How to Monetize Instagram in 2025 With Printify

Your brand’s Instagram presence is thriving with your perfect shots, edits, and captivating captions. Your use of Instagram’s features, like Reels and Live, has earned you high engagement and an enviable Instagram feed. Your hard work is finally paying off as your brand’s reach and growth skyrocket.

Now, it’s time to take it up a notch and monetize your following.

This article will tell you how to monetize Instagram in 2025, with a focus on both content creators and businesses wanting to promote their products or services on the platform.

If you’re one of many Instagram influencers wishing to earn from your content or a business owner seeking to enhance your marketing strategy, there are numerous ways to cash in on Instagram.

What is Instagram monetization?

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Instagram monetization describes the process of making money on the Instagram platform. This can be done in various ways, such as through sponsored posts, affiliate marketing, video ads, selling products, or becoming an Instagram influencer or content creator.

It involves leveraging the platform’s vast user base, engagement, and features to generate income. However, monetization on Instagram is only available for Business and Creator accounts.

Fact: Instagram is huge. Recently, there were “1 billion active users,” but the forecast for 2025 is even more impressive, with an estimated 1.44 billion monthly active users.

How many Instagram followers are needed for monetization?

By their follower count, Instagram distinguishes macro-influencers (500,000 to 1 million followers), micro-influencers (10,000 to 100,000 followers), and nano-influencers (1,000 to 10,000 followers).

For Instagram monetization, sometimes even a mere 500 followers are enough.

Instagram monetization requirements:

You must be at least 18 years old.
Have an Instagram Creator or Business account.
Be located in a region where the feature is available
Have a bank or PayPal account to receive payments.
Follow all the content and community guidelines and avoid any current violations.

Even if you don’t have a huge following, there are still numerous ways to monetize your influence on Instagram.

6 ways to monetize your Instagram account

Promote your merch shop on Instagram

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Instagram Shopping is a feature that allows people to shop for your brand’s products all over Instagram. It is one of the most well-known and seamless Instagram monetization tools.

Important

However, the platform announced that the Shopping feature will no longer be available starting 10 August 2023.

This development, now more than ever, underscores the importance of diversifying your online presence and selling your digital and physical products across different platforms.

Make money on Instagram with Printify

In light of these changes, having a backup option such as a Printify-powered eCommerce store becomes even more valuable. It allows you to direct your followers and customers to a website that offers the same high-quality products they love, regardless of changes on other platforms.

This ensures that your brand story continues to be told, your products continue to reach your audience, and your online business continues to thrive.

Quick tip

With Printify, you can build either a standalone Pop-Up store showcasing your custom products or offer your goods on popular eCommerce platforms or marketplaces.

Monetizing Instagram by promoting and selling print-on-demand products is an effective way to earn money, and Printify simplifies the process.

Add unique designs to over 1,000 products and have them printed and shipped worldwide. We’re talking clothes, accessories, games, kitchenware, and even print-on-demand cosmetics.

How to create custom products?

Create a free Printify account
Design products with our user-friendly Mockup Generator.
Connect a store using our easy integrations with Etsy, eBay, Walmart, Shopify, and other eCommerce platforms and marketplaces. Or, opt for Printify Pop-Up.
When you’re done designing your products, hit Publish, and they will be synced with your own online store.
Promote your custom products on your Instagram.

Quick tip

Monetize Instagram posts by promoting your own products within them and attracting additional traffic to your online store.

Affiliate marketing

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Affiliate marketing is one of the easiest monetization tools on the platform, and you don’t need a large following to get started. By partnering with a brand or business, you can promote their products or services and earn a percentage of the revenue.

The process is simple: sign up as an affiliate, use the unique URL link or code provided, and receive a portion of every purchase. Even a nano influencer with a few hundred followers can take advantage of this marketing model.

Pros:

Low barrier to entry. You can sign up for affiliate programs for products you already use and love, making it easy to get started.
Partner with brands you love. By becoming an ambassador for a brand you already support, you can share your passion with your followers and earn a commission on sales.
Simple process. Sign up as an affiliate, use the unique URL link or code provided, and earn a percentage of every purchase.

Cons:

Limited control. As an affiliate, you don’t have complete control over the product or service you’re promoting. You must trust the brand you’re working with to deliver quality.
Commission rates can be low. Some brands offer low commission rates, making it difficult to earn a substantial income through affiliate marketing alone.
Short cookie life. A cookie is a piece of code placed on a user’s device when they click on your affiliate link. It helps track their activity and makes sure you get credit for the sale. Some brands have a short cookie life, meaning you may not get credit for a sale if the customer doesn’t make a purchase right away.

Printify’s Affiliate Program offers one of the most amazing opportunities for those looking to make money through affiliate marketing on Instagram.

Zero sign-up cost. There’s no approval process or fee to join the Printify Affiliate Program.
Custom promo codes. You can request unique promo codes for your audience.
No earnings cap. The more sales you make, the more you earn. There’s no limit to your potential earnings.
90-day cookie life. Even if your followers don’t make a purchase right away, you can still earn a commission if they purchase within 90 days.
Monthly payouts. You’ll receive your earnings via PayPal monthly.

Whether you’re a POD professional, dropshipping rookie, video content creator, freelancer, blogger, or YouTuber, the Printify Affiliate Program is a great way to generate income and capitalize on your Instagram followers.

Branded and sponsored Instagram posts

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Sponsored content, or influencer marketing, is a great way to monetize Instagram by collaborating with brands to promote their products, services, or campaigns.

You can use various direct product placement techniques such as tutorials, giveaways, and unboxings to create sponsored posts.

Your potential earnings from sponsored posts depend on various factors, including the brand’s goals, your Instagram following, and your engagement rate:

$10 – $100 for 1,000 to 10,000 followers
$250 – $750 per 1,000 engagements (or $0.25 – $0.75 per post engagement)

Having a high engagement rate with a smaller audience can result in higher pay than a large following that doesn’t engage with your posts. 1000 highly engaged followers are worth more than 10,000 fake ones.

Working with brands is a great Instagram marketing strategy and can be one of the easiest ways to monetize your Instagram account. You can take the initiative and proactively reach out to a brand, negotiate your campaign fee and terms, and do as many brand deals as you can get.

Pros:

It’s a great way for brands to reach their target audience through authentic and engaging content.
Influencers have built trust and credibility with their followers, which can translate into increased brand awareness and sales.
Instagram has various features, such as Instagram Reels and Live, that can be leveraged to create unique and compelling content.
Influencer marketing campaigns can be tailored to fit a brand’s goals, budget, and target audience.

Cons:

The effectiveness of influencer marketing can be difficult to measure, making it hard to justify ROI.
The rise of fake followers and engagement can lead to unauthentic collaborations, damaging a brand’s reputation.
Brands engaged in deals often come with their set of guidelines, potentially limiting your expressions or restricting your ability to engage in other collaborations.
Influencer marketing can be expensive, especially with macro-influencers or celebrities.
Various guidelines and regulations must be followed, such as properly disclosing sponsored content, which can be time-consuming and challenging.

Livestream badges

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Livestream badges are another way to monetize Instagram that Influencers and content creators can use. Viewers can purchase badges during a live stream and show their support for the creator.

The badges are available at three levels – $0.99, $1.99, and $4.99. Creators receive a portion of the revenue generated from badge purchases.

To set badges up, go to your Professional Dashboard and turn on the Badges tab. You’ll need to set up a direct deposit payment account via your bank or PayPal, and then you can start going live.

Note. Badges are currently only available in the United States, and you must have a Creator or Business account and at least 10,000 followers.

Pros:

Badges provide an easy and direct way for viewers to support creators during live videos.
They can increase engagement and help build a loyal audience.

Cons:

Badges are currently only available in the United States, which limits the potential audience and revenue.
Some viewers may be hesitant to spend money on badges, which could limit overall earning potential.

Instagram subscriptions

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Subscriptions allow creators to offer exclusive content to their subscribers in exchange for a monthly fee.

Subscribers can access the content in a dedicated “subscriber-only” section of the creator’s Instagram page. This feature is ideal for creators who produce high-quality niche content that is in demand and for whom recurring content production is feasible.

Pros:

Subscriptions provide creators with a consistent stream of income.
Generate more followers through high-quality content creation.
It allows creators to offer different content to their most loyal followers, further building their community and engagement.
The Subscription feature is easy to use, with subscribers being able to sign up through an in-app purchase on their mobile device.
Subscribers can access exclusive content behind a paywall creating more money for the content creator.

Cons:

The feature is only available to creators who meet specifi celigibility requirements.
Subscriptions are only available in select countries and to a limited number of creators.
Creators need to produce enough exclusive content to justify the monthly fee for subscribers.

Instagram reels gifts

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Instagram Reels Gifts allow fans to provide direct monetary support to their favorite creator through themed virtual gifts purchased using Stars.

The feature was first tested last year and is now expanding to more creators in the US. Adding Gifts helps Instagram better compete against rivals like TikTok, but creators must share a cut of their revenue with Instagram. Users can purchase Stars for $0.99 to $5.99 in-app to buy Gifts.

Pros:

Provides creators with another revenue stream beyond advertising.
Offers fans a way to support their favorite creators directly.
Helps Instagram compete against rival platforms like TikTok.

Cons:

Creators have to share a portion of their revenue with Instagram.
You must dedicate time to developing quality content for Reels – no static images or video loops, watermarked content, etc., allowed.

What are Instagram monetization requirements?

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Note that each monetization practice described above will have different requirements, but there are some main rules (having a certain audience size, not using prohibited formats, behavior, etc.)

First and foremost, you need to have an Instagram account with a follower count of no less than 100. However, most monetization practices require a sizable following to generate substantial income. Plus, you are eligible for monetization on Instagram only with a Business account.
Additionally, you need to comply with Instagram’s Community Guidelines, which prohibit certain types of content, such as hate speech and violent or sexual content.
You must also adhere to Instagram’s advertising policies, which regulate the use of advertisements on the platform.
Finally, it’s important to maintain positive engagement with your followers and avoid any behavior that might negatively impact your reputation.

By meeting these requirements, you’ll be much closer to answering the question, “How to set up monetization on Instagram?”

To check your monetization status on Instagram, follow these steps:

– Open the Instagram app on your mobile device.

– Go to your profile page and tap the three lines in the upper right-hand corner.

– Tap Settings and then Account.

– Scroll down and look for the Monetization section.

– If you have access to monetization tools, you will see options to access them. If you do not have access, you will see information on how to become eligible.

Note that eligibility for monetization on Instagram may vary depending on your location and other factors. It’s important to review the platform’s policies and guidelines to make sure that you meet the necessary requirements.

Instagram monetization tips

Set up your Instagram business account

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Create a Business account on Instagram, which offers features like Instagram analytics and contact buttons to help monetize your account. You can also link your account to other social platforms, like Facebook, to cross-promote your content.

Make high-quality Instagram content

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To stand out on Instagram, you need to create content that is visually appealing and engaging. Make sure to use high-quality photos or videos that are well-lit and in focus, and try to create a consistent visual style or theme for your personal brand.

Post regularly

Consistency is key, so post regularly on your Instagram profile. This will help you build a following and keep your audience engaged with your content. Consider using scheduling tools to make it easier to plan and post content in advance.

Have a well-written bio

Your Instagram account starts with the bio. It is a key piece of real estate for promoting yourself and your content. Make sure to write a clear, concise bio that highlights your unique selling proposition and links to your other social media accounts or website.

Use the right hashtags

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Hashtags can help your content get discovered on Instagram, so use relevant hashtags that describe your content and niche. Consider using a mix of popular and niche hashtags to maximize your reach.

Collaborate with other Instagram creators

Collaborating with other creators can help you reach new audiences and build relationships in your niche. Consider partnering with other creators on Instagram, whether through co-creating content or doing shoutouts for each other’s accounts through Instagram Stories and posts.

How to get monetized on Instagram: FAQ

How to get monetization on Instagram?

You can use any of the available features for Instagram monetization – affiliate links in Instagram Stories, create sponsored content, sell your own merch via Shopping, and generate revenue through ads or subscriptions.

How many followers do you need to monetize on Instagram?

Many brands prefer to work with creators who have at least 10,000 followers, while others may consider those with fewer followers but high engagement rates.

There is no specific number of followers required to monetize on Instagram. However, having a large following can help you attract more brands and opportunities.

Does Instagram pay money for posts?

Instagram does not pay users for their posts directly. However, you can earn money through various monetization features.

For example, you can earn a commission from affiliate marketing, payment from sponsored content via high-quality images or videos, ad revenue, or subscriptions.

Open up your Instagram shop today

Instagram is a powerful platform for making money through various monetization methods such as sponsored posts, affiliate marketing, dropshipping, and creating exclusive content.

With Printify’s help, you can easily set up an eCommerce store and offer customizable products to your followers. With the right products and monetization tools, you can turn your two hobbies – Instagram and creating merch – into a profitable business.