Creators and brands looking for more ways to monetize their social media accounts should look no further than Instagram subscriptions. This new monetization tactic came out in mid-2022 and offers a way for Instagram creators to generate a monthly income by sharing premium gated content.<\/p>\n
In this article, we\u2019ll cover what Instagram subscriptions are, how to use them, how to grow your subscription base, and more.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s get started.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n Bonus: Get the Instagram advertising cheat sheet for 2022.<\/span><\/strong> The free resource includes key audience insights, recommended ad types, and tips for success.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Instagram subscriptions are a monetization feature that enables creators to share premium content behind a paywall. Interested followers can subscribe for a monthly fee of anywhere from $0.99 to $99.99 and get access to features like:<\/p>\n Creators can decide which perks to offer and set their own price point based on the level of content they plan to share.<\/p>\n Take a look at this user\u2019s Instagram subscription offering:<\/p>\n This house plant influencer offers a subscription that costs $19.99\/month and provides subscribers with a subscriber badge, exclusive content, a social channel (i.e., group chat), and a broadcast channel.<\/p>\n Followers who love this user\u2019s content and want access to additional perks can then sign up for $19.99\/month.<\/p>\n Should you consider investing time into an Instagram subscription? There are a few benefits to keep in mind as you explore this potential monetization option.<\/p>\n Instagram subscriptions are an automatically recurring monthly payment. While people can end their subscription at any time, once you grow to a certain point, you should be able to rely on a set monthly income from this additional revenue stream.<\/p>\n Creating a reliable and recurring revenue stream can be a game changer for influencers and content creators who don\u2019t always have a secure and set income.<\/p>\n Your subscribers will automatically get a purple subscriber badge next to their name, which you\u2019ll be able to see in comments and messages. This differentiation can help you build deeper connections with that group of followers, eventually coming to know them by name.<\/p>\n By fostering these connections, your subscribers will be even more excited to hear from you, making them more likely to remain subscribed. This can further solidify your monthly income.<\/p>\n Instagram is an already existing (and already popular) platform on which you\u2019ve likely already built an audience. This means you\u2019re not completely starting from scratch with this new revenue stream.<\/p>\n Instead, you can seamlessly start promoting it to your existing audience, hopefully gaining subscribers with that much more ease<\/p>\n You can choose from a number of perks to offer your subscribers. Let\u2019s cover each benefit that you can offer with an Instagram subscription.<\/p>\n The first perk you can offer subscribers is an exclusive badge that only those who subscribe to your account can get. It\u2019s a purple crown and it appears next to a subscriber\u2019s name anytime they comment on a post or message you.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s an example of what this looks like:<\/p>\n Instagrammer @annestagramr subscribes to pop culture account @deuxmoi. Their subscriber badge shows up for all viewers\u2014not just to the @deuxmoi team.<\/p>\n But if you\u2019re the creator, having this badge can also help you pick your subscribers out when they comment and message you. You want to respond to everyone if you can (that\u2019s just good manners), but if you\u2019re pressed for time, it makes sense to prioritize your paying fans.<\/p>\n Accounts that offer subscriptions can create exclusive content just for their subscribers. This content appears in a separate feed on your profile that\u2019s only accessible to your subscribers.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what that feed looks like for non-subscribers:<\/p>\n The feed\u2019s existence is visible regardless of whether someone has subscribed, which can trigger FOMO for your non-subscribers. In some ways, iit acts as a call-to-action<\/a>, letting people who tap over to that feed know that they can only access the content if they subscribe<\/p>\n Exclusive content refers to:<\/p>\n Subscriber-only posts and videos will remain in this feed. Subscriber-only stories will appear on your profile with a purple ring around your profile photo, rather than the traditional pink ring. Like other stories, they only last 24 hours. But unlike <\/em>other stories, these posts then save to a subscriber-only highlight reel.<\/p>\n Subscriber social channels, also known as subscriber chats, allow you to create exclusive group chats with up to 250 of your subscribers. If you end up with more subscribers, you can consider creating different types of chats and allowing subscribers to sign up for the ones they\u2019re interested in.<\/p>\n For example, if you\u2019re a business coach, you could create chats for different industries so that people can connect with like-minded entrepreneurs and hear industry-specific advice from you, the expert.<\/p>\n Or, you could create new social channels with each month\u2019s or quarter\u2019s new subscribers, reaching out with a welcome message and giving a more intimate way for them to connect with you and other subscribers.<\/p>\n Finally, you can also offer a subscriber broadcast channel if you so choose. Broadcast channels are a newer Instagram feature, and many accounts are creating them for their free followers as well.<\/p>\n A broadcast channel<\/a> is a one-way communication method that allows you to share information with your subscribers. This can be new perks to the subscription, announcements, updates, tips, and more.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s an example of a free broadcast channel\u2014your subscriber one might be similar, but with more exclusive, subscriber-only updates:<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Create. Schedule. Publish. Engage. Measure. Win.<\/strong><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFree 30-Day Trial<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Want to set up Instagram subscriptions? Follow these step-by-step instructions to get started.<\/p>\n First things first, you need to make sure your account is even eligible for subscriptions. Criteria for this monetization method is as follows:<\/p>\n If you fit each eligibility criteria, you can move onto step two.<\/p>\n Head into your Instagram settings to set up your subscription. To do this, go to your profile and tap Professional Dashboard<\/strong>.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re eligible for subscriptions, you\u2019ll see an option to Set up subscriptions<\/strong>. If not, check back in with the eligibility criteria to see what you need to do in order to get access to this feature.<\/p>\n Tap Set up subscriptions<\/strong> and follow through each step to get started.<\/p>\n Now it\u2019s time to decide how much you want to charge for your monthly subscription. Obviously, the higher the price, the more you make. But you don\u2019t want to make it so high that no one will subscribe.<\/p>\n Find a happy medium that also matches the type of content and perks you plan to offer.<\/p>\n Price points you can choose from are:<\/p>\n You might choose a low $0.99 or $1.99 price point if you simply want to offer a large number of subscribers a bit more exclusive access to chats and news from you without having to create additional content.<\/p>\n However, if you use your Instagram subscription as a coaching service or offer exclusive online course information throughout your content, you can get away with a much higher price point.<\/p>\n Make sure to connect the bank account that you use for your business or creator income so that you can actually get paid once you start gaining subscribers. Keep in mind that you won\u2019t receive any payments until you pass a threshold of $100 earned.<\/p>\n To add your payout account, head back to your Professional Dashboard<\/strong> and follow these instructions:<\/p>\n Now you can start promoting your new subscription and getting new paying subscribers! There are a number of ways to do this, which brings us to our next section.<\/p>\n You\u2019ve got your new subscription set up, you have a plan for the types of content you want to create and share, and you\u2019re ready to start monetizing this new offering. Let\u2019s cover a few tried and true tips for getting people to subscribe on Instagram.<\/p>\n Use your public Instagram to start promoting your new subscription so your existing followers know they have a new option for following your content.<\/p>\n Some ways you can do this include:<\/p>\n You\u2019ll want to do all of these on a consistent basis. Announce your subscription when it\u2019s new, but incorporate promotion of it into your regular content schedule so that new and old followers alike are reminded of the option to subscribe.<\/p>\n Consistent, high-quality content is going to be an essential step for both your paid and non-paid content. For example, if you start to put all your focus on your premium content, someone looking at your full feed may be underwhelmed and not want to subscribe.<\/p>\n With that in mind, you need to create amazing content for both audience segments. Your free followers need to get an idea of the caliber of content you can create and your paid subscribers need to get their money\u2019s worth.<\/p>\n Plus, a \u201cSubscribe\u201d button will appear at the top of all of your free posts, providing yet another call-to-action for your followers. Make content so amazing that viewers immediately want to tap that button and subscribe.<\/p>\n Make your subscription fun and unique. Enable 1:1 chats, put together workshops, create amazing content, and build relationships with your subscribers.<\/p>\n The more your subscribers enjoy your subscription, the more they\u2019ll tell others about it. On top of that, you can get reviews and testimonials from your subscribers to share with your free followers.<\/p>\n And, putting together unique subscriber experiences allows you to compile samples of each experience to add into your free content to further promote your subscription.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Create. Schedule. Publish. Engage. Measure. Win.<\/strong><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFree 30-Day Trial<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Finally, consider collaborating with other creators as yet another way to create value for your subscribers. Partner with creators who also have a subscription to make the collaboration worth it for both parties.<\/p>\n You can then promote your collaboration to your free followers as an incentive to subscribe before the collaboration happens.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re not yet eligible for Instagram subscriptions (i.e., haven\u2019t hit the 10,000 follower threshold or aren\u2019t in an eligible country), there are still ways you can monetize your Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n Anyone with a business account (not a creator account) can set up an Instagram shop. Creator accounts can still tag products to create shoppable posts, but they cannot create their own shop.<\/p>\n So if you\u2019re looking to sell products directly on Instagram, a business account may be the best option for you. You can then add products\u2014like your brand\u2019s products, digital products, or merch for your creative business\u2014to sell directly on your Instagram profile.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re a creator, you can get paid by partnering with brands and promoting their products for them. As a creator or influencer, you\u2019re able to set your own rates for each type of post you create. For example, a story may not cost as much as a post or a reel.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s an example of the content you can create as a brand partner:<\/p>\n A Patreon<\/a> is essentially an Instagram subscription\u2014but not on Instagram. So if you\u2019re interested in this type of premium content, but you can\u2019t yet access Instagram subscriptions, consider getting started with Patreon.<\/p>\n You can easily promote your Patreon the same way you\u2019d promote your Instagram subscription. Plus, once you get access to subscriptions, it\u2019ll be a great way to reach an even wider audience with some of the same premium content.<\/p>\n With affiliate marketing<\/a>, you can get a commission from purchases people make with a tracking link a company has provided you with. You can apply to become an affiliate directly with the company (just look for their affiliate partners page) or by using an affiliate marketplace.<\/p>\n Once you have your tracking link, you can then promote a business\u2019s products and ask followers to use your link to make a purchase.<\/p>\n While you can\u2019t share links in your Instagram posts, you can share links on your Stories and in your DMs. Many influencers have started using bots to help with their affiliate marketing by having interested buyers comment a specific keyword on their post to get a specific product link.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s an example of what that could look like:<\/p>\n Live Badges are virtual badges that can be purchased during a live video. Enable these within your Professional Dashboard, then offer the option for viewers to buy them (costs range from $0.99-4.99) during your live video.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll need to create a consistent live streaming schedule in order to actually make a solid income from this type of monetization feature, but it can still be a great way to make money from Instagram.<\/p>\n Save time managing Instagram for business using Hootsuite. From a single dashboard, you can create, schedule and publish posts directly to Instagram, engage your audience, measure performance and run all your other social media profiles. Try it free today.<\/b><\/p>\nWhat are Instagram subscriptions?<\/span><\/h2>\n
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![\"Instagram](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Instagram-Subscriptions-1-620x1342.png?resize=620%2C1342&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nWhy should creators be excited about Instagram subscriptions?<\/span><\/h2>\n
Additional monthly revenue stream<\/h3>\n
Deeper connections with followers<\/h3>\n
Access to a popular platform<\/h3>\n
What do Instagram subscriptions let you do?<\/span><\/h2>\n
Subscriber badge<\/h3>\n
![\"Subscriber](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Instagram-Subscriptions-2-620x1342.png?resize=620%2C1342&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nExclusive content<\/h3>\n
![\"Impact](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Instagram-Subscriptions-3-620x1342.png?resize=620%2C1342&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n
Subscriber social channel<\/h3>\n
Subscriber broadcast channel<\/h3>\n
![\"free](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Instagram-Subscriptions-4-620x1342.png?resize=620%2C1342&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n![](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Inpost-CTA-Planner.png?ssl=1\"\/)
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t#1 Social Media Tool\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\nHow to set up Instagram subscriptions<\/span><\/h2>\n
Step 1: Make sure you\u2019re eligible<\/h3>\n
Step 2: Enable subscriptions<\/h3>\n
Step 3: Set your monthly price point<\/h3>\n
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Step 4: Add your payout account<\/h3>\n
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Step 5: Start getting subscribers<\/h3>\n
How to get people to subscribe on Instagram<\/span><\/h2>\n
Promote your subscription<\/h3>\n
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![\"Subscribe](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Instagram-Subscriptions-5-620x1342.png?resize=620%2C1342&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n
![\"Mariah](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Instagram-Subscriptions-6-620x1342.png?resize=620%2C1342&ssl=1\")
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Create quality content consistently<\/h3>\n
![\"Instagram](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Instagram-Subscriptions-7-620x1342.png?resize=620%2C1342&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nPut out unique subscriber experiences<\/h3>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t#1 Social Media Tool\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\nCollaborate with other creators<\/h3>\n
How to earn money on Instagram if you don\u2019t have access to subscriptions<\/span><\/h2>\n
Create an Instagram shop<\/h3>\n
![\"Mau](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Instagram-Subscriptions-8-620x1342.png?resize=620%2C1342&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n![\"Current](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Instagram-Subscriptions-9-620x1342.png?resize=620%2C1342&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nPartner with brands<\/h3>\n
Promote a Patreon<\/h3>\n
Use affiliate marketing<\/h3>\n
![\"Houseplus](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Instagram-Subscriptions-10-620x1342.png?resize=620%2C1342&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n![\"Houseplus](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Instagram-Subscriptions-11-620x1342.png?resize=620%2C1342&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nGo live with Live Badges<\/h3>\n