How to make money as an influencer in 2025: 11 Ways to monetize your following

1. Start a print-on-demand business

Whether you’re already a successful influencer or just starting out, you can monetize your following by selling one-of-a-kind products.

If you want to reach your audience’s hearts and minds, foster their loyalty, and unlock a new revenue stream, on-demand manufacturing is for you. Many micro-influencers use Printify to make money without handling inventory, shipping, or upfront costs.

With Printify, design, create, and start selling more than 1,300 high-quality products with just a few clicks. Once you make a sale, we do the rest – printing, packaging, and shipping directly to your fans.

2. Sponsored posts

Brands will pay you to promote their product or service if you create high-quality content. Many influencers create sponsored content to engage their audience while securing profitable brand partnerships.

When brands search for social media influencers, they evaluate them according to several criteria, including audience demographics and engagement rate. If you want brands to partner with you, show them that you’ll be a valuable addition to their digital marketing campaign. 

To attract their attention, here are a few things you should keep in mind:

• Reach. While micro and nano-influencers might get discouraged, there’s no need. Those with fewer followers often have higher engagement rates.
• Quality. Strive to deliver high-quality, relevant content that stands out from what other influencers are offering, cutting through the noise.
• Relevance. Become an authority in a niche and create content that resonates with your social media audience. If you do it right, brands will happily hire you for sponsored posts and send free products for reviews.

Sponsored content can help brands skyrocket their reach and increase sales, meaning they’re willing to pay creators big money for their promotional social media posts.

Don’t forget that you can also monetize your blog, creating branded content for companies that want to share in-depth information about their products or services.

3. Sell digital products

An increasingly popular way how to make money as an influencer is by creating digital products – eBooks, online courses, digital artwork, workshops, travel guides, workout plans, and more. These offer a way to generate passive income while engaging with your audience.

For example, suppose you’re passionate about the fashion industry. In that case, become a beauty influencer or a blogger, building trust and authority in your niche, gaining followers, and attracting brands.

Similarly, many fitness influencers share their knowledge with their target audience by offering free and paid workout plans, diet programs, or nutrition advice tailored to their needs.

4. Become an affiliate marketer

Affiliate marketing lets you earn commissions by promoting products or services from brands. Once accepted into a program, you’ll receive a unique affiliate link that tracks sales or clicks generated through your content. The more people purchase through your link, the more you earn.

For example, with the Printify Affiliate Program, you earn a 5% commission on every order your referrals make for the next 12 months.

Most social media platforms allow link sharing, so all you need to do is add your affiliate links, and your audience can make a purchase.

Here’s a quick breakdown of how it works:

• Join the program. Sign up to become a Printify Affiliate. We’ll review your application within 48 business hours.
• Share a link. Share your affiliate links with your target audience on your Instagram, in a YouTube video description, social media post, or wherever else.
• Earn money. You get a commission when someone clicks on the link and orders.

If you’re a social media influencer or striving to become one, becoming an affiliate is a great way to earn passive income. Many celebrity influencers also use this strategy to maximize their earnings.

5. Sell educational content

Another way how to make money as an influencer is by sharing knowledge with your online audience.

After all, the global eLearning market is forecast to reach nearly $400 billion by 2026.

For example, you could provide:

• Photography lessons. If you’ve got expertise in photography, teach others how to take great photos, charging for access to the course.
• Finance management courses. Now is the perfect time to teach people how to budget, invest, and save, helping them make wise financial decisions. 
• Digital marketing courses. Whether you’re good at content creation, social media marketing, or being an influencer, you can teach others how to succeed as well.

Sell courses as products and try hosting events like live webinars or workshops. This can attract people willing to pay for access to your valuable content, while also increasing your influence, income, and reach.

6. Create and sell your own products

Many social media influencers earn money by creating products or product lines. You can see this type of monetization across many niches, from fashion collections to beauty products to workout gear.

No matter how many followers you have, Print on Demand allows you to make money as an influencer by designing and selling your own unique products.

7. Become a brand ambassador

A brand ambassador is an influencer hired by a brand or an organization to represent them positively.

Typically, brand ambassadors receive benefits, such as products, discounts, commissions, or financial compensation. In exchange, brands expect their ambassadors to promote them on social media channels, create high-quality content, and help sell their products.

For example, here are two companies that offer ambassador programs:

• Headspace. Headspace is an app that helps people meditate and relax. If you’re a health and wellness influencer, Headspace can provide a great collaboration opportunity.
• Lululemon. As an athletic apparel retailer, Lululemon sells clothes for yoga, running, and working out. By becoming their ambassador, you’ll test their latest gear, receive development tools, and connect with like-minded people.

If you’re a good fit for a certain brand, align with its values, and speak to its target market, consider reaching out to inquire whether they have a brand ambassador program you could join.

8. Try Patreon, Twitch, or YouTube

While most social media influencers stick to a few promotional photos and short-form videos, try creating content that speaks directly to your audience, engaging them on a more personal level.

Instead of working with brands, here are a few other ways you can try:

• Patreon. With a Patreon account, earn money by doing what you’re great at – be it art, writing, or music – and offer exclusive experiences to those willing to pay a membership fee.
• Twitch. Twitch donations are a popular way for streamers to earn income. However, you need to build an audience first.
• YouTube. If you monetize your YouTube channel, you can try the YouTube Super Chat feature. With it, your viewers can pay to highlight their message during live streams. Note: YouTube takes 30% of these donations.

9. Start a podcast

With podcasting growing in popularity, many social media influencers have quickly jumped on this trend.

While you’ll need the right setup and equipment, it’s a great way to connect with an audience and share your content. Either charge a small fee for a subscription or partner with brands, promoting products or services relevant to the topics you discuss.

If you’re looking to learn how to monetize your podcast, our article has all the information you need to make money as an influencer while delivering valuable content.

10. Organize an event

If you’re wondering how to make money as an influencer, but you don’t particularly enjoy creating one social media post after another, perhaps organizing and hosting events is the right outlet for you.

Many influencers monetize this by hosting live or online events, charging their audience a small fee.

If brands notice you, they might reach out and offer to pay you to appear at their event, knowing that your presence will attract a crowd.

11. Join an influencer marketing platform

Just like social media platforms connect us with relatives and friends, influencer marketing platforms connect influencers with brands.

Here are a few platforms to try:

• Afluencer. An all-in-one influencer digital marketing platform that helps influencers grow by helping brands achieve their business goals. A great place for aspiring social media influencers – describe your niche, and brands will find you themselves.
• Intellifluence. Macro, nano, or micro-influencers can apply and get access to the Intellifluence marketplace – a network of trusted influencers. Browse offers from brands and apply to campaigns that align with your interests.
• InstaJet. An Instagram influencer marketing platform with over 70,000 advertisers. If you’re an Instagram influencer, InstaJet is the right place for you.

With a simple Google search, you can find more platforms where influencers and brands meet, offering more profit possibilities.