The social media platform owned by Meta has become the main stage for influencers to start their careers. And they don't need millions of followers to make money on Instagram. Influencers use platforms such as LTK and ShopStyle to generate affiliate links or discount codes provided by brands to obtain a percentage of sales. According to the influencer community, people in these groups share their new posts all the time, with the expectation that everyone else will have to interact with those accounts.
Influencers can sell their own products and products directly through Instagram's shopping features or take advantage of their audience to promote their own brands, DTC products, training services, or online courses. However, sponsored content isn't the only revenue generator for these influencers, although it's generally the most lucrative. Quitting your day job to live on the salary of an Instagram influencer is easier said than done, since accounts need to accumulate thousands of followers before they can start earning monetary gains. Many mid-level influencers are grouped into direct message groups called pods, full of 15 other accounts that are also trying to succeed.
Once an influencer has reached one million followers, it's safe to assume that they're earning a pretty decent amount of money and working really hard to maintain it. As you move up the influencer ladder, it's common to get paid more per post if you have a larger number of followers. Influence marketing allows you to share your company with the creator's audience (and the creator also stands out among your audience, it's a win-win situation). Its credibility comes from an influx of social participation, which occurs by building influence that is rewarded with products, money and sometimes even fame.
With a creator account, influencers can use special links to tag products in their posts and receive a commission. This is similar to linking to a blog or vlog, but instead of generating revenue indirectly (through company advertising on your page or YouTube ads), your followers pay you directly for a service you offer. For example, it makes sense for a plant-based bakery to partner with a vegan influencer (more sense than Bill Nye partnering with Coca-Cola, that's for sure). To carry out a great influencer marketing campaign, you must work with experienced social media influencers who share your brand values.
Each offer must also take into account the influencer's tracking, engagement metrics and niche, as well as the terms of the offer, such as exclusivity, usage rights and the schedule.