If you are a business owner, then you probably have Instagram on your social media rotation. But did you know that you could potentially use this platform as a side hustle and be making some money on the side? It does take time and some hard work to start making money on Instagram, but it can be done. In this post, I will share four important steps to starting a side hustle on Instagram.
1. Establish Your Target Audience
To make money on Instagram you have to decide what you are going to sell and to whom. That last part is important because if you don’t know who your target audience is, how are you going to promote the product? Having a clear idea of who will buy your product or service will tell you how to market it on Instagram. Your target audience will impact the visual branding that you will do, such as colors and fonts; as well as the tone of voice, hashtag strategy, and content strategy.
If you are having a difficult time figuring out who your target audience is, ask the people in your network if they would purchase your service or product. There is no one more honest than your family and friends. Another way to find out your target audience is to use polls and question stickers on your Instagram stories. Determining your target audience will help you establish a good following.
2. Create an Instagram Business Account
If you are a business owner, hopefully, you already have a Business Instagram account. But if you don’t, now would be a good time to create one. Some advantages include access to Instagram insights, the ability to add a contact button, and the ability to add links to your Instagram stories. Now that you have a business account, you can create a virtual storefront for your products. Some ways to optimize your Instagram bio for your business page are to add contact details, add links in your bio, and create a great description of what it is you are selling. Doing these three simple things will have people going to your business profile often.
3. Make Your Instagram Shoppable
You can make your Instagram shoppable by using Instagram Shop. Instagram Shop allows you to curate a list of shoppable products that are directly accessible through your Instagram profile. If you don’t want to use Instagram Shop, you can also turn the link in your bio into a route to your shop. The main difference is that by using Instagram Shop you can tag the products directly in your posts, stories, reels, etc. and the tag will take your audience directly to the product. But when using the link in bio option, you have to direct your audience to that link so that they can click on it and shop through there. There isn’t a right or wrong way it is just a matter of what you think is best for your marketing strategy.
4. Engage with other Small Businesses
Supporting other people’s businesses is an excellent way to expedite your growth. I am a strong believer in celebrating other people’s success. By tagging, and engaging with other small business owners you will get to know other people who own businesses just like you do and they will most likely start posting about your product(s) as well. The businesses you should engage with are both businesses that are inside your niche as well as businesses outside of your niche. This is a great way to increase engagement, meet fellow solo entrepreneurs, and can be a valuable support network for inspiration and advice. If you take any advice from this blog post take this step and add it to the top of your list.
These four steps are just a few of many steps to help you create an Instagram side hustle. With hard work and perseverance, you will soon be making money on this platform. The key is to stay focused on your goal, don’t give up and you will see that success will begin to come your way. Our Coaching Courses have tons of options for anyone looking to go one step further with their business goals.