Why Instagram is unique is that you cannot make a post without a picture or video.
Based on this, affiliate marketing on Instagram hence has a very simple conclusion to come to.
Since you must be able to show the potential client a visual of what you are marketing, it’ll be easier to make a choice.
However, the fact that people see the images or videos of what you advertise, doesn’t mean they will buy it.
You will have to make a really good impression!
The impression here needs to be well-thought-out, planned, and consistent.
This is the core strategy of marketing, and affiliate marketing on Instagram in particular.
Because of their influence, a social media influencer is one of the best candidates for affiliate marketing.
Instagram is one of the social media platforms where there are a whole lot of influencers.
Some actually have a lot of influence, in terms of numbers and followers, but haven’t taken advantage of it.
Some don’t think there is any profit from having many people follow you on Instagram.
Yes. You can monetize your influence on Instagram.
Hearing that, you may ask:
Can Instagram Pay me?
How can I monetize my Instagram?
Yes. For sure.
You can get paid from Instagram.
To begin to get paid or receive income on Instagram, you can do several, and one of these two things:
First, you can identify with brands that seek to advertise to your audience.
Then, create and sponsor posts for them.
Second, you can become an affiliate on Instagram.
So, you can publicize their products, and when people link to them through you to buy their goods or services, you get a commission.
The latter is what I want us to look at. Let’s find out how to use Instagram for affiliate marketing.
What is Affiliate Marketing for Influencers on Instagram?
Affiliate marketing for influencers is simply the strategy of utilizing your social media presence to make money:
This is by posting affiliate links on your content to promote brands’ products or services.
In doing this, you earn a commission when a sale is successfully made through your affiliate links.
Affiliate marketing for influencers is no strange marketing concept, as celebrities have basically been used by several brands for marketing.
With the advent of social media platforms like Instagram, users are now given the opportunity to promote brand products and consequently get paid.
Furthermore, as content creators keep publishing engaging content on social media platforms, the buzz of social media keeps rising.
This rise has led to a powerful marketing tool called social media influencers.
Influencers with quality followings and engagements can leverage their social media presence to reach large customers thereby facilitate brand awareness.
They also create convincing ad content, and most importantly, drive sales to brand products and receive commissions.
Influencers are given unique trackable links, otherwise known as affiliate links, which they post on their social media content.
These affiliate links are used to track how many clicks or sales were made.
WHY INSTAGRAM FOR AFFILIATE MARKETING?
With over one billion users, you cannot ignore Instagram’s presence in the social media sphere.
Most brands are turning to Instagram in order for influencers to help improve their brand’s awareness and consequently drive sales.
To monetize your Instagram you will need the aid of an affiliate program.
Affiliates such as ShareASale, Pepperjam, AWIN, CJ Affiliate, and Rakuten are included.
These major affiliate networks and programs have Instagram support.
Moreover, using Instagram is free, and without much of an algorithm complex like Facebook and some others.
So you simply promote a brand’s product on your Instagram account and earn a percentage from every sale made.
Influencers are making relatively high-income streams by promoting partner brands on their Instagram account.
You can be part of this but the question is how do I use Instagram for affiliate marketing?
HOW TO GET STARTED WITH AFFILIATE MARKETING AS AN INFLUENCER USING INSTAGRAM
Most Influencers are making full-time income through Instagram affiliate marketing.
If you are already in it but are having a few stumbles, you can learn a tip or two here.
If you are thinking of becoming an affiliate marketing influencer on Instagram it’s a good choice.
However, you need to know a few steps to take as you delve into this.
Some of these first things you need to do includes:
1. Create the perfect Instagram profile
Successful influencers have taken their time and effort to make their Instagram profile unique and engaging.
They do this so as to gain more followers.
This action of theirs incentivizes the need for brands to work with them to reach a wider audience.
Ao, as an influencer creating a good Instagram profile, is very important.
Although the principle is simply to take good pictures, it isn’t as “easy as a pie.”
There are more nuggets to this simple principle before you add filters and upload it.
You need to create captivating content that will attract people to start following your page.
2. Choose a good name
As an influencer, choosing a good and memorable username on Instagram is very important.
It makes it easy for people to find your page.
Added to that, when you have a presence on other social media sites like Twitter or YouTube, it’s important you use the same name that is on your Instagram account.
Putting this in perspective, in a case, your affiliate link on Instagram directs your audiences to your YouTube page or Twitter account.
Over there, they will not struggle to know that you are the authentic user of that page.
3. Make your Instagram account public
As an influencer, you should make your Instagram page easily accessible to everyone so that they can see your content.
If you put your Instagram page on private, you will restrict users, who are not following your page, from seeing your content.
It means that they must have to follow you, and you must approve them before they can have access to view your posts.
This will hamper or slow down the process of you getting many followers.
4. Use an appealing profile picture
Your profile picture is another factor that gives that “first good impression.”
Use a profile picture that tells who you are. Use good headshots with clear graphics.
5. Choose a niche
This is pivotal in influencer affiliate marketing success.
Choosing a niche practically gives you a clear understanding of the road path to take in your affiliate marketing journey.
To choose a niche, you have to step a bit further to find out who you are.
How do you want to show up to your audiences? Who are your audiences? What are their interests?
Once these questions are answered, you can then know what niche to choose.
A niche is simply a category or industry, so to speak.
If you are the tech buff or tech-savvy type of person, your niche could be “programming.”
So, your content on Instagram would reflect that.
The same thing goes for a fashion and lifestyle enthusiast.
Your niche would be fashion, so your content would reflect your fashion styles.
Choosing a niche is very important to narrow your focus as an influencer.
6. Create an informative bio
Instagram gives you one hundred and fifty characters to tell who and what you care about.
You should make each and every one of them count.
As an influencer, your bio should succinctly tell your audiences and prospective partner brands who you are and what you stand for.
Be sure to add links to your website, affiliate links, emails, and other ways of contacting you.
8. Choose brands that fit your niche
As an influencer, you should choose brands that fit your niche.
There are various brands in similar or different industries.
Having known your niche, it’s important for you to know your brand’s niche.
See if their niche appeals to your audience’s interests.
It’s good to work with brands that fit your niche, otherwise, your posts will be out of place, in comparison to your Instagram feeds.
9. Make use of tags and hashtags that are relevant to your niche
Use tags and hashtags that go in line with your niche.
If you are a food blogger, and you use hashtags like #jewelries, your content will look odd and contrasting.
Simply, this is because that hashtag doesn’t fit in your niche.
You do not have to use trending hashtags.
Because popular hashtags won’t help you in the long run.
Additionally, to use relevant hashtags, observe your audiences.
Find out what hashtags they are using in their posts, and include those hashtags in your content.
10. Make use of captions and geotagging
Captions are the story behind your posts.
Using captions gives your audience information about the photography.
Geo-tagging is about the location of whatever brand you are rooting for.
By using geotags, you inform your audience where the brand store of your affiliate is in order for people to easily find it.
11. Be Interactive with your audience
As an affiliate on Instagram, be responsive to comments on your posts.
Especially, if people are asking questions about the products you are marketing, it’s important you respond.
In doing this, you can start up a conversation, and eventually drive them to the brands’ page.
12. Add your URL in your posts
Most times, your followers will view your posts on their feed.
Hence, they would not need to go to your page to see your posts.
This is why it is good as an influencer to include your affiliate link below your posts on Instagram.
The purpose is so that you can drive more sales to your page or your partner brand’s page.
STRATEGIES TO DRIVE SALES AS AN AFFILIATE MARKETER ON INSTAGRAM
Some effective strategies to use in order to drive sales as an influencer:
- Create a website to shop your products and include the link to the website in your Instagram bio.
This is simply using your stunning page to drive sales.
Let’s say your page is embedded with beautiful images of products that your audience admires.
What you can do is to help them by letting them know where to shop these products.
Also, by having all of these shoppable products on your website page, and on your Instagram page with the products information.
So, when viewers click the link on the page they will be directed to the brand’s page.
- Use Instagram stories to highlight your partner brands
The inception of Instagram stories was in October 2016.
Instagram stories give users an opportunity to peek into the everyday activities of influencers.
Thus, by sharing informative content about the brand you are working with, on your Instagram stories, your audiences will have an insight into what you’re promoting.
And, they will be looking out for what you have to share next.
What’s more?
Researchers have estimated that daily active users of Instagram stories have grown five times from one hundred million to five hundred million.
This means that most influencers are utilizing their Instagram stories to engage with their audiences in order to drive sales to their partner’s brand’s page.
- Utilize sponsored posts to drive sales
If you are an influencer, you should know the ability of sponsored posts.
Sponsored posts are a powerful tool to increase your followers and engagements on specific posts.
By using sponsored posts you can increase sales, target your audience to a specific demographic including interests, location, etc.
This makes it an easy way to reach the particular people you are looking for.
- Run paid search
By running a paid search to your Instagram page or post, you can increase your followers and gain more clicks on your specific posts.
You have to set your budget and have a clear understanding of your keywords.
As an affiliate marketer, you ensure that your profile stands out from the rest.
It is very important also, that you have a good strategy.
- Make use of Instagram videos/TV
Videos are the most-used marketing content in the digital space.
Without videos, most confusions wouldn’t be cleared.
You can market with the use of IG TV.
IGTV is the new app used by most users for watching long vertical videos from their favorite Instagram creators.
Utilize the power of video to share tutorials about partner brand products.
Tell partner brand stories, record behind-the-scene videos, give reviews, and all.
The use of IG TV can drive sales to the maximum.
Finally,
Affiliate marketing on Instagram is very profitable.
We can learn the simple and basic steps of doing this by following the gradual process put forth here.
