The use of social media has increased significantly over the past years, and several methods to make an income have emerged. Looking to make money from media platforms is not the easiest path by any means, but it can certainly be convenient and pay off.
On social media, there are definitely opportunities to sell your own products/services, but this article focuses on the aspect of content creation. There are certain benchmarks that should be met before you can expect payment.
Having a marketable audience
A given in the media industry is that a decent following is necessary. In many platforms like Youtube and Instagram, 1,000 followers is the bare minimum to earn some cash through content creation. Though it is a very competitive field, it is not impossible to achieve such a following. Many creators find a niche, which can be helpful. Some niches include fitness, art, gaming, etc. It is important to stay consistent however, and the quality of content is bound to be more appealing to platform users.
It can be very hard and discouraging in the beginning of content creation; that is the case for many popular creators right now. If you truly seek to monetize a social media account, it can be a grind, but using hashtags can increase publicity, and be appealing to followers!
Having an active audience
A large following is not enough. Ensuring that your audience interacts with posts through likes and comments is important. Having 100,000 followers with a meager 1,000 likes on posts is not a good look. Try to make content engaging and appealing. Reply to followers in the comments, utilize trending hashtags; anything to get those numbers up!
Post quality
If you plan to make money from social media, you want to make sure that your account and followers can be maintained. It is seen many times on platforms where creators will have a few popular posts, but everything else differs drastically in views and activity. It is important that consistency is maintained as much as possible throughout all content, and a focus on quality is prioritized.
Two of the biggest platforms to earn money through content creation are Youtube and Instagram.
Youtube Monetization
As one of the most popular platforms on the Internet, Youtube is definitely one of biggest ways to earn revenue. However, the challenging part is building an audience. Over the years, Youtube has become more competitive than ever. Don’t let that discourage you, as success can be found with consistency and dedication.
Many youtubers join the Youtube Partner Program (YPP), which is a partnership with the platform itself to receive advertisement revenue. In order to be eligible for the YPP, a channel needs 1,000 subscribers, 4,000 hours of watchtime over the last year, compliance, and a linked AdSense account (to actually receive the money).
It is beneficial to be unique in the videos that you post. However, Youtube has been out for 10+ years, and that can be quite challenging. Some of the easy ways to gain a decent following can be through reaction videos to interesting content, being skilled/entertaining while playing video games, recording interactions on platforms like Omegle, and a plethora of other ideas.
Earning off an Instagram Following
The main way to earn money off an Instagram account is by promoting products or services through posts; sponsored ads. This is done through partnering, in which a company/person reaches out to an influencer or vice versa. As a market standard, $10 can be paid for 1,000 followers. It is crucial that posts are consistent, but also generate activity (likes, comments) to be an attractive sponsorship vessel. Using hashtags in posts, posting on a regular basis, and having an interesting bio are also plus points. It is certainly not impossible to achieve sponsored status, as accounts based on memes, art, or entertainment, can be an easy way to gain traction in followers.
Sponsorship opportunities are everywhere. It starts with knowing your audience demographic - information including age, gender, location - to pitch partnerships to a company. Many statistics can be found on the Instagram app itself. An example of a website that can be utilized to find sponsorships is Brandwatch, which can provide partnership opportunities based on audience and creator specialities.
Overall, social media can be a great opportunity for those that would prefer to earn money at home, and it can be a great side hustle with some time put aside. It can be a long process to gain a following on any platform. Many have tried, and many have different luck. Effort is necessary, but a unique idea for content creation can develop into a successful business! Who knows? If you are thinking about doing something of the sort, go ahead and give it a try!
Written by Brian Caballo