It can't be this easy?

I've recently started getting into instagram and the more I learn about it the more I'm thinking "It can't be this easy".

The more I research and understand this platform the easier it seems.

- Pick a niche
- Give your account a brand / personality / style
- Post 3-6 quality images every day with relevant hashtags
- Follow / unfollow users interested in your niche
- Comment on images in your niche

Then when you have a sufficient following you sell shoutouts.

One of the leaders in the niche I'm in (millionaire motivationals) claims he has 6 accounts that together generate him $500k+ a year through affiliate "make money online" sales and shoutouts.

With all the software available for instagram, it just seems too easy to scale up to be making some serious money.

What am I missing? Surely it's not that easy?


I would be very interested to hear from the instagram pros. How many accounts do you run, what's their following and how much do you earn from them?

I doubt that guy is really making $500k just from shout outs, he probably also promotes products and gets sales commissions (affiliate marketing).

As to answer your question, I don't really do Instagram, but I would say this is one of the few cases where someone made it big with Instagram. Yes, it's easy to grow accounts like you said through the use of automation tools, but you literally needs MILLIONS of followers to make that kind of money.

You seem pretty confident like you're on the right path, so I would say just keep doing what you're doing, but keep your goals realistic.

DanDanger said:

"It can't be this easy".

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It sounds so simple when you write it out like that. All it takes is time, commitment and a few good tools, and with a little bit of knowledge and smarts, you can go a long way. You have the knowledge penny unless you make it reality.

Sythix said:

I doubt that guy is really making $500k just from shout outs, he probably also promotes products and gets sales commissions (affiliate marketing).

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That's true. I did say he does make money from affiliate sales on 'make money online' products, but one of his accounts I know does at least 3 high profile shoutouts a day.

Very scalable indeed. I started my Instagram Journey in late May and currently have 20 accounts running. My best account is a puny 10k and i've banked a little over $4k so far running survey offers. After looking into all the ways to make money on IG I can say personally that the best and safest way to make money is selling shoutouts.

It's not easy at all. What you described takes lots of dedication and hard work. Especially know-how not to get banned after all the hard work is done!

There's always going to be bumps in the road, it's up to the individual wether it's worth continuing or not.

bartosimpsonio said:

It's not easy at all. What you described takes lots of dedication and hard work. Especially know-how not to get banned after all the hard work is done!

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I can say that the MMO niche is converting well for me. But I must say that I would probably be making 5 times more if I did this last year since IG was less strict with their limits and engagement was crazy good.