Are you an Instagram freak? Do you spend hours of time on this app every day? Then it’s the right time to convert your efforts into dollars.
These great ideas will help you to start a business on Instagram. Yes, you heard it right!
Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms where we can share photos and videos with our friends and followers.
Since it has more than 500 million active users monthly and 75 million active users daily, Instagram has become not only a social media platform but also a great marketplace to promote and sell products.
Also, Instagram is a great place to start making money in many different ways that others are already doing.
Today, we are going to discuss the methods that will help you to start a business on Instagram without investing any bucks.
Before going to that, Let’s see what you need to be successful on Instagram.
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How To Start The Journey With Instagram
Followers are the main concern when it comes to social media. Whether it is a brand or a business, its performance will be completely based on the number of genuine and trusted followers it has.
If you use Instagram very often, you may notice that people with a large number of followers promote stuff, do modeling, and develop their own brands.
Yes, they are trying to convert their followers into customers by promoting useful products to their followers.
If you are already an Instagram user with a good number of followers, then go down to the business ideas list and read.
Or if you are new to Instagram and want to build your followers to start a business on Instagram? Then these tips will help you to build a brand with trusted followers.
How To Build A Professional Instagram Account?
First of all, before going to build a profile, you have to be very clear about what you are building for.
Attracting all kinds of followers is easier than building with the right kind of followers. But there will be no use or very little.
Setup Your Profile With Relevant Information
If you are a new user or an old one, make sure your profile looks professional. Keep the focus on your brand and business. If you are focusing on fashion, then set up your info related to that topic.
Fill out your bio, contact information, and your name or brand name, and also include relevant keywords and hashtags.
Posting
You must keep posting content on your profiles every day. This will help the Instagram algorithm to find your profile is active and show better in search results.
It’s better to post more than once in the beginning days. So you can reach more people and get more followers.
One more important thing is the quality of the content you post on Instagram. Let me say, Quality matters on Instagram. Yes, rich-looking content engages more on this platform.
You must use special filters and attractive effects before posting on this platform. Always use the best camera to capture quality pictures.
Knowing Your Followers
Our purpose is not only to build more followers but also to know our followers. Allocate sometime daily to understand your followers and what they like more, and comment regularly.
Also, have conversations with followers in comments when they ask something; this will help you to build loyal followers.
Hashtags
Hashtags are so vital when it comes to Instagram. Using relevant hashtags will boost the profile performance and the number of followers too.
Using Hashtags is the best way to reach people who are actually not user followers, and this also makes them follow your profile.
To perform well with these Hashtags, you can download some apps that will help you to find the best hashtags for your posts.
Never forget to add hashtags to a post. Especially in the beginning days.
These are some important tips for building a brand and a good number of followers on Instagram.
If you already have a good amount of followers, then why are you waiting? It’s time to start monetizing your account.
I am listing 7 creative ideas to start a business on Instagram below this article. You don’t need to invest in implementing these ideas.
You can build your profile as well as promote your business on Instagram simultaneously.
Let’s check the ideas to start a business on Instagram.
Also Check: Make Money On Instagram – 9 Ways To Get Paid For Instagram Posts.
Ideas To Start A Business On Instagram
1. Sell Your Own Products
We all know Instagram is a great place to sell stuff. Why not for us? Yes, we can sell our own products too.
Do you have your own products or any ideas? Not getting any? Let’s see some product ideas.
You can sell books, courses, crafts, digital products, and many more products as long as your followers are interested.
What do you need to start selling your own products?
- First of all, create an online store to list your products. Don’t have any idea about creating an online store? Don’t worry! I recommend you visit Shopify, a platform to create an online store to sell digital or physical products.
- Take pictures of your photos and list them in your store. Add your own selling prices for products.
- Also, find a good delivery partner to deliver products to your customers on time.
- Start advertising your products on Instagram and also on other social media channels.
Benefits of Selling Own Products
- No worries about “out of stock” issues.
- You can fix selling prices for products.
- Your margins are in your hand.
- Makes your brand more popular.
Selling your own products on the Internet using social media platforms is really a quick way to make more money from home.
This business will help you to create a passive income and as well as establish your own brand.
Do Check, 32 Super Easy Things To Make And Sell Online From Home.
2. Dropshipping
Have you heard of the dropshipping business? Dropshipping is also similar to selling products. But here, you don’t have to own any products.
In this business, you will buy products from a manufacturer, then list them on your online store to sell.
When someone buys a product, the manufacturer will take care of the shipping process to deliver products to customers.
You will receive money directly from customers. You can keep your profits and pay the manufacturer only the cost price.
Sounds great, right?
Want to start a dropshipping business? Let’s see what you need to start!
Requirements
- First of all, you have to make a deal with a product owner or manufacturer to take care of the shipping process.
- Create an online store and list your products.
- You must provide customer support services to your buyers.
Benefits of Dropshipping Business
- High returns on the Investments.
- You can retarget your customers whenever a new product arrives.
- Increases your brand reputation.
- You can set your own selling prices for the products.
- No worries about the shipping and delivery process.
Dropshipping business is a great way to make thousands of profits in very little time.
But what if you don’t find any products? Got this doubt? No need to worry. You have two big companies behind you to run this business successfully.
Yes, and those companies are Amazon and AliExpress. That’s so great, really!
These two companies encourage new entrepreneurs to start the dropshipping business and allow their products to sell in every individual store.
So, start creating an online store if you are interested in this business.
If you think you cannot handle the setup process of creating a store, import products from either Amazon or AliExpress.
Shopify gives a 14-day free trial to create an online store. So you can start and run your store for free in the first 14 days.
Then, If you find this business works for you, you can keep continuing the store by subscribing to an annual plan.
Everything is automatic with Shopify. Great platform to create an online store. It has made everything easy for Dropshipping business owners.
You can import Amazon or AliExpress products to your store with a single click.
Then, If you find this business works for you, you can keep continuing the store by subscribing to an annual plan.
Also, Read 8 Epic Ways To Turn Your Free Time Into Money.
3. Become An Instagram Influencer
Have you got regularly engaging followers on Instagram?
Now it’s time to become an Instagram influencer. But what actually does an Insta Influencer do? Let’s see!
Requirements To Become an Insta Influencer
- Instagram account for a good number of followers.
- Convert your account into a business account.
- High-quality camera to take beautiful pictures.
- Consistent updates and activities on your profile.
- Knowledge to use the right hashtags.
Benefits of Being An Insta Influencer
- You can promote products both digital and physical.
- Get paid by companies to promote their brands
- Sell own products
- Join TapInfluence and Ifluenz networks to get sponsored post deals where you can get paid to post about brands and products that are related to your profile and followers.
Instagram influencer marketing is a great way to promote products and get more sales. Instagram users mostly buy products that their influencers promote.
So, as an influencer, you must keep engaging with your followers, post new content that can be sold, and use hashtags to get more reach.
Keep doing this activity on Instagram to build a loyal audience and also turn Instagram into a working marketplace for your business.
4. Affiliate Marketing
Any idea what Affiliate Marketing is?
Affiliate Marketing simply means you will earn commissions when you promote and sell a product.
If you read any blogs, you often find that writers recommend some products by including their links in the middle of the articles.
And you see reviews posts, youtube channels, and almost everywhere, you will find product recommendations.
Those links are actually affiliate links; they will earn commissions if you purchase a product using that link.
Similarly, you can do the same on Instagram. With attractive images and videos, you can promote products and get sales through your affiliate links.
Best Affiliate Networks To Join
- Amazon Associates
- eBay
- Shareasale
- Ebates
- And many more networks.
Benefits of Affiliate Marketing on Instagram
- More sales from your followers.
- Unlimited passive income every day.
- Products are not limited, and you can promote any product.
- No need to own any product or website.
Instagram Marketing is a great opportunity to promote affiliate products. You can include your affiliate links in your posts and bio.
If you still want to know more about affiliate marketing, then check out this amazing course to make $50,000 per month.
Check, Blog Income Report – How I Made $7147 In September 2020.
5. Become a Photographer and Sell Photos
Well, you don’t need to quit your job to become a full-time photographer on Instagram. If you have a good camera and a passion for capturing beautiful pictures, then this job will add some extra money to your wallet.
If you are a professional or an amateur photographer, you can make money on Instagram by selling your stock photos.
But why do people buy photos? Let’s see!
Instagram is mainly known for quality pictures and videos.
Nobody cares about you if you post low-quality pictures and dull content. It should grab people’s attention.
If you are producing high-quality pictures using your camera, then you can sell them to other influencers or brands.
While posting, keep adding watermarks to every photo and place hashtags and selling details in the description.
Requirements To Become An Insta Photographer
- A DSLR camera or a smartphone with a high-quality camera
- A few photography skills
Benefits of Becoming a Photographer
- Sell photos to bloggers, marketers, and brands.
- Also, sell photos outside of Instagram
- You can participate in events as a photographer
- Unlimited passive income from the Internet.
Platforms To Sell Photos Online
Selling photos on Instagram and other platforms is a great way to diversify your income. If you are not a professional photographer, you can enjoy making some cash on the side.
Also, check 22 Best Platforms To Sell Photos Online (2023 Version).
6. Promote Your Own Business
Social media is a great way for any business to keep engaging with customers and followers.
If you run your own business, such as a store or a blog, or anything, Instagram has to be one of your promotional platforms.
You can make followers engage with your business by uploading content regularly, posting beautiful photos of your products, offering discounts, etc.
Instagram can be helpful to any business in many different ways, like selling products, driving traffic to websites, branding your company, advertising new products, and more.
For any business owner, it is important to know the vital role of this platform in their business. And adding this platform to their major list of promotions will definitely bring a rise in their sales and performance.
Also, Check 7 No Investment Side Business Ideas You Can Start On Facebook.
7. Design & Sell T-Shirts
Want to take your first step into the fashion industry? Then selling personalized t-shirts will help you with that!
Designing and selling T-shirts isn’t as hard as you think. Anyone can start selling t-shirts online these days.
You need to be a bit creative and funny to make your designs unique.
You can use funny sayings and quotes which can make more people buy your t-shirts.
Coming to the designing part, it is just a drag and drop when you use available platforms on the internet!
Yes, we have many companies that have already made designing that is easy for any new entrepreneurs in this business.
Still, if you feel this designing part is painful, then hire a designer and keep your focus on promotions.
Best Platforms To Design & Sell T-Shirts
How To Use Instagram To Sell Photos
Post your designs on your Insta profile by adding relevant and trending hashtags.
Hashtags play a vital role on Instagram. You can reach as many people as you include correct hashtags.
It’s a way to reach and convert people that are not actually your followers. These tags can make your content go viral.
Place your product links in every post and also include them in your bio. Never forget to add product links.
Offer discounts and cash backs regularly to bring more sales for your designs.
By doing these things daily, you can make Instagram a great marketplace for your business.
Also, Check 17 Best Websites and Apps To Sell Used Clothes Online [2023 Update]
Conclusion
So, here we are at the end of the article. I hope you like the list of 7 creative ideas you can start a business on Instagram without investment.
I believe you got an idea about the importance of Instagram for any kind of business. If you are an active Insta user, then it is your time to start your own business on Instagram.
You mainly need a good number of followers. Start building and making money simultaneously on Instagram.
If you have any queries to ask, then leave a comment below or contact me. I am always happy to help.
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Hello there, I’m Siva Mahesh, an MBA Finance post-graduate and a Remote Career & Personal Finance blogger for 5+ years. Over the years, my work has been featured on US News, Entrepreneur, MSN, Yahoo Finance, GoBankingRates, EverQuote, Legal Zoom, The Simple Dollar, Databox, Business.com, Business News Daily, Venngage, Score.org, and more. My primary mission is to help our readers maximize their earning potential with legitimate online business ideas, side hustles, and passive income ideas we publish on Dreamshala. Currently, more than 100,000 readers from all around the world visit this blog every month and learn new ways to improve their finances.