6 Simple Tactics to Profit from Instagram with Affiliate Marketing
Gone are the days when Instagram was just a social media app for sharing important moments and pleasant memories. Now it is a powerful global platform that helps brands present the product, engage their audiences and drive sales in a simple, user-friendly manner.
Since the launch in 2010, the number of Instagram users has steadily grown year after year, hitting a staggering number of 800 mln monthly active users by now, according to TechCrunch. With such a vast audience, the platform offers ample business opportunities both for big brands and smaller independent companies.
WHY IT’S A GOOD IDEA TO DO AFFILIATE MARKETING ON INSTAGRAM
The following stats speak volumes. As much as 8 mln business profiles and over 1 mln advertisers are currently registered with Instagram. Businesses take the solution seriously as it has one of the highest engagement rates among the social platforms. It outranks Twitter, LinkedIn, Snapchat and any other popular social networks, ranking #2 right below Facebook. With that said, if you want to keep up with the pace of the times you should harness the power of Instagram marketing, the sooner the better.
Doing affiliate marketing on Instagram has its peculiarities, but the key idea remains the same – you don’t need to sell your own products, being able to promote someone else’s goods and get a commission for each transaction. It takes a few simple steps. Sign up to an advertiser that has an affiliate program and enroll with it. Look at your Instagram profile analytically and decide if you’d like to use a personal account or launch a separate one to earn money through Instagram. Bear in mind that personal accounts seem more trustworthy and credible. Polish your account, come up with a catchy caption and attach a link to a profile. Ready? Now it’s time to make some money.
Here are 6 ways Instagram can help you make a killing with affiliate marketing. Let’s jump in!
1. Build the Following
Can you boast a solid number of followers? If not, it’s high time to work on it. Stay away from fake followers and bots as they could undermine the genuinity of your Instagram profile and cause a very unpleasant user experience. Your task is to attract dedicated followers who will truly like and trust you. With these quick social media marketing tips in play, you will easily get things done.
- Be consistent and stick to your niche
- Post actively – at least once a day
- Always follow back
- Promptly respond to comments and message requests on Instagram direct
- Interact with other Instagram users to get noticed
2. Cash in with Sponsored Content
It is a viable option to promote products if done right. Start with photo ads as they are the most common type of content on Instagram. Since it’s a visual platform by its nature, do your best to craft a photo that could move the needle with the audience. It should present the promoted product in the most favourable light.
The same holds true for video ads. As Mediakix reports, sponsored videos are commented on three times more than sponsored photos. Once uploaded, your post will be labeled ‘Sponsored’ and will show up in the news feed of those users who fit the profile to be the most interested in your offer. This way, Instagram aims to preserve the seamless look and feel of the feed, so that users are more willing to engage with it.
Plus, leverage Instagram Stories, as they are known to be an effective business tool. They allow placing the links of the promoted products on a video. If a customer taps on the affiliate link, they will be redirected to the advertiser’s website where the products are available to buy. Don’t forget to add the location and hashtag stickers to raise the discoverability of your Instagram Stories.
3. Boost Sales with Instagram for Business
As you might already know, Instagram has made it possible and easy to switch between your personal and business accounts. Setting up a business profile has a number of advantages. It allows you to get access to real-time analytics and view the engagement metrics on particular posts. Users, in turn, can reach out to you by tapping the Contact button and taking a specific action afterwards, like making a call or sending you an email. In 2016, Instagram rolled out a new option for business accounts – Instagram for Business. It’s a great way to put the promoted product in front of your target audience in a few simple steps. Upgrade your business profile to Instagram for Business. Create a compelling, eye-catching post featuring the product. Select the target audience, budget, promotional content, CTA, and duration of the promotion. Once it’s done, you will see the button “Promote” under your post and be able to start running your ad on Instagram!
4. Use Hashtags to Drive More Engagement
Like them or hate them, hashtags make a difference. They improve the discoverability of posts and drive likes and comments. The key point here is relevance. Use the hashtags that correspond to your niche. Carry out research and pay attention to the tags your competitors use in their posts. Incorporate some branded hashtags to raise awareness, like the name of the promoted product or any other related tag. Let your creativity flow. Instagram allows to use up to 30 hashtags per post, but be careful not to go overboard. The optimal number of hashtags for maximum engagement is 11.
5. Learn Customers’ Needs and Wants with Customizable Polls
Finally it’s possible to find out what your audience wants. There’s no need to go outside and ask pedestrians for their opinion. With a recently launched interactive poll sticker, which is part of the Instagram Stories, it’s way easier. Want to collect feedback on the promoted product or gather more ideas from the audience? Create a survey in one tap! Ask a question and give two answers to choose from. Check out the statistics to see the votes. The poll will last for 24 hours. If needed, fine-tune your affiliate marketing campaign according to the results obtained.
6. Incentivize Prospects with Coupon Codes
Customers love promotions and deals. Instagrammers are no exception. What’s the point to paying the full price if you can get a couple percent off? Offering coupon codes is a good way to increase your following and generate more sales. There’s good news for affiliates who want to run exclusive coupons without providing a specific link. Some coupon codes don’t require a click to be tracked by affiliate networks.
As an e-commerce platform, Instagram holds untapped potential for affiliate marketing. It can help you significantly grow the user base and generate massive revenue streams. Make sure to master the art of Instagram marketing if you want to take your business to the next level.
Looking for more affiliate marketing insights? Stick around, we’ll be right back soon!
thanks for creating Great Post. its help me very much
<a href="https://learncoading.com/earn-from-affiliate-marketing/"for more..
Great blog post and really useful information! We gain from that and use them with managing customers Instagram account So make sure to check our link in name. This really helps us to improve our and customers engagement rate for about 15% more.