6 Ways To Make Money On Social Media

The power of social media never stops surprising me — the ability to reach millions of people in a matter of seconds is nothing to scoff at. And let's not forget the money. Oh yes, the money. There are a bunch of different ways to make money on social media, and while it won't necessarily be the biggest moneymaker, it is true that some folks who manage to harness the power of social media make a healthy living out of it. The bigger your platform is, the more money you can make. Check out one of the big Instagram accounts you follow — someone with tens of thousands or even millions of followers. Notice how there's an email address in their bio for business inquiries? They're getting paid to promote something. Just by posting on Instagram.

But what if you don't have millions of followers? Is it still possible for you to make money using social media? Sure. It might not be enough to buy the Beverly Hills mansion you've been fantasizing about, but hey — money is money, right?

Here are some ways you can make extra cash by harnessing the power of social media.

Become A YouTube Partner

While developing a popular YouTube channel with a lot of traffic can be challenging, it also means you might be able to make some cash by joining the YouTube Partner Program. You can choose to monetize your videos by turning on ads. Some YouTubers are making bank by enabling ads on their videos. Are they the exception rather than the rule? Yes. But that doesn't mean there aren't some opportunities for you to earn a little moolah yourself.

Share Products And Services With Your Instagram Following

The more followers you have, the better. Companies like Popular Pays connect brands with social media influencers — people with large followings. If the brand chooses you, you'll share images or videos of their products with all your Insta friends, and they'll pay you for it. It's a win-win. If you've got a huge platform to promote from, you could potentially charge thousands of dollars for a single post.

License Your Instagram Photos

Here's something anyone can do, regardless of how many (or how few) followers you have. If you think your Instagram photos are something special, check out a company like Foap. Foap is an photography marketplace that allows you to post your photos for sale, providing opportunities for just about anyone to show off their pics and potentially make some money. And because I know people are dying to spend money on pictures of my dogs and trips to the gym, I think I'll go sign up right now.

Tweet And Make Money

Send out sponsored tweets talking about products and services, and companies will pay you for it. How, you ask? Why, with websites like SponsoredTweets, of course. One word of caution: Make sure you read the fine print in your agreement, because if you tweet anything that could be deemed any kind of conflict of interest or a poor reflection of the companies you represent, that could spell trouble.

Sell Products Or Get Leads For Other Companies

Here's another simple Instagram money-making tip: Sign up with a company like Peerfly and make money whenever someone gives their email address or buys something — all by merely placing a certain link in your biography that will lead followers to a product page. There's virtually no work involved on your end, other than copying and pasting that link in your bio.

Help Brands Make Money On Pinterest

Unlike Instagram, I've found Pinterest to be far easier when it comes to collecting a big audience. Sure enough, there are opportunities to make money here. Choose a company you love and ask if they'll sponsor you; or become an affiliate and get a percentage of a sale whenever someone buys something through you.

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