Who would have thought that instagram would evolve from just a photo sharing social media platform to one of the biggest platforms in the world with over a billion followers?
However, now it’s a stark reality that is a widely used, a well acknowledged and a well reputed social media platform which is utilized by content creators, brands, influencers, businesses and nearly by everyone.
But the question remains still: how many followers do I need to earn money from instagram and the answer to this question is not so simple.
It depends on various factors like engagement, niche and monetization strategies. In this guide we’ll tell you exactly how many followers you need to make money on instagram along with some strategies which will escalate your follower-count as well.
How Does Monetization Take Place on Instagram?
Before we talk about follower count, it is important to discuss what methods can be opted for making money on instagram.
If we get ourselves equipped with the right strategies for making money on instagram, follower count will just become a by-product of monetization strategies.
Here are the primary methods through which you can monetize your instagram account:
Sponsored Posts
This is the simplest way to earn money on instagram. You just reach out to new brands who will pay you to promote their business on instagram.
Affiliate Marketing
You can earn commissions by promoting products with links which are trackable.
Selling Products/Services
You can start your own business and then promote it on instagram by creating a business account on the platform.
Instagram Shopping
You can set your own shop and store on instagram. This is an inbuilt feature which allows you to explore and purchase products without leaving the platform.
Content Creation And Collaboration
You can create great content on instagram through IG reels, posts and carousel posts on the platform. This can open multiple gateways of collaborations and sponsorships for you.
These are the methods which don’t require any specific amount of followers on your profile to earn money on instagram.
Strategies to Grow Your Instagram Followers
To monetize Instagram, you need a strategy to grow your follower base. Here are some proven methods:
- Optimize Your Profile
Optimizing your profile on instagram can help you grow your followers naturally because your profile is the first thing your followers see.
Here’s how you can optimize your profile better to increase followers:
- Use a clear profile picture and a concise bio.
- Include a call-to-action
- Add a link to your website or affiliate products.
- Pin your best post.
- Create High-Quality Content
Creating high quality content that resonates, relates and connects with audiences is also a great way to increase follower-count.
Here’s how you can do better:
- Invest in good photography and editing tools.
- Use captions that tell a story or ask questions to spark engagement.
- Experiment with Reels, as they have higher reach potential.
- Also maximize storytelling by posting carousels on your account.
- Leverage Hashtags
Hashtags are the best way to align your content, to categorise it and to make your content reach the search engines with ease.
I was reading an article by Twicsy on best hashtags to get viral on instagram in 2025 by Twicsy UK and here are my favorite points from the article:
- Use a mix of niche and popular hashtags. (your niche hashtags + broad hashtags to enhance exposure on the platform)
- Aim for 10–15 hashtags per post to maximize discoverability.
- Don’t overstuff your posts with hashtags.
- Collaborate with Other Creators
Collaborating with other creators and influencers on the platform helps you to foster a community on instagram.
Do better collaboration with other creators by:
- Partner with influencers in your niche for shoutouts or joint content.
- Engage with accounts in your industry to build relationships.
- Consider Spending Some Bucks
You can also increase your followers on instagram by going for these two paid methods:
- Run meta ads
- Buy instagram followers.
Running meta ads on instagram is a powerful and effective way to increase your followers on instagram.
You can run meta ads by setting goals, targeting your audience, creating compelling ads, setting a budget and finally tracking your progress on the platform.
However, If your account is new, gaining initial followers can be challenging. You can buy Instagram followers from a reputable and trustworthy site to boost your profile’s visibility, credibility and all in all engagement.
This can create a snowball effect, attracting organic followers who see your account as credible.
How Many Followers Do You Need To Make Money On Instagram?
The strategies we have mentioned above can give you money right away.
However, having a significant follower count on your IG account can help you enhance these strategies which can bring more monetization opportunities for you.
The number of followers needed to monetize your Instagram account varies based on your goals and niche:
Nano-Influencers
Nano-influencers typically have smaller but highly engaged audiences following their accounts. These are the accounts which have 1000 to 10000 followers.
Brands value them for their authenticity and niche focus. With as few as 1000 followers you can start earning on instagram through:
- Sponsored posts (earning $10 to $100 per post)
- Affiliate marketing
- Local business collaborations
Micro-Influencers
Micro influencers have a higher number of followers and have exposure to broader audiences and enhanced reach.
Micro influencers are usually influencers which typically have 10,000 to 50,000 followers on their pages.
As a micro-influencer you might earn as:
- $100 to $500 per sponsored post because you have exposure to more audiences.
- Consistent affiliate marketing income.
- Opportunities to sell your own products on instagram.
Macro-influencers
With six figures or more, you can command thousands of dollars per post. However, competition is fierce, and brands expect professional content and high engagement.
Macro-influencers usually have more than 100,000 followers on their profiles, but the question is do they get instagram likes, comments and shares frequently or not?
Because engagement matters more than just a set of increased follower count. If those followers aren’t interacting they are useless.
Why Engagement Matters More Than Follower Count?
Brands prioritize engagement such as likes, comments, shares, and saves over follower numbers because it shows how well your audience connects with your content.
These interaction measures show how interactive and responsive your audience is to your account and your content.
How to Boost Engagement
Here are some ways you can boost your engagement on instagram:
- Share high quality content regularly.
- Maximize the use of stories, carousels and reels on your IG account.
- Engage with your audiences by replying to their comments and DMs.
These methods can be adopted by anyone to maximize engagement on their instagram profile with a high follower count.
Conclusion
A massive following is not needed to start earning money on instagram. With as few as 1,000 engaged followers, you can monetize through sponsored posts, affiliate marketing, or selling products. Focus on engagement, create high-quality content, and grow your audience strategically. It is also suggested to buy engagement from a trustworthy site or by running meta ads to escalate your overall engagement on instagram.
In order to gain more on instagram you need to start short, be consistent, share valuable content and also be ready to spend some money on board.
