This is a creator-earnings question rather than a brand-side one so it sits outside what Flinque does, which is help brands find and vet creators. Still, the honest short answer is that Instagram creators earn through brand deals, affiliate links, their own products and Instagram's own monetisation features.
I have about twenty thousand followers and almost no income from it. How do influencers make money on Instagram?
Brand deals pay most, affiliate pays most steadily and platform bonuses pay least reliably. Build in that order, because the first requires an audience a brand wants and the third can disappear with a policy change.
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Chloe Bennett
Creator manager
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Build something you own alongside it. A mailing list survives an algorithm change where a following does not, and the creators who have lasted all have somewhere the audience can be reached directly.
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Bianca Costa
Social lead
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Worth being upfront: this is about how creators earn, not how brands run campaigns so it falls outside Flinque's brand-side focus. As general guidance though, Instagram creators typically make money several ways at once. Sponsored posts and brand partnerships are the biggest earner for most, where a brand pays for content or a story mention.
Affiliate marketing adds commission on sales driven through trackable links or codes. Many creators sell their own products, presets, courses, merchandise or coaching, which often earns more per follower than sponsorships. Instagram's native tools contribute too, including subscriptions, badges on live video and occasional bonus programmes, though availability varies by region and account.
Finally, a strong Instagram presence drives offline income like speaking, consulting or traffic to another business. Earnings scale less with follower count than with engagement and niche, since an active, trusting audience converts. For creators wanting depth here, platform help centres and creator communities are the right places to look.