The fusion of affiliate marketing and Instagram marketing is a potential pathway to a profitable side business, as both are valued at several billion dollars. Instagram affiliates earn money when their audience buys a product that they have endorsed.
Affiliates find Instagram to be a perfect platform since it not only attracts half of its users who shop every week but also displays various content formats such as images, videos, and livestreams that provide customers with a complete understanding before buying.
Learn the top Instagram affiliate marketing strategies from this guide to increase your sales by two-fold.
1. Label affiliate products as a paid partnership
As a result of the significant increase in the amount of Instagram users encouraged to share products with their audience, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has established exacting regulations for marketers concerning their obligation to reveal their connection with a related brand.
Readers are best informed when both the disclosure indicating your relationship and the review containing it are visible together with the link. For instance, you may disclose, “I earn commissions through links in this post.” However, if the review with the disclosure and the link are not in close proximity, readers may not link them together.
A new feature was introduced by Instagram to aid affiliate marketers in complying with the FTC’s endorsement criteria. Chantel Mila’s Instagram post displays the “paid partnerships” label, which unmistakably reveals that the affiliate marketer is motivated to promote the brand’s material.
But it’s not just the FTC’s good books you’ll land yourself in by being honest with affiliate recommendations. Lattice Hudson, founder of Lattice & Co, says, “I don’t suggest you obscure the fact that it’s affiliate marketing, since then you come off as spam, deceptive affiliate advertising, and promotions.
Establish genuine relationships with your audience by providing authentic content that is honest and impartial. If they feel that your only motivation is commercial gain and not their welfare, they will not come back.
2. Create an Instagram affiliate storefront
In June 2021, Instagram announced new affiliate features, including an in-app storefront exclusively for platform content creators, like the ecommerce brand’s Instagram Shops.
Affiliates have the ability to feature their affiliated products on their profile and can tag these items in their Instagram content to promote sales through the View Shop tab, which displays suggested products.
Although the Instagram affiliate shop feature is currently undergoing beta testing, it is anticipated to be made available to US creators in the near future. Meanwhile, focus on experimenting with various affiliate products to assess their level of popularity. Once the feature is officially launched, you will be able to identify which items should be prioritized in your affiliate storefront.
3. Add affiliate links to your Instagram bio
It is commonly heard from Instagram users that they are limited to only one link from their bio, causing dissatisfaction. Although the platform has acknowledged this concern for Stories, affiliate marketers had to devise alternative methods to redirect Instagram traffic to their affiliate links.
A commonly used solution is to use a landing page link aggregator. Services such as Linktree or Tap Bio offer affiliate marketers the ability to create landing pages that include several affiliate links.
4. Create a discount code Story highlight
It may interest you to know that 88% of online shoppers in the US make use of coupon codes. Incorporate this information into your affiliate marketing plan by providing Instagram followers with discount codes.
Here, Instagram Stories function exceptionally well. The Story format is amongst Instagram’s most sought-after features, boasting more than 500 million users daily. Affiliates can employ the link sticker to steer users towards products, without having to divert them through a bio link. This feature has replaced the swipe up feature previously exclusive to accounts with more than 10,000 followers.
To enhance your earnings, store your discount codes in a Story highlight. This ensures that the coupon codes remain visible beyond 24 hours. In addition, featuring redeemable discount codes for affiliated products on your profile attracts and monetizes new visitors.
5. Record product demonstrations
To succeed in affiliate marketing on Instagram, your followers must have a good level of familiarity, appeal and confidence in you to trust your recommendations. To avoid disrupting their browsing experience, show them how to use the product instead of directing them to external sources to find the information.
This comprises of:
- Instagram Stories for vlog-style videos
- Instagram Reels for short, TikTok-style videos
- Instagram Live for live streaming product tutorials in real time
Founder of BBQ Grill Academy, Hector Ruiz, suggests that the most effective Instagram affiliate content takes the shape of recommendations and practical application of products in real situations, rather than sales speeches.
Viewers are more likely to click on a product link if they receive an authentic recommendation that you endorse and demonstrate how you use it in your daily life. This is why original recommendations are crucial in marketing.
To witness this affiliate marketing tip being implemented, check out The Anna Edit’s Instagram video which features a paid partnership tag denoting Anna’s collaboration with Armani Beauty. However, all the products used in the tutorial are linked in the caption with RewardStyle links, generating monetization.
A suggestion is to use Instagram carousels to showcase product tutorials. You can divide each step into separate photos or brief videos and share them on your feed. This technique not only extends the lifespan of the content but also provides a lasting platform to educate your followers about the products that will generate commissions.
6. Use hashtags to expand your reach
To create a reliable passive income source through affiliate marketing, it is essential to establish a consistent flow of fresh Instagram followers. Boosting the number of viewers for your content reduces the possibility of audience burnout, where individuals become disinterested in seeing the same content repeatedly.
By using hashtags, you can reach a wider audience on Instagram with minimal effort. When users follow a particular hashtag on the app, your posts have the potential to show up in their feed, regardless of whether they follow your account or not.
Begin your search for Instagram hashtags by conducting competitor analysis. Hashtags are frequently employed by brands, bloggers, and publishers to increase their exposure. Review the captions and initial comment on Instagram posts shared by these entities for inspiration.
There are also platforms available that display trending hashtags within a specific industry.
Make sure you verify that a hashtag is not forbidden before including it in your list. Instagram has barred apparently harmless phrases like #adulting, #beautyblogger, and #pushup. Incorporating them into your partner content may lead to a shadowban.
7. Do not make the products the focal point all the time
In affiliate marketing, relying solely on promoting products is not effective. It’s important to keep in mind that the objective is to advertise other individuals’ products and services and make a commission in return. Overemphasizing the products can hinder your ability to attract clicks and generate sales.
Rather than concentrating on generating clicks through your affiliate link, your focus should be on producing top-notch content that captivates your target audience. This entails sharing photos and videos that are pertinent to your specific field. You can also use alternate social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter to disseminate your content and increase traffic to your affiliate link.
8. Shoot creative images
Earning income through affiliate marketing on Instagram is a lucrative option that allows you to pursue your passion for photography. As a top affiliate marketer, you can promote diverse product and service affiliate programs, ranging from cameras and lenses to online courses and software.
After discovering a program that catches your attention, join its affiliate program and begin. Almost all programs offer a link or banner to append on your website or blog. Then, they will furnish guidelines on monitoring clicks and sales.
To successfully market a product as an affiliate, it is crucial to generate captivating visuals that attract the audience’s interest. Try showcasing the product through pictures demonstrating its utility or crafting amusing and striking images.
Ensure that your images are of high quality and align with the tone of your account, no matter what actions you take.
9. Be authentic
Another important aspect to keep in mind when posting is to be true to yourself. Pretending to be someone you’re not will ultimately backfire as people can see right through it. Thus, it’s crucial to be sincere with your audience, and refrain from endorsing products you don’t genuinely use or like. Your supporters will value your genuineness and are likely to rely on your advice more.
10. Share your personal experience
As an affiliate, ensure that the content you post is informative and useful for your readers. You can share your own experiences to help your audience learn from your triumphs and missteps. It’s important to be candid and clear with them, and also notify them of any product or service that you’ve personally used and would recommend genuinely. When you offer valuable data, your readers will trust your referrals more and are likely to click on the links.
11. Share videos and Instagram IGTV
Despite the common association of affiliate marketing with posting links to products on social media in order to generate sales, there exist alternative ways of promoting affiliate products that may prove to be more successful.
One option is to make brief videos or even complete Instagram IGTV installments showcasing the merchandise you are advertising. This approach can aid in establishing trust and reliability with your viewers, ultimately resulting in increased revenue over time.
12. Create similar blog posts and Instagram posts
You can enhance your brand’s recognition and boost your affiliate marketing income by producing alike blog and Instagram posts. Utilize high-quality visuals and pertinent information to ensure the content’s quality.
13. Run sponsored posts
By suggesting products or services to your followers, you can acquire profit through a commission. But, amplifying your earnings is possible by incorporating sponsored posts into your approach.
Compensated posts authored for companies are called sponsored posts or paid advertisements. They are an excellent option to earn additional income while also establishing connections with the brands you admire.
It is essential to reveal your affiliation when promoting sponsored content as an affiliate. This strengthens your bond with your audience and guarantees that they are aware of when you are receiving incentives to endorse a product or service.
Two of the frequently used indicators are “ad” and “spon.” “Ad” should be applied only if the post is a direct promotion of the product or service, while “spon” may be used to indicate a collaboration or sponsorship with a company.
14. Use Instagram’s shopping feature
By utilizing Instagram’s shopping feature, you are able to incorporate affiliate marketing and attach direct links to the desired products on the platform. Upon clicking the link, viewers will be redirected to the respective product page on the affiliated website for a seamless purchase experience. This streamlined process facilitates customer acquisition and also enables efficient monitoring of your sales.
15. Include a URL in the comments
Adding a hyperlink to Instagram comments can assist in endorsing affiliate marketing. Upon clicking the hyperlink, the user will be directed to the affiliate website, allowing them to buy products or services. Including a URL in comments is a straightforward tactic to advertise affiliate goods, leading to a boost in sales.
