How to Start an Instagram Blog and Make Money from It

Have you dreamed about starting an Instagram blog?

You are not alone. Instagram is extremely popular and growing rapidly. It is also a great place to make money if that is your intention. And why not make some money for your efforts?

We look at how to start an Instagram Blog and how to earn money from your blog once it is up and running.

About Instagram

Recent figures put the number of active monthly Instagram users at well over 2 billions.

Wow! That is pretty significant.

There are more than 200 million businesses on Instagram which shows that it has become so much more than simply a social or photo-sharing platform. Figures for active users, bloggers, influencers, and businesses are multiplying.

So what does this mean?

If you want to start a blog and make money, Instagram is an ideal place to do it.

You might have used Instagram for a while and even built up a fair number of followers but creating a powerful and profitable blog takes time, effort, a few basic skills, and some knowledge. We will help to guide you to make the process faster, easier, and more lucrative.

What to Think About When Starting Your Instagram Blog

The first step is to do a bit of research. First, think about the topics that excite you, that you know about, and that you can talk passionately about. Then it is important to go through the nitty-gritty details of how to start a blog. Everything a novice or even a seasoned blogger may wish to review is simply and clearly outlined in this step-by-step guide. Subjects such as tracking your blogs performance, blog content creation strategy, and promoting your blog are all covered. Of course, you do not have to stick to just one blog, but it would be a good idea to focus on one to start with. Once you have the hang of it, you can look at other options.

The importance of quality images and video

One critical factor to remember is that Instagram is still a visual sight. Therefore, quality photographs and increasingly videos are essential to your success.

It is important to keep this factor in mind as you plan and develop your blog. Although Instagram had evolved significantly from its start in October 2010, it is still very much about visual appeal. This is one of the reasons it works so well for markets such as fashion, travel, and food that look good in a picture or video.

Do you have to be a great photographer? No, not necessarily. There are many markets when one can use photos from other sources, but the leading bloggers will have basic photography skills and equipment. Many do very well with a quality mobile phone and a bit of imagination.

If you have the budget for it and are aiming high, you could use the services of a professional photographer.

The importance of a niche

Once you have narrowed down the niche you want to focus on, do some research. Look at some of the leading Instagram blogs in this category. Try to determine how well they are doing in followers, engagement, growth, and sales. Much of this information is available on the platform itself or through a bit of Google research.

There is a lot of competition online and on Instagram in particular. Given the popularity of the platform, this is understandable. You cannot be all things to all people. Do not try to promote a wide range of products and instead stick to a relatively narrow niche.

Another important aspect is your username. While this might appear to be a minor detail, it is the first thing people see and is important.

Add value

Once you have narrowed down the niche, you need to add value to the blog. This could be in the form of quality original images, cool videos, breaking news, unique information, support, advice, or anything that will make viewers want to come back for more.

The better you achieve this, the more likable and shareable your content will be. This leads to likes, shares, and other engagement, which will boost your followers, credibility, and income.

You will need to work on the blog

Setting up a great blog on Instagram is only the first step. You will need to create or source fresh content and post regularly.

A static blog will not attract and maintain many followers. Instead, try to work out what your target market is looking for and what they are asking. If you can deliver that, you are on a good path.

The best way to achieve this is by building a story. This should engage readers and keep them coming back for more.

Hashtags

Love them or hate them, hashtags are an essential element of Instagram marketing. There is no golden number, but around ten appears to work well for most. Of course, you can use up to 20 but don't overdo it. Ensure all are relevant to your niche, your blog, and your audience.

How to Start an Instagram Blog

Before you can hope to make money, it is crucial to get the foundation right. It is not difficult to create an Instagram Blog. You can start with the basics and build and develop from there.

Here are some of the main steps required to create the blog:

Sign up for an account on Instagram

This is the obvious first step. Next, you need to consider the name, theme, niche, and other factors, as we said before. The blog can change and evolve, but it is best to get it right from the start.

Remember to create a niche, a bio, and an identity for the blog. Could you give it some personality, perhaps? While you want to be relevant, you also want some room for growth. Do not choose a name that restricts you too much unless you intend to create multiple niche blogs.

Create and post on Instagram

It is as easy as that to get started. Do not get stressed out about all the details, to begin with, you can fine-tune as you go. Get the ball rolling with a few quality posts and take it from there. Be original, be creative, and post relevant content people want to see.

Be active

The attraction of social media is that it is fresh and creative. You will have to engage frequently to keep readers interested. An Instagram blog needs to be updated often with relevant, unique content that appeals to your target market. This is the only way to stay relevant.

Social media is not static. You need to be actively involved in your blog and other platforms as often as possible. The more, the better. Quality is as important as quantity.

How to Make Money on Instagram

Starting a blog is one thing, but if you want an income from it, you will need to understand the various ways this can be done. The first thing to figure out is what channel you are going to pursue in order to make money? Will you be providing a service or selling a product? Next, you need to consider who your target audience will be? And, finally (and most importantly) you will need to do your homework by reviewing articles and guides such as how to make money blogging and checking out your competitors’ blogs for tips and useful insights. The more research you undertake the better informed and prepared you will be to monetize your blog. Don’t be afraid to stretch out on a limb and experiment until you discover what works for you!

Here are the 5 main revenue streams for an Instagram Blog:

Sell your own products
Affiliate marketing
Dropshipping
Influencer/sponsored posts
Sell virtual products

Let's look at these in more detail.

Sell your own products

If you have a product that you make yourself, Instagram is a great way to market it and sell it directly. This is a cost-effective way to sell and should result in decent margins.

The downside to this is that you will need to keep stock and manage the orders, delivery, payments, and other logistical aspects.

If you have a unique product that is in demand, a quality Instagram blog will allow you to create an online shop or e-commerce business that gives you control over price, products, and other aspects.

Affiliate marketing

If you do not have your own product to sell, you can still market in an Instagram Blog. Affiliate marketing promotes products made by other people or companies, and you will receive a commission for each sale. This is very popular, and many people are making great money from affiliate marketing.

While the margins might be lower, there are several advantages. The barrier to entry is very low, so you will not have to invest a large amount of money. You will have access to a wide range of products. You also do not have to worry about stock, shipping, invoicing, and related issues.

The company making the sale can track the source, and if it came from your blog, you would receive credit. It takes time and effort to build up but can be a lucrative option.

Dropshipping

Dropshipping is similar to affiliate marketing; however, you appear to be the seller. You promote the product and deal with the customer; the supplier handles the inventory and shipping. This allows you to establish an online store with minimal outlay and no logistical hassles.

Influencer/sponsored posts

This is one of the main ways people make money on Instagram, but it takes time, effort, and skills to get right. The idea is to build up your followers, engagement, and credibility in a particular niche. You can then approach (or be approached by) companies wanting to promote their product or brand.

Unlike the examples above, you are not selling any products. Instead, the aim is to make people aware of them, create a desire for the product or brand. If you can get this right, it can pay very well but take a fair amount of effort.

Work hard to create a large and loyal fan base in your niche, engage with them, excite them, and the money will follow.

Sell virtual products

Back to direct selling, another option is to sell virtual products. The beauty of this is that you do not need to carry stock or arrange delivery to avoid hassle and lower entry costs. These products could be e-books, photographs, posters, videos, games, and other products that can simply be emailed to a customer.

Managing Your Instagram Blog

Once it is set up, you need to analyze and manage the blog. Even experienced bloggers do this often. Trends change overnight, and you might need to adapt accordingly. There are also changes to user habits or Instagram algorithms that need to be accounted for.

Instagram will provide you with a wealth of information. However, you need to look at this often, understand it, and make changes where necessary.

There are several social media analytics tools that will also help with analytics. Some are free, while others require a subscriptions. Popsters is just one of many examples.

These tools will deliver valuable insights into the performance of your blog. In addition, they will guide you with regular reports that will help with decision-making and strategy. Some also allow you to compare to competitor blogs, and some offer assistance with other social media platforms.

You can't manage what you can't measure, and these tools are invaluable in growing and improving your blog.

Final Thoughts

Starting a blog is easy. Pretty much anyone with an internet connection could start an Instagram blog without too much difficulty. Creating an Instagram blog that becomes popular and generates a significant income is a bit more of a challenge. It is, however, more straightforward than many imagine.

The above article should give you the framework needed to set up and monetize your blog, boost the growth, measure the results, and fine-tune them as you go. If you get the basics right, build on them, and deliver regular quality content, chances are you will get there.

It takes time and effort, but the results will be worth it. Once the money starts to come in, your blog should grow from strength to strength and improve over time.

You need to stay on top of trends and impress your audience, and the money will follow.

Useful articles on a similar topic:

How to remove fake followers on Instagram;
A practical guide to expanding Instagram analytics.