases directly through your Instagram feed.
Link in bio: Drive traffic to an external site showcasing your artwork.

Digital files: Sell prints, phone wallpapers, desktop backgrounds, and more.
Physical artwork: Share previews and purchase info for paintings, drawings, crafts, and other pieces.

Engage your niche audience by sharing your creative process, featuring customers, and collaborating with relevant brands. Limited edition drops or occasional promotions can also help generate art sales.

Become a Brand Ambassador

A brand ambassador partnership allows you to get paid to represent and promote a brand. As an influencer with 1k engaged followers, look for sponsorships with:

Relevant niche brands: Seek brands selling products your audience would genuinely be interested in.
Local businesses: Pitch smaller, local companies on an ambassador deal to promote their services in your area.

Startups: Newer brands are often looking to boost awareness and may offer compensation in exchange for promotion.

As an ambassador, you can earn free products, commission on sales driven, and even monetary compensation in exchange for sharing the brand through organic content and paid advertisements.

Earn Cash Back for Online Shopping

You likely already shop online for yourself – why not earn cash back for purchases you’d make anyway? As an influencer, you can leverage cash back apps and browser extensions, like:

Rakuten: Gets cash back for purchases made through affiliated retail sites.
Dosh: Earn cash back when you link your credit cards and shop at partner brands.
Lolli: Bitcoin rewards when you shop at participating online stores.

Honey: Find coupon codes, promos, and cash back offers as you online shop.

For purchases you’d make anyway, be sure to go through the cash back app or enable the browser extension. Over time, those small percentages can really add up, especially around the holidays.

Launch a YouTube Channel

Expanding onto YouTube opens additional income streams, and you can leverage your Instagram following for an initial boost. Ideas for getting started:

Repurpose content: Reformat Instagram content into YouTube videos to double-dip on your creation efforts.
Streamline creation: Record using your phone and keep editing minimal to publish videos consistently.
Promote on Instagram: Use Instagram feed, Stories, Reels, and captions to direct followers to your new YouTube channel.

Make money: Enable channel monetization to earn a cut of ad revenue from Google once eligible.

A YouTube channel allows you to earn from your short-form Instagram content, while also opening the door for lucrative long-form video projects.

Sell Related Physical/Digital Products

If your account centers around a particular topic, leverage your audience by selling complementary products, like:

Food/Recipe Account: Cookbooks, meal plans, kitchen tools, apparel, etc.
Fashion Account: Clothing, accessories, makeup, gift cards, etc.
Fitness Account: Activewear, equipment, supplements, training programs, etc.

DIY/Craft Account: Patterns, tutorials, supplies, materials, tools, etc.
Photography Account: Presets, guides, camera equipment, editing tools, etc.

Choose products tailored to your audience that enhance the value you already provide through content. Share affiliate links or create your own digital and physical products to sell.

Launch a Podcast

Podcasting represents an untapped opportunity for Instagram influencers to expand their brand and income streams. You can easily repurpose Instagram content into a podcast and promote your show to your existing audience.

Record and edit episodes using basic equipment like a USB mic and free editing software.
Launch your show on platforms like Buzzsprout, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, etc.

Promote new episodes organically through Instagram posts and Stories.
Earn affiliate commissions, sponsorships, and more as your podcast grows.

A podcast allows you to build a deeper connection with your audience and establish yourself as an authority in your niche. It also diversifies your income between multiple streams.

Get Paid to Post Sponsored Content

One of the most common ways influencers monetize is by creating sponsored posts and content in collaboration with brands. With a 1k audience, you can earn money through:

Sponsored Posts: Get paid to create dedicated Instagram feed posts promoting a brand.
Sponsored Stories: Add paid brand partnerships into your ephemeral Instagram Stories and Reels.

Paid Partnerships: Disclose paid collaborations transparently when promoting brands through regular content.
Reviews: Create sponsored reviews and unboxings of free products brands send you.
Takeovers: Let brands “take over” your Story or feed for a negotiated price.

Vet potential sponsors carefully for good alignment and start with smaller deals. Be transparent about paid partnerships and avoid over-promoting brands.

Sell Ad Space on Your Account

If you don’t want to collaborate directly with brands through partnerships, you can also sell ad space. This allows brands to provide you with pre-approved content to share on your feed and Stories.

Price your ad space: Factor in your engagement rates, niche, and audience demographics when pricing.

Communicate options: Share ad space availability through your bio link and Stories.
Review submissions: Ensure any supplied ads meet your standards for content and aesthetics.
Disclose as #ad: Transparently label any sponsored or paid-for content.

While selling ad space doesn’t align as closely with your brand identity, it provides a more passive income option from simply reviewing and approving content to share.

Participate in User Research and Surveys

Sharing your thoughts through online user research and surveys presents another relatively passive way for Instagram influencers to earn. Options include:

Survey Junkie: Take short surveys tailored around your demographics and earn points redeemable for cash.

dScout: Get paid for sharing thoughts through mini video diaries, interviews, and more.
User Interviews: Get compensated for your insights through remote user research studies.

Most opportunities only pay a few dollars, but it adds up over time. They also provide helpful exposure into new products and brands.

Join an Influencer Network

Joining an influencer network opens access to more partnership and campaign opportunities. As a member, you can earn income through:

Sponsored Content: Get matched with brands offering deals for sponsored posts and stories.
Ambassador Programs: Apply for long-term partnerships as a brand ambassador or spokesperson.

Product Reviews: Sign up for limited product testing and reviews in exchange for payment.
Giveaways: Participate in promotion for brands by distributing codes and free products to your audience.

Popular influencer networks include FameBit, obviously, Trend, Markerly, and more. Take time to explore opportunities and find brand deals that genuinely align with your audience and content style.

Conclusion

Growing and monetizing an Instagram following takes time, consistency, and strategy. But as the examples in this guide illustrate, you can start earning money from your account once you build an engaged audience of around 1,000 followers.

Focus on providing value to your niche through high-quality content and strategic partnerships. With the right approach, you can begin generating income from your passion and turn your side hustle into a full-time career.