New Instagram Tools for Creators to Earn More Income

Facebook announced new ways for Instagram and Facebook creators to make money from their fans, content, and products through affiliate relationships. The goal is to create a profitable platform for content creators to make a living by posting on social media.

Some features are only available to a select group of American creators, while others are available right away.

Instagram and Facebook are Platforms for Creators

The goal of Facebook's initiatives is to make it financially rewarding for creators to create content and promote products, and to turn the platform into a platform for creators.

The new tools are explicitly mentioned in the context of supporting creators' careers in the announcement.

The announcement stated:

“We want Instagram and Facebook to serve as a home base for creators to tell their story, grow and make a living.

…Today’s updates are a big part of a broader effort to support creators as they build their careers. …we are committed to building the right mix of tools to help them accomplish their goals.”

To think of Instagram and Facebook as just social networks is overlooking the evolution of Instagram and Facebook into a social marketplace of ideas, entertainment and products.

What Instagram and Facebook are doing is creating structure on which creators and consumers can interact.

Affiliates and Shops on Instagram

Instagram has announced that it is experimenting with a "native affiliate tool" that will allow creators to drive sales and earn commissions on products they promote. The Instagram app houses the entire affiliate experience.

The announcement noted:

“When people come across an affiliate post from a creator featuring a tagged product, they will see “Eligible for commission” at the top of the post, so it’s clear that their purchases help support that creator.”