Getting started
It’s around 1am, high in the freezing Tian Shan mountains of Kyrgyzstan, and I’m still hovering behind the camera. The stars are out with more clarity and vibrancy than I’ve ever seen. With each 30-second shot, I perfect the focus and frame a little more until I’m completely satisfied. It has taken three gruelling days of dawn-to-dusk trekking across steep, snow-covered terrain to get to this spot, but for this shot alone, it was worth it.
The photo was for a campaign I shot for Visit Kyrgyzstan back in 2017. Though I’d been blogging full-time since late 2012, it was the second year that my blog and my Instagram had earned me six figures. For two years, I had travelled around Asia alone – hitchhiking, diving, trekking, and living off of my savings from a previous life working in finance in California – but I continued to either lose money or break even until my fourth year of blogging.
It was around this time that I started to realise that maybe this Instagram thing wasn’t just a fad and was worth putting more effort into. Therefore, I began posting better photos: pushing myself further to get the shot, climbing mountains, and seeking places off the beaten path. I did much of it by myself, which also set me apart from others. There were plenty of solo female travellers and outdoor enthusiasts on Instagram, but there weren’t many who combined both while capturing their own experiences through photography.
All of those years of dedicated work to build a brand for solo female travellers paid off, and these days my business as a whole – including adventure tours for women, my photography course, a YouTube channel, and my blog – generates a six-figure turnover.
Setting rates
It’s difficult to quantify exactly what I earn from Instagram alone, considering that the platform serves as a vehicle to promote my products and collaborate with brands and destinations. It’s part of a comprehensive package I offer clients; however, many of them indicate they discovered me via Instagram, expressing interest based on that exposure, even though my blog has significantly more readership.
I currently have a following of over 121,000 people on Instagram, and I charge $500 for a sponsored post. Although this rate is relatively low for my follower number in the industry, it’s uncommon for a partnership to involve only a single post. Most campaigns utilize my photos, narratives, videos, and Instagram stories as part of an integrated package deal.
What I earn
Through a combination of direct sales, sponsored posts, and client campaigns, I earned around $75,000 through Instagram in 2018. This year, my brand is on track to generate about $100,000 through Instagram, thanks to the increased exposure and value it delivers to my clients.
Amount charged per sponsored post: $500
Average monthly income from Instagram: $5,000–15,000
Amount made from Instagram in 2018: ~$75,000
How to stand out from the rest
Nowadays, Instagram has exploded with users attempting to make a living from it. Consequently, if you’re just starting or looking to grow, find ways to differentiate yourself. In my case, it meant establishing a blog and offering products. While Instagram is a robust platform, it’s challenging to rely solely on the app for income. Instead, consider it a powerful component of a broader strategy. For me, Instagram has been a transformative journey that has driven me further, cultivated my artistic expression, and opened up the world to me like nothing else.
