A Broke Girl’s Guide on How to Monetize an Instagram Account (Fast)

This guide will show you how to monetize an Instagram account FAST— because if you’re spending half your life curating the perfect photo dump and replying to DMs, you deserve to see a return on that energy, my friend!

The truth? You don’t need a million followers, a blue check, or a brand deal with Lululemon to make money from Instagram. You just need to flip the switch (literally) — from personal to professional.

So, what are you waiting for? Grab a coffee, ignore your cat walking across your keyboard or your dog eating your shoe, and let’s turn that scrolling hobby into a side hustle that pays your Wi-Fi bill (and then some)!

Step 1: Switch to a Professional Account

The very first step in learning how to monetize an Instagram account is to set it up like a business.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Go to your Instagram profile (bottom right corner).
2. Tap the 3 lines in the top right corner → select Settings & Activity.
3. Scroll down to For Professionals → tap Account Type & Tools.
4. Choose Switch to Professional Account.

When Instagram asks, “What best describes you?” — choose Creator if you post content, or Business if you run a brand or product line.

Boom. You’ve officially entered the world of Instagram monetization.

Don’t overthink it. You can switch between “Creator” and “Business” later if your goals change. The key is just turning that professional mode on so you can access the money tools.

Step 2: Access Your Professional Dashboard

Now that you’ve made the switch, it’s time to open the fun part — your Professional Dashboard.

You’ll find it right at the top of your profile. Tap it and then look for a little gear icon (⚙️) in the top right corner.

This is where all the magic lives:

• Insights (to see what’s working)
• Monetization tools (to turn content into cash)
• Eligibility checks (to make sure you’re following Instagram’s partner guidelines)

If you tap Monetization Status, you’ll see what you currently qualify for — and trust me, that list grows as your account does.

Step 3: Turn On Branded Content Tools

Here’s where you start making real money.

In your dashboard, tap Branded Content Tools → then Enable.

This lets you tag paid partnerships and legally earn through sponsored posts, collabs, or affiliate content.

When you post, scroll down to More Options → tap Partnership Label & Ads → and choose your brand partner.

That’s how you get those official “Paid Partnership with [Brand]” tags you see on influencer posts.

Why it matters:

Brands want to know you’re legit and following Instagram’s policies. Turning this on signals you’re ready for deals — even small ones.

Step 4: Start Landing Brand Deals

Now that your account’s set up for success, let’s talk about getting those deals.

You have two options:

1. Reach out to brands directly (send a short pitch explaining who your audience is and why they’d love the product).
2. Join creator platforms that match influencers with brands, like:
3. Aspire (formerly AspireIQ)
4. #Paid
5. Collabstr
6. Trend.io

Start with micro or nano-influencer partnerships — brands love smaller creators with genuine engagement.

Even a free collab or small commission post can help you build your “partnered” resume and open doors for higher-paying campaigns later.

Step 5: Learn the Rules (and Play Smart)

Instagram takes monetization seriously, which means you have to play by their rules.

Make sure you:

• Follow Instagram’s Partner Monetization Policies
• Avoid sharing fake followers, spammy links, or misleading promotions
• Stay active and consistent (inactivity can make you ineligible)

And yes, it’s worth skimming those boring guidelines once. Because nothing kills a vibe faster than being flagged when you’re finally about to get paid.

Step 6: Track, Test, and Tweak

Once your account’s set up, your next goal is growth and experimentation.

Start tracking:

• Which posts get the most engagement
• What content attracts followers who actually buy things
• When your audience is most active

The more data you have, the better your monetization strategy gets.

Try testing:

• Short Reels with affiliate mentions
• Carousel posts with soft brand mentions
• Story polls that tease your next product or freebie

If something flops, no big deal — tweak and try again. The algorithm rewards persistence (and good vibes).

How One Creator Monetized with Just 800 Followers

Let me tell you about Jenna, a barista who sta

After switching to a professional creator account, she added affiliate links for her milk frother and espresso beans in her captions.

Less than 2 weeks later, guess what happened? Well, one of her Reels hit 12K views, and she made $138 in affiliate commissions from Amazon. BOOM. Just like that.

No brand deal, no viral fame — just a small, consistent audience that trusted her recommendations. That’s the magic of Instagram monetization: you don’t need a massive audience, you just need a connected one. So as you learn how to monetize an Instagram account, just remember 😉

Boss Babe Tip:
If you already talk about products anyways, turn those mentions into affiliate links.
It’s the easiest “passive” income stream you’ll ever set up.

Use Story Highlights as Your Mini Storefront

You know those little Highlight bubbles under your bio? Yeah — those aren’t just cute circles. They’re prime real estate.

Try this:

• Make one called “Favorites” → add Stories tagging your affiliate links or partnered products.
• Another called “Collabs” → showcase every brand or product you’ve worked with (even freebies).
• One more called “Tips” → share quick “behind the scenes” or value posts that show you’re an expert in your niche.

The more you treat your Instagram like a curated storefront, the faster brands start seeing you as someone worth paying.

3 Next-Level Ways to Monetize

Once your foundation’s built, try layering on these income boosters:

1. Affiliate Highlights + Link in Bio Funnel
   
   Combine your link-in-bio (like Beacons, Koji, or StanStore) with affiliate links. Feature one “Deal of the Week” — it keeps your followers curious and clicking.
   
   
2. Sell Digital Products
   
   Once people trust your advice, they’ll buy your templates, guides, or mini eBooks.
   Example: a creator who shared her meal-prep tips started selling a $9 “Weekly Meal Planner PDF.”
   She sold 50 copies her first month = $450. Not bad for one Canva template.
   
   
3. Create “UGC” (User-Generated Content) for Brands
   
   You don’t even have to post it to your own feed.
   Brands pay creators to make lifestyle videos for them to use as ads.
   Platforms like Billo, Insense, and Trend.io help match you with these gigs — even if you have zero followers.

The Bottom Line

Learning how to monetize an Instagram account isn’t about becoming an influencer overnight — it’s about setting yourself up to get paid for what you’re already doing anyway.

Once you switch to a professional account and turn on branded content tools, you’ve opened the door to brand deals, affiliate links, and sponsored posts — and that’s just the beginning.

So, stop thinking your account’s “too small” or “not ready.” Because the only difference between creators who earn and those who don’t?

The ones who actually flipped the switch.

👉 So, Ready to take your Insta-game from hobby to hustle?

If you liked this post, check out my follow-up guide:

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

It’s packed with starter-friendly tricks for building engagement, pitching brands, and making your first $100 online — fast.

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How to Monetize an Instagram Account — FAQ