Instagram clearly isn’t set up for e-commerce transactions. Yet in spite of this, did you know there are many businesses and individuals who are successfully selling directly from the platform?
This blog post will look at some of the little known ways people and businesses are currently using Instagram as their main source of revenue; that’s right, they’re selling directly on Instagram and making a living from it!
Following is my list of little known ways to sell on Instagram!
1. Photographers: Sell your images on Instagram
Image courtesy of Daniel Arnold on Instagram
According to this recent article on Forbes, photographer Daniel Arnold made a split decision to hold a one-day sale of all his photos on Instagram. He had built up a following of 22,000, and on the eve of his 34th birthday, decided to offer all his photos for sale: $150 for a 4×6 print of any image posted to his Instagram account.
Even though he had previously not sold any of his images – and Forbes reports he only had $90.03 in his bank account prior to this – sales immediately went nuts. One day after announcing the sale, he had sold $15,000 worth of prints, and it appears the sale has been extended (not surprisingly).
Check him out on Instagram to see how Daniel does it!
Photographer Tip: If you’re a photographer who’s interested in selling your images on Instagram, be sure to use relevant hashtags with all your images. If you’re selling location-specific images, be sure to use geo-tagging so people will be able to find your pics when they’re searching for a specific location. You may also want to check out Instaprints, which is a service that allows you to buy and sell Instagram images.
2. Sell your clothes with #shopmycloset
Looking to make some extra cash simply by cleaning out your closet? Post pictures of clothes, jewelry or other accessories using the hashtag #shopmycloset. Here’s how it works: Post an image of your goods with a full description (size, fabric, price, shipping info, etc.), and use the #shopmycloset hashtag (along with any other relevant hashtags).
Alternatively, check out the Poshmark app where you can “shop the closets of women across America and sell yours too”. When you sell something using the app, Poshmark will even send you the shipping label…then simply drop your package in the mail and collect your money!
3. Limelight Extensions: “Without Instagram I couldn’t tell you where we would be right now.”
Image courtesy of Limelight Extensions on Instagram
Limelight Extensions, a Michigan hair extensions studio has mastered the art of selling on Instagram. With almost 30,000 followers, the studio receives a steady stream of inquires and booking requests simply from posting pictures to their Instagram account.
To build up their followers and increase their exposure, the company pays local celebrities to post their images to their Instagram accounts with a link back to Limelight.
But now that the salon has built up a healthy fan base of their own, their own photos do well too. According to USA Today, one photo co-owner Miranda Jade Plater posted a few months back has already generated $10,000 in sales!
Thinking of taking the Plunge? Study Reveals the Secrets to Selling on Instagram
Hopefully this post has inspired you to find new and innovative ways to use Instagram for your business. I want to leave you with some recent research done into which elements help lead to sales on Instagram. If you’re thinking of selling on Instagram, you may want to give these a try!
- Use high levels of yellow or blue
- Use longer captions
- Avoid using question marks or exclamation points
- Don’t use filters
- Infrequent posters with high follower counts tend to sell more
If you’re looking for more tips on using Instagram for your business and other little known ways to sell on Instagram, see my posts 7 Steps to Insta-Success: How to Use Instagram for Your Business and I am a Small Business Owner, Why do I Need an Instagram Account?
Are you currently selling on Instagram? Are you thinking of taking the plunge? Share below!
About Author
At Josh, thanks for sharing that. Instagram is a great network. – Boom Care Squad – Aida Ingram
Instagram is a great tool and there are tons of uses for it. As it grows, it will be amazing to see how many other ways that it will be able to be used. – Boom Care Squad – Aida Ingram
Janie,
Absolutely…Boom Care Squad – Aida Ingram
The only place that your link is live is in your bio area. You can definitely point people to that.
I am interested in checking out your platform, Spreesy. Contact me privately please.