The Wondrous benefits of Instagram: Part 2

Wondering if your time is well spent on Instagram? We’ll explore the different avenues of success on this social medial platform and let you decide.

Money Making on Instagram: Here are the many benefits of growing your IG account

Make money, hone your craft, showcase your talents, and get found. You can do it all on Instagram. If you have come to Instagram with your business or are hoping that Instagram success can lead to business opportunities, there are many reasons to grow an account. Here are the top reasons.

1. Instagram Offers Free Advertising

The visibility you can achieve on Instagram is free marketing. The cost is your time. Now, we realize that time and effort are money. But the marketing power of Instagram is real, and it is available for the taking.

2. Instagram Provides Training Ground

Any skill improves with practice. The practice it takes to keep up a regular Instagram account is actually great training ground to hone all your skills. In addition, (unless you hire someone to do this for you) you will become a better photographer. You will learn how to edit photos, and you will learn or get better at writing and expressing yourself. Over time, you will hopefully find your “voice.” These skills can be useful wherever you head next and are marketable in and of themselves.

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3. Building and Showcasing a Portfolio on Instagram

View Instagram as your public portfolio. While you are honing those many skills, I just mentioned you are also showcasing them. As you begin to stand out from the crowd you will start to gather attention. Now you are ready for the next phase: the rewards.

4. Build Your Brand on Instagram

If you have a store or a business to advertise Instagram is a great place to create and showcase your brand identity. Who are you and why would people want your products? Because they desire the look and the lifestyle you are showing. Instagram allows you to control and portray you and your brand for the world to see. Attract people to your feed and you attract them to whatever it is you have to offer.

red accent desk for Instagram success

5. Tangible Rewards as an Influencer

So, you’ve created a beautiful, meaningful, reliable and consistent feed. Congratulations! You’ve built a substantial following and made solid connections. Companies, large and small, have started to sit up and take notice. Or, at least, you are on their radar. What kinds of rewards can you expect as an Influencer?

Instagram Collaborations for Free Product

  • The first opportunities usually present in the form of free product in exchange for a post.
  • “Free” is not all-together accurate. In exchange for receiving, styling, photographing, editing, and creating a heart-felt post you receive an agreed upon item(s).
  • You are putting what you’ve created since you began your Instagram journey behind someone’s product. It’s great and it’s fun.
  • Make sure it is in line with your IG identify, goes along with your style and makes sense to post on your feed. If it isn’t you risk losing followers by posting that “free” item.

Benefits of social media outlined here

Instagram Collaborations for Product and a Fee

  • Once your following has grown enough the next phase is that you will be able to command a fee. This is the goal. The “going rate” as identified by many reliable social media-savvy sources is in the ballpark between $5-$10/1000 followers per post.
  • For example, if you have 50,000 followers a post should command in the range of $250-$500. Many companies will try to undercut that rate as much as possible because there are many people who don’t know their worth or are willing to work for less.
  • Since there is very little public discussion regarding rates, companies take advantage of this. As long as there are people willing to work for less influencers will continue to be compensated accordingly.
  • First and foremost, you have to decide on your own what you are willing to work for and how valuable your time is.
  • Learning to negotiate is another skill you will hone as you travel this journey. So, let each experience be a step on the learning curve.

Brand Ambassador

  • This is a collaboration that is more on-going in nature. Every company will propose something different.
  • It is up to you to negotiate and determine what makes it worth your time and effort.
  •  The same rules apply. Never accept brand ambassadorship for a company or product that isn’t in line with your identity or your beliefs. Lack of authenticity is easily discernible. The benefits may not outweigh the costs of misaligned collaborations.

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Affiliate Marketing

  • Affiliate marketing is a type of performance-based marketing in which a business rewards members for customers brought by the affiliate’s own marketing efforts. In other words, sales.
  • There are several affiliate marketing programs available for bloggers. For Instagram alone, the main program is RewardStyle. Their Instagram affiliate program is called “Like to know it.”
  •  You must apply to be accepted into the program. Then you can receive commissions on sales from posts you create. Your followers shop via automatic email.
  • Currently, this is the most viable way to monetize Instagram posts besides direct collaborations with companies.

simple desk with blue accents for Instagram success


There are many benefits to utilizing the power of Instagram. Social Media is growing exponentially and those who harness the power are sure to reap rewards, both personally and professionally. If you haven’t already, make sure you read Part 1 of Instagram Benefits for the full picture on this topic. Also, you might be interested in reading our other Instagram related blog posts (shown at the bottom). All are written to help you have success and enjoy your time on Instagram.

We have many more posts in the works to continue our Instagram Insights series. We hope you will subscribe to our blog, so you won’t miss what’s coming. Click on the box below and also receive free bonus content.

For more info on the benefits of Instagram, read this article, “6 Benefits of Using Instagram for Your Business.”

Jodie and I hope this summary has served both to inform and inspire you to build your Instagram feed. Who knows where it might lead. Most importantly, make sure you enjoy the journey!

Wishing you all success and joy along the road,

jodie & julie

social media Benefits: Build Your Brand and Earn Money

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Summary
Instagram Benefits: Part 2
Article Name
Instagram Benefits: Part 2
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Learn how to take advantage of the marketing power of Instagram by learning what Instagram can do for you! Here is part 2 in this serious.
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The Design Twins
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  1. jjdesigntwins says:

    Loi, Honestly, you just made our day! Thank you so much for your kind appraisal! We are pleased we could help. It’s a real treat to have you here visiting our blog. We are both huge fans of your style and talent. And our dear friend Janine has told us that you are as kind as you are talented! We believe all she says 🙂 We hope you will visit again. With gratitude and blessings for a fabulous 2017, Julie & Jodie

  2. Such great advice and so well written. Thank you for sharing your expertise in this area in this easy to follow format. You two are the BEST! xoxo

    • jjdesigntwins says:

      Hi Lisa! Oh I’m so excited to see you on our blog!! Hip Hip Hooray! Thank you sweetie pie, for joining us here. And of course thank you for your kind message. What a wonderful compliment to receive. You just made our day! We are thrilled our words could help you. Honestly, meeting sweet and encouraging people like yourself is WHY we are here. Such a joy to know you…and I pray one day we shall meet! Until then, Insta besties and now I must visit your blog too! XO ~ Julie & Jodie

  3. Diane says:

    Such a joy!! Your openness and honesty are so refreshing. Your insights invaluable. So glad I found you two on IG. ? Blessings for continued fun with the by-product of success!!

    • jjdesigntwins says:

      Diane, Aw, what a kind reply! Thank you so much for your sweet support and taking the time to comment! We just love hearing from our readers…it always makes our day. We hope you will subscribe (if you haven’t already) and come back and visit us often. Our journey is just beginning and we hope you will come along for the beautiful ride 🙂 With gratitude, Julie & Jodie

  4. Christina says:

    Ladies this is the best blog post on this subject I have read to date. Thank you for being such generous spirits by sharing lessons learned!! Love you both!
    Chris @chris_belcher4 from IG!

  5. Marian Steele says:

    Thats an awesome read Julie n Jodie. Never really had any idea that IG would be so beneficial. I joint it about 4 or 5 months ago on a whim.
    Thankyou both for taking all the time n effort in sharing your experiences n expertise about IG.
    Have a great weekend n takecare
    Marian (jadesteele62)

    • jjdesigntwins says:

      Dear Marian, Welcome, sweet friend, to our blog! We are so excited you made it here, and of course we hope you will come back and visit us often, like getting together regularly with friends for coffee 🙂 I also joined IG on a whim, but several years ago now. What made the difference for me was experiencing the kindness of strangers. Even more exciting than the designs I would have to say it was the people and the connecting that drew me in the most! Now we are hooked, you could say. And our blog really takes it all to the next level, allowing us to share more of ourselves. It brings out the teachers in us, as you can see. We wish you great luck in the giveaway, but hope you’ll stick around for the inspiration too. With gratitude, Julie & Jodie

  6. Elizma says:

    And there I thought Instagram is only for businesses to grow their client base. ☺ a really insightful piece. Going to find the first part now!

    PS I keep thinking my house is not quite ‘there’ to start growing my base and that I would still have to put a lot in. Chicken and egg again – if that makes sense!

    • jjdesigntwins says:

      Elizma, Most people begin wherever they are and learn, grow and improve while sharing. People enjoy seeing the “work in progress”! Don’t be afraid of revealing real life. There will always be people who relate, and relatability should not be underrated. People are looking to relate! Be real and honest and share your journey in words and pictures. There’s no time like the present to begin! Your friends, Julie & Jodie

  7. Kim says:

    It amazes me the power of IG. I find a simple love for the decor in people’s home amd enjoy sharing my home and what makes me happy. I’ve seen accounts grow substantially in followers that had once had 100. It’s fun to watch people succeed! Blog posts such as this help others take hold of their inspiration and grow it.

  8. Stephanie says:

    Hey! I have an Instagram already .. started out as personal and I changed it over to my home decor. Question is.. should I delete all my old posts with family etc? or do you think it’s fine if I just only post decor from here on out? Unsure of what to do! 🙂

    • jjdesigntwins says:

      Stephanie,
      Thanks for reading our blog. Sorry for the delay in reply, but we were in Europe. Back at it today and ready to answer your question…Your account can “survive” either way, but what is the best thing for your account moving forward? We recommend deleting all the older posts that no longer define your account. Make it absolutely clear to your potential followers what your intentions are. If it were our account that is what we would do. Good luck and we hope you continue to enjoy our blog for all kinds of reasons. Blessings, Julie & Jodie

  9. I had no idea IG offered free advertising! Thanks so much for all of your great info!

    • jjdesigntwins says:

      Hi Cindy, So happy you made it to our blog. That is in a sense exactly what Instagram is: free advertising. But when you think that time is money it’s not really “free” is it? It’s a lot of hard work, time and effort. But it certainly pays off in our opinion, with a lot of intrinsic rewards along the way. We hope you continue to read our other Instagram help posts and let us know what you think. All the best, Julie & Jodie

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