How to Earn Money on Instagram as a Total Beginner (Even with 0 Followers)

This post is all about how to earn money on Instagram — without needing a blue check, a ring light, or 10,000 followers.

If you’re going to spend hours scrolling anyway, you might as well get paid for it, right?

Grab your iced coffee, move the cat off the keyboard (Darren, I’m looking at you.) and let’s turn your scrolling habit into a side hustle that actually earns you cold hard cash.

Method 1: Check Your Monetization Status

Before you start rolling in Reels money, you’ve gotta know which money-making tools Instagram has already unlocked for you.

Here’s how to check (takes about 30 seconds):

1. Go to your Instagram profile
2. Tap Professional Dashboard → Monetization

You’ll see a list of monetization options — things like Reels Bonuses, Subscriptions, Gifts, or Badges.

If something’s locked, don’t panic — it just means you need to meet a few more requirements (like follower count or engagement).

Even if you’re not eligible yet, you can still make money with Instagram fast through other options like affiliate links, digital products, or brand collaborations (we’ll get to those).

Boss Babe Tip:
If you don’t see “Monetization” in your dashboard, you’re probably still on a personal account. If that’s the case:

Switch to a Professional (Creator) account:

• Go to your profile
• Tap the three lines → Settings → Account Type → Switch to Professional Account

It’s free, it looks more official, and it unlocks all the good stuff (insights, analytics, and access to monetization tools).

Basically, this is your “is-the-cash-button-on?” step — and it’s the first thing you should check before diving into any online ways to make money through Instagram.

Method 2: Go Live and Earn Badges or Gifts

Okay, now for the fun part — getting paid to chat.

Yes, seriously. When you go Live on Instagram, your followers can literally tip you in real time.

Here’s how it works:

• Badges are little hearts people buy and send during your live videos. Each heart = money.
• Gifts are similar, but they’re used on Reels instead of Lives. Followers can send you virtual “gifts” (worth real cash) to show support for your content.

Both are built-in ways to make money with Instagram fast — and the cash comes straight from your audience.

What You’ll Need

To qualify for Badges or Gifts, make sure you:

✔️ Have a Professional/Creator account
✔️ Are 18 or older
✔️ Have 500–10,000 followers (requirements vary by feature and country)

Once you’re eligible, you can go Live whenever you want — even from your couch — and start earning while you talk, answer questions, or show behind-the-scenes moments.

Pro Tips for Going Live That Actually Make You Money:

• Go Live weekly so your audience expects it (ex: every Sunday night).
• Plan a theme — Q&A, tutorials, or chill hangouts work great.
• Announce it early in your Stories so people show up ready.
• Engage constantly — say hi, use their names, and thank people for sending badges.

If you’ve ever thought, “I wish I could get paid just to chat,” this is literally that.
The best part? You don’t need to be an influencer — just a friendly face showing up consistently.

Method 3: Offer Subscriptions or Memberships

If you’re tired of hustling for one-off sales and want predictable income every month, subscriptions are your new best friend.

Basically, it’s where your followers pay you a few bucks every month for exclusive content — think of it like your own little VIP lounge inside Instagram.

What You Can Offer

If you’re wondering what kind of exclusive content people would actually pay for, try these ideas:

✔️ Extra budgeting tips (like how you actually stretch $100 of groceries into meals for the week)

✔️ Behind-the-scenes mom life (unedited chaos = relatable gold)

✔️ “How I really make money online” tutorials

✔️ Beauty or outfit breakdowns (the stuff that doesn’t make it to your feed)

✔️ Self-care pep talks or weekly accountability check-ins

The key? Keep it personal, helpful, and a little unfiltered. People pay for access, connection, and shortcuts — not perfection.

How to Set It Up

1. Go to your Professional Dashboard → Monetization → Subscriptions (if available).
2. Set your monthly price — somewhere between $2.99 and $9.99 works best.
3. Post about it like you would any launch:
   
   – Share what’s inside.
   – Explain the benefits (“learn how to make money w/ Instagram step by step”)
   – Tell them how to join (“hit the purple ‘subscribe’ button!”).

Subscribers will get a little crown icon next to their name in comments and DMs — so yes, you’ll know your VIPs.

Not Eligible Yet?

No problem! You can still set up memberships off-app using:

• Stan Store (my fave — it never takes a cut of your sales)
• Patreon (good if you already have a fanbase but charges fees)
• Ko-fi (simple and beginner-friendly)

Just add your link to your Instagram bio and promote it the same way you’d promote a new post.

Stan Store also lets you sell digital products, courses, and affiliate links all in one spot — so if you’re serious about turning your page into a business, that’s your home base.

Subscriptions = freedom.

They turn your casual scroll-time into steady, rent-money-pays-itself income.

Method 4: Make Money with Affiliate Marketing

Now let’s talk about the bread and butter of beginner-friendly Instagram income — affiliate marketing.

This is where you recommend a product, someone clicks your link, makes a purchase, and boom — you get a commission. No product to ship, no customer service to handle — just your link and a little bit of strategy.

How to Start Affiliate Marketing (for Beginners)

1. Pick products you already use or love.
   
   Think skincare, planners, kitchen gadgets, or the budget tracker that keeps you from crying at checkout.
   
   
2. Join an affiliate network.
   
   Here are a few solid options for anyone who wants to make money online fast:
   
   
   • Amazon Associates: Easiest to start, pays 1–5%.
   • Levanta: Connects you directly with Amazon sellers and pays up to 20–30% per sale (this is the real game-changer).
   • Impact Radius or ShareASale: Great for lifestyle and fashion creators.
   • ClickBank: Perfect for digital products and side-hustle content.
     
     
     
3. Grab your affiliate links.
   
   Every product you choose will have a unique tracking link — that’s how you get paid.
   
   
4. Add those links in all the right places:
   
   
   • Your Instagram bio (via Linktree or Stan Store)
   • Stories with “Link” stickers (“Tap here for my favorite planner!”)
   • Reels or posts — just say “link in bio!” in your caption or voiceover
   • Highlights — pin your best affiliate recommendations permanently

Example Reel Formula That Converts

Here’s how to create a simple affiliate Reel that sells without being spammy:

Hook: “This $12 planner literally saved my brain and my budget.”
Show: Film yourself flipping through it or using it.
Explain: “I use this to plan my bills and meals for the week — it’s linked in my bio!”
CTA: “Follow for more easy ways to make money online from home!”

Done. No weird sales voice, no begging — just authentic sharing that builds trust and commissions.

How Much Can You Make?

It depends on your consistency and content type.

• Small accounts (under 5K followers) can earn $100–$300/month
• Medium accounts can reach $1,000+/month with consistent Reels and link clicks

The more valuable your recommendations, the faster it grows.  Use a free site like Bitly.com to shorten your affiliate links and track how many clicks each post gets.

Affiliate marketing is one of the most legit ways to make money with Instagram because it doesn’t require followers to buy from you — they’re buying through you.

And once you start seeing those little commissions drop into your account? You’ll never scroll Instagram the same way again.

Method 5: Get Paid for Brand Deals

Let’s get one thing straight — you do NOT need 100K followers to land paid brand deals.
You just need engagement and personality.

Brands today care way more about how connected you are with your audience than how big your following is. So if your comments look like “omg I needed this!” instead of tumbleweeds? You’re already ahead of the game.

Where to Find Brand Collabs

Here’s where you can actually apply for paid brand partnerships (no manager or fancy resume needed):

• Aspire IQ: Great for beginner and mid-size creators.
• #Paid: Connects creators with brands ready to pay for Reels, TikTok’s, or stories.
• Octoly: Lets you request free products in exchange for sponsored content — perfect if you’re just starting.

You can also apply directly through Instagram’s Creator Marketplace.

Go to your Professional Dashboard → Creator Marketplace, set up your profile, and wait for brands to slide into your DMs (legit ones, not the sketchy “Hey boss babe, DM to collab” ones).

Add a “Partnerships” highlight to your profile.

Here’s what to include:

• Past collaborations (even if unpaid — they show initiative)
• Testimonials or screenshots of engagement
• A “Let’s Collab!” story slide with your contact info or Stan Store link

This screams: “I’m professional, organized, and totally open for business.”

Because let’s be honest — brands don’t want to chase you. They want to work with someone who looks ready.

Boss Babe Tip:
When pitching, include your stats — reach, saves, and engagement rate — not just your follower count. That’s what gets you paid.

Method 6: Earn Bonuses (When They’re Offered)

Okay, this one’s quick but important.

Every once in a while, Instagram will randomly drop limited-time bonuses for creators — like “Reel Play,” “Seasonal Bonus,” or “Performance Payouts.”

These are basically Instagram saying:

“Hey, post Reels this month and we’ll pay you extra for views.”

Sounds dreamy, right?

Here’s the catch — they’re invite only.

So, you’ll want to:

1. Check your Professional Dashboard → Bonuses regularly.
2. Keep posting Reels consistently (Instagram tends to reward active accounts).
3. Watch for notifications tied to holidays or trending events — like Black Friday, New Year’s, or major updates.

If you ever get that “You’re invited!” message — take it immediately.

They’re often short-term, but they can easily add a few hundred (or thousand) dollars to your month.

Keep a “bonus-friendly” mindset — even if you’re not invited yet, posting often and engaging with your audience raises your odds of being chosen next round.

It’s one of those blink-and-you-miss-it chances to make money with Instagram fast, so don’t sleep on it.

Method 7: Sell Digital Products

Now we’re talking true boss-energy income.

This is where you create something once, and it keeps making you money — even while you’re binge-watching Netflix or napping with your dog.

Why Digital Products Are the Ultimate Side Hustle

You don’t need inventory, shipping labels, or customer service headaches.
You just need an idea that helps people — and a Canva account.

Think of it like this:

You already share knowledge for free on Instagram every day.
Why not package it into something cute, useful, and sellable?

What to Sell

Here are beginner-friendly digital product ideas that actually sell:

💰 E-books or guides: “How I Made My First $1,000 Online” or “The Broke Girl’s Guide to Budgeting.”

💰 Budget templates — because everyone’s tired of doing math by hand.

💰 Instagram presets or Canva templates for small biz owners.

💰 Mini-courses — short, snackable lessons on whatever you’re good at (side hustles, skincare, social media, etc.).

If you can teach it, organize it, or design it — you can sell it.

Where to Sell

• Gumroad: Perfect for PDFs, e-books, and small digital downloads.
• Stan Store: Great all-in-one option for selling products and hosting affiliate links.
• Canva: You can even share templates right from the platform and charge for access.

How to Promote It

Once your product is ready, make a quick Reel:

1. Show what’s inside (scroll through pages or templates).
2. Add text like:

“This is the exact budget planner I use to save $500 a month.”

3. End with a call-to-action:

“Grab it via the link in my bio!”

Done. Easy. Effective.

And the best part?

Once you’ve uploaded your product, that’s it. It keeps selling in the background while you live your life.

It’s hands-down one of the most legit ways to make money online from home — and it turns your Instagram into a mini digital store.

You don’t need to go viral or post perfect Reels to make money with Instagram. You just need strategy, consistency, and a willingness to start small.

Brand deals, affiliate links, bonuses, and digital products — these aren’t get-rich-quick hacks.
They’re systems that snowball when you show up consistently.

Start where you are. Use what you have. Post what you know.

And before you know it, your “little Instagram side hustle” might just replace your 9-to-5.

Method 8: Sell Physical Products (No Inventory Required)

So, you’ve got that merch idea — but you don’t want 17 boxes of hoodies living in your basement.

I get it. You’re trying to make money with Instagram, not turn your home into a warehouse.

That’s where print-on-demand comes in.

What It Is

Print-on-demand (POD) is basically “sell stuff without ever touching stuff.”

You upload your design — a quote, logo, pet photo, whatever — and a fulfillment company prints and ships it for you every time someone orders.

You keep the profit difference. No inventory. No shipping labels. No stress.

Best Print-on-Demand Sites

• Printify: Connects directly to Etsy or Shopify. Tons of products — shirts, mugs, tote bags, hoodies, journals, you name it.
• Spreadshop: Free, beginner-friendly, and super customizable storefronts.
• Shopify: Perfect if you’re ready to go all-in and brand your own store. Integrates beautifully with POD suppliers like Printify or Printful.

How to Set It Up (Step-by-Step)

1. Create an account on one of the platforms above.
2. Choose your products — keep it to 3–5 to start (you don’t need 20 T-shirt designs on day one).
3. Use Canva or Midjourney to design your graphics.

Example: “Coffee first, ambition later.” (simple, cute, sells like crazy)

4. Upload your designs and connect your Instagram bio link to your shop.
5. Post a Reel or Story showing your products in real life — or on mock-ups from the platform.

That’s literally it.

When someone buys, the print-on-demand company does the rest while you sip your latte and brainstorm your next drop.

Boss Babe Tip: Use trending sounds and lifestyle clips to show off your merch — it feels organic, not salesy.

Example: film your morning coffee in your own mug design, with this caption:

“My business pays for my caffeine now ☕️💻 #makeMoneyWithInstagram”

Boom. Instant business.

Method 9: Ride the Viral Content Wave

Now let’s talk about the real magic sauce of how to make money with Instagram fast.
It’s called short-form content, aka Reels.

And here’s the truth — one viral Reel can make you more in a weekend than a month of posting static photos.

Why This Works

The algorithm LOVES Reels.

They’re discoverable, shareable, and can reach thousands of people who don’t even follow you yet.

And if your content points back to your affiliate links, products, or services — that visibility turns straight into income.

Now, you can go two routes here: show your face or stay faceless.

Both work — let’s break them down.

Faceless Theme Pages

Hate being on camera? Join the club!

You can still make money with Instagram by running what’s called a faceless niche page.

Here’s how:

1. Pick a niche: motivation, money tips, fitness, pets, or cozy home hacks.
2. Find royalty-free stock clips (try Pexels or Pixabay).
3. Add trending audio or use an AI voiceover (free tools like CapCut or ElevenLabs do the job).
4. Post 1–2 Reels per day with relatable or educational captions.
5. Monetize through affiliate links or your own digital products.

Once your page grows, you can even sell it — faceless theme pages go for hundreds to thousands on marketplaces like Fameswap.

💎 One-Product Pages

This one’s genius if you want to make money online from home fast.

Instead of a general theme page, build a profile around one trending product — say, a skincare tool or kitchen gadget.

1. Start by affiliating for it through Amazon or Levanta.
2. Post Reels showing the product in use (you can even use stock clips).
3. Add your affiliate link to your bio.
4. Once you’re getting consistent sales, open a Shopify store and start selling it yourself for bigger profit margins.

It’s the same model used by viral TikTok shops — and it works.

💎 Content Freelancing

This one’s for the creative girlies.

Brands are desperate for creators who can make short, scroll-stopping videos — because they either don’t have time or don’t know how.

You can offer:

• Product demo videos
• “Aesthetic unboxing” clips
• Tutorial-style content

Start charging $500–$1,000/month retainers per brand for a few videos — plus affiliate bonuses if your content converts.

You can find clients on:

• Fiverr
• Upwork
• The “Creator Marketplace” in your Instagram Dashboard

Do one good month of work, and you’ll likely have repeat clients.

💎 Personal Branding (a.k.a. Showing Your Face and Story)

If you’re down to be the face of your brand — amazing. This is where the big money happens.

Creators like Chelsea, Tori Dunlap, and Erika Kullberg make $30K–$50K/month affiliating for other people’s products.

And they all started the same way: showing up, building trust, and offering value before selling anything.

Boss Babe Tip:
Your story is your brand. People don’t follow perfect — they follow relatable, plain and simple!

Post about what you’ve learned, what you use, what’s working for you.

Add humor, honesty, and consistency — that’s what builds your community (and your income).

💎 Influencer Clipping Pages

Okay, this one’s still a little underground — but it’s blowing up.

Influencers and podcasters are paying thousands to people who can take their long-form videos and turn them into viral shorts.

Here’s how you can cash in:

1. Find creators who post long videos (podcasts, interviews, or vlogs).
2. Ask if you can clip and repost their content for them.
3. Use a tool like Opus Clip or Descript to do it in minutes.
4. Get paid per thousand views or split profits from affiliate or ad revenue.

This one is seriously low effort, high reward — and a great way to make money online even if you never want to post your own content.

You don’t need a viral video every day — just one good one to change your entire reach (and your bank account).

The key is consistency:

Keep showing up, experimenting, and learning what hits.  Because when you combine strategy, personality, and a few smart AI tools — you can absolutely make money with Instagram fast (and keep it coming)!!

Instagram isn’t just for selfies anymore — it’s a serious money-making platform.

Whether you’re posting faceless Reels, launching digital downloads, or landing brand deals, the opportunity is wide open for anyone who’s consistent and creative.

You don’t need perfect lighting or influencer energy — just a strategy, some patience, and maybe a dog snoring beside your desk while you build your empire. 😉

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💬 How to Earn Money on Instagram — FAQ

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You don’t need to be famous — you just need to be consistent.

Even one good piece of content can flip your account from “just for fun” to “I just paid rent with my Reels.”

So go ahead — open that Professional Dashboard, pick a monetization method, and start your journey to make money with Instagram today.

Because if someone’s going to get paid for posting — it might as well be you — that being said, here’s how to monetize your Instagram account (fast) and start making real money all from the “comfort” of your phone!