Monetize Your Instagram Account Through Instagram Subscriptions: New Feature Alert
By: Sabrina Tatalias
For years, influencers and accounts have been able to earn an income off social media platforms such as TikTok, Youtube, Patreon, and many others; but now the millennial answer for Facebook (AKA Instagram) has joined the game.
This new feature is starting to be rolled out to creators on Instagram, allowing creators to offer subscriptions to their followers to pay them for their content directly. Creators will be able to create exclusive content for specific subscription levels, making running a business on or with Instagram even more attractive to freelancers, solopreneurs, and meme lovers everywhere.
ELIGIBILITY: BECAUSE WE ALL WANT IN
Meta has an effort to enable creators to earn money off the platform. That said, a Subscriptions tool was launched back in 2020 on Facebook to allow creators to better support and serve the community they have built. Currently, as of January 2022, Meta is rolling out test subscriptions to a small group of only 10 creators in the world on Instagram. The creators are able to set a monthly prices and unlock a subscribe button on their profile.
The feature is currently only available to a handful of creators on Instagram for an initial test round, and then there are plans to do a gradual release to more creators in the coming months throughout 2022.
If you are interested to see some accounts currently in action using Subscriptions check out: @alanchikinchow, @sedona._, @alizakelly, @kelseylynncook, @elliottnorris, @jordanchiles, @jackjerry, @bunnymichael, @donalleniii and @lonnieiiv. These creators were selected for the initial test round.
Facebook Subscriptions creators are also eligible to transition into the program for IG by having at least 10,000 followers along with having 50,000 post engagements, or 180,000 watch minutes in the last 60 days upon initial application into the program. This appears to be similar to the new Instagram Subscription model and complies with three different compliance measures in place by Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. These compliance standards include Meta Monetization Standards, Fun Funding Creator Terms, and Apple’s App Store Guidelines For Subscriptions.
Check back in the coming months for more information upon release as to whom qualifies for the Instagram feature.
SUBSCRIPTION FEATURES
Now, what actually does an individual receive if they subscribe to their favorite creator on Instagram? Essentially, every subscriber will receive the same three features that will be covered more deeply later in this article, but in terms of exclusive content, the creator has full creative decision over what they want to share! Based on the test round creators, the subscriber content included daily horoscopes, exclusive comedy skits, and more.
PRIVATE LIVES & STORIES
Creators can release exclusive lives and stories to their subscribers which both allow subscribers to engage more deeply and stay more connected to the creator. This is a great option to interact more with your subscribers, along with getting creative with your content or how personal you want to be.
SUBSCRIBER BADGES
Creators will now get to easily distinguish between followers and paid subscribers in the comments and direct messages from their paid subscribers with a special badge feature. This is a great way to not only have it known who a subscriber is, but also promote it to other followers as well to gain more over time. Creators can then create custom offers for paid subscribers to enhance their business or their content on the platform.
ALLOWS CREATORS TO EARN SOME INCOME
This is a game-changer for many influencers and accounts given Instagram has over 1.3 billion users as of 2020 and has since climbed — making them have access to a wide audience to gain paid subscribers. Most influencers are on pretty much every social platform you can think of in order to gain additional income streams, although Instagram has been missing for quite some time, where most influencers have built and grown their audience for years now.
Influencers have been able to generate income off Instagram through brand deals and sponsorships, but now having the subscriber feature is the perfect way to generate income off dedicated followers who want to pay.
Note: Meta has released information on updates regarding Facebook Subscriptions; which again have been rolled out for a little over a year now. This update was in relation to Meta not taking fees until after 2023, so this is something that could occur for Instagram Subscriptions as well in the future.
FORWARD THINKING: ADDITIONAL FEATURES WE HOPE RELEASE
Based on some recent updates to Facebook Subscriptions, the following are a few additional features we believe will make their way to Instagram Subscriptions in the future (fingers crossed).
Facebook Subscriptions as of December 2021 released an update that allows creators to download an email list of their subscribers (as long as they opted in). This is a great way to generate additional leads to market off-platform as well and track campaign performance with this specific group of VIPs.
Facebook Subscriptions also had two features that enabled creators to keep more of the money generated from the subscriptions. This includes a unique link for the creator that when used to subscribe by a user, the creator then is able to keep 100% of the money they earn, excluding taxes. This also allows the creators to have access to more metrics and data points to help them better promote and utilize the subscriptions feature to the fullest. Also, Meta committed over 1 billion dollars to creators, and plan to use portions of the investment to create a highly selective bonus program creators can be invited to in order to earn additional income as well.
Meta has already released Facebook Subscriptions back in 2020, and now with their recently announced slow rollout of Instagram Subscriptions, we are all excited for the long-awaited new feature to start using. All in all, this is a great way for creators to have an additional income stream, and also a win for subscribers to more deeply engage with their favorite creators at a cost.
Stay up to date with new updates and releases as well once more information and updates come out.
Interested to Work With Me?
Hello, my name is Sabrina Tatalias and by trade, I am a Fulltime Analytics Consultant! When I’m not working with my day-job clients, you can find me consulting with my small business clients.
I provide services in Google Analytics, Tag Manager, Data Studio, content management, affiliate marketing, digital marketing, and more.
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