13 Ways to Make Money Selling Travel Photos on Instagram

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If you love spending time in new and exciting places, snapping some photos along the way is a natural way to document your experiences.

But what if you don’t have the time or inclination to take photos on every trip? Selling travel photos on Instagram can be a great way to make some extra money while traveling.

Instagram, the world’s biggest photo-sharing network, has made it simple for anyone to sell their photos to brands and publications—for a fee, of course.

There are a ton of resources online to help you set up your own account and start selling, but not everyone knows where to start.

So we took it upon ourselves to give you the low-down on this lucrative side hustle—including how to make money selling your travel photos on Instagram.

Instagram allows anyone to take pictures and share them with others, making it a fantastic platform for selling your photos.

If you are a travel photographer, selling travel photos on Instagram can be a profitable side hustle.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on getting started on Instagram and earning cash.

Create a Business Instagram Account and connect e-commerce site

If you’re a travel photographer, then you know that one of the best ways to make money is to sell your photos as stock photography.

And one of the best ways to do that is to create an Instagram business account and connect it to your e-commerce site.

An easy way to create a business account on Instagram is to search for similar businesses and their accounts.

Creating an Instagram business account is easy, and it’s a great way to get your photos in front of a larger audience. Plus, it can help you build a following of potential customers who may be interested in buying your photos.

Here’s how to create an Instagram business account and connect it to your e-commerce site:

Create a Business account on Instagram

First, create a business account on Instagram. You can do this by going to your settings and selecting “Switch to Business Profile.”

Assuming you have an eCommerce site, the process for creating an Instagram business account is as follows:

Go to instagram.com and click Sign Up.
Enter your email address, create a username and password or click Log in with Facebook.
Find the Instagram app on your mobile device and log in.
Tap the button in the top-right corner of the screen and select Edit Profile.
Select “Business” from the Account Type section.
Enter the required information about your business, then tap Done.

Connect your e-commerce site

Once you’ve created your business account, connect it to your e-commerce site. To do this, go to your profile and tap “Edit Profile.” Then, scroll down and tap “Link Your Website.”

1. To connect your eCommerce site, tap the button in the top-right corner of the screen and select Settings.

2. Under business, tap Shopping.

3. Tap Continue.

4. Select a product category, then tap Done.

5. Enter the URL of your eCommerce site, then tap Done.

There are a few different ways to do this, but the most popular method is to use a service like Shopify.

Once you’ve connected your Shopify account to your Instagram business account, you can start promoting and selling products from your e-commerce store directly on Instagram. To do this, simply create a post about a product you’re selling and include a link to the product page on your website.

If you want to make money with travel photography, you can connect your Instagram account to a stock photo agency like Shutterstock. This will allow you to sell your photos directly on Instagram.

To do this, simply create a post about a photo you’ve taken and include a link to the Shutterstock page where people can purchase the photo.

Share photos and use hashtags.

Now, you can start sharing photos on your business account. Be sure to use hashtags and keywords so that people can find your photos.

The Explore page lets you see the current most popular topics, allowing you to create your own hashtag. The more people who follow your business on Instagram, the higher your engagement rate will be.

Engagement refers to the number of likes, comments, or shares you receive per post. Instagram users typically view 100 or fewer followers as unimportant. If your posts have high engagement rates, you will gain a following that could eventually translate into business.

Promote your Instagram account

Finally, promote your Instagram business account on your other social media channels and your website. This will help you get more exposure for your photos and grow your following.

Also, you can follow relevant hashtags and use the Explore feature.

Businesses use Instagram to connect with customers, promote their products and services, and gain exposure.

Businesses must be consistent in their content to earn money selling travel photos on Instagram.

When posting, companies should focus on quality over quantity. Quality is what will ultimately bring followers and eventually lead to business success.

In addition to posting regularly, businesses can also leverage other Instagram tools to increase engagement and reach.

Upload Photos, Tag People on Instagram

As a travel blogger, one of the best ways to sell your photos is to upload them to Instagram and tag people in them.

When you tag people in your photos, they’ll be notified and able to see the photo. If they like what they see, then they might buy it from you.

It’s a great way to make money from your travel photos, and it’s also a great way to get your name out there as a travel photographer.

So, how do you upload your photos to Instagram and tag people in them?

First, you need to have an Instagram account. You can sign up for one if you don’t have one.

Once you have an Instagram account, you can upload photos from your computer or your phone.

To upload photos from your computer, go to your profile page and click on the “photos” tab. Then, click on the “upload” button.

You’ll be able to select the photos you want to upload from your computer. Once you’ve selected the images, click the “open” button.

The photos will then be uploaded to your Instagram account.

To upload photos from your phone, open the Instagram app and go to your profile page. Then, tap on the “plus” Sign at the bottom of the screen.

Tap on the “camera” icon, and select the photos you want to upload. Once you’ve chosen the images, tap on the “done” button.

The photos will then be uploaded to your Instagram account.

Once the photos are uploaded, you can start tagging people in them. To do this, go to the photo you want to tag someone in and click on the “tag” button.

Then, type in the person’s username and click on the “done” button.

The person will then be tagged in the photo, and they’ll be notified.

Tagging people in photos is a great way to get your photos seen by more people, and it’s also a great way to make money off of your travel photos.

Set up a Private Community on Instagram

If you want to set up a private community on Instagram and make money, you’ll need to put in some effort. First, you’ll need to build up a following on Instagram. Once you have a sizable following, you can start reaching out to brands and businesses who may be interested in sponsoring your private community.

You can also charge members a monthly fee to access your private community. If you have valuable content and an engaged community, you can make a lot of money from your private community on Instagram.

Let’s look into some steps to help you set up a private community on Instagram.

1. Start by creating a private Instagram account. To do this, go to your settings and switch your account to “private.”

2. Once your account is private, start building up your content. Make sure to post high-quality photos and videos that appeal to your target audience.

3. Once you have a good amount of content, start promoting your private Instagram community. You can share your community’s link on your other social media accounts, your blog, or forums.

4. Once you have a few members, start charging a monthly fee for access to your community. You can do this by setting up a PayPal account or using a service like Patreon.

5. Finally, continue to post great content and grow your community. Remember to moderate your community and keep it a positive and helpful environment for your members.

Build and Expand Followers on Instagram

If you’re looking to build and expand a following on Instagram and make money, you can do a few things.

The first step is to identify your niche. What are you passionate about? What do you want to share with the world? Once you know your niche, you can begin creating content that is specific to that niche.

If you want to share travel photography, for example, you would want to post beautiful photos from all the different places you visit. You could also share tips on the best places to take photos or share stories about your experiences traveling.

Once you have a niche and content that is specific to that niche, you can begin promoting your Instagram account. You can do this by sharing your photos and stories on other social media platforms or writing blog posts or articles featuring your Instagram account.

You can also use paid advertising to promote your Instagram account. When you have a large and engaged following, you can start monetizing your account by partnering with brands or companies relevant to your niche. You can also sell products or services through your Instagram account.

Earn Money by Sponsoring

You can use Instagram to promote your travel photography business by sponsoring on Instagram.

There are a few ways to make money by sponsoring on Instagram.

The first is to become an influencer. An influencer is someone with a large social media following who is paid to promote products or services. To become an influencer, you must have a large Instagram following. The larger your following, the more likely you are to be sponsored.

Another way to make money by sponsoring on Instagram is to sell your own products or services. You can promote your products or services by creating posts on Instagram.

You can also include a link to your website in your bio so that people can learn more about your products or services.

If you have a large following on Instagram, you can also make money by selling advertising space on your account. You can contact businesses and offer to promote their products or services on your account.

The amount of money you can make depends on the size of your following and the amount of exposure you can provide.

Finally, you can also make money by providing content for brands. Brands will sometimes contact influencers and ask them to create sponsored posts. These posts can be in the form of photos, videos, or written content.

Promote Products for Free or Discount

There are a few ways to promote your travel products for free or at a discount on Instagram.

Use Hashtag

One way is to use hashtags to reach a larger audience.

Hashtags are essential to promote your business. You can include the hashtag in the title of your post and the caption, and then use the hashtag in your bio to link back to your website.

If you use the right tags, you can attract new followers and expand your business.

You can also post pictures of your products and/or travel destinations and tag the businesses or people you have worked with.

One of the most common mistakes people make when using hashtags is using too many of them or ones that are irrelevant to their photo.

Not only does it make your caption look cluttered and spammy, but it also reduces the chances of your photo being seen by people who might actually be interested in it.

Partner with other people

You can also partner with other people who have similar interests. You can create an account for yourself or find someone else’s account that you think would be interested in what you are promoting.

After you find a person, send them an email letting them know about your products or services, and then ask if they are interested in partnering with you.

You can also post pictures of your products or other destinations that you are traveling to and share them with other people who might be interested.

Geotag your location!

When someone searches for a specific place on Instagram, all geotagged posts from that area will pop up in addition to other related results (such as restaurants).

This is a great way for people who might be interested in visiting that place themselves or just enjoy seeing pretty pictures from it to find your photo.

Use all the features.

Instagram has a lot to offer beyond just posting photos – there are also Stories, IGTV, Live, Reels, and more.

Explore all the different features and see which ones you like best. Using them will help you keep your followers engaged and might even attract new ones.

Setup Instagram Shop to sell your travel photos

An Instagram Shop is a great way to sell your photos, especially if you’re into photography. Because it’s a platform that encourages users to share their images, the chances of finding a buyer for your photos are high.

And even if you don’t have a photo, you can still sell your art prints. This is a great way to use Instagram to make money, especially if you have a unique perspective on a certain topic or a strong following.

How to start an Instagram shop?

If you are interested in starting an Instagram shop, you must post some quality photos. You can post pictures showing things from a particular place or lifestyle.

These are the kinds of pictures that people will love. The more attractive and interesting your photos are, the more likely people are to buy your photos.

Make sure your photos are good quality because you will be selling them. People will not buy blurry or low-quality photos.

Also, ensure you keep your photos well-maintained because you don’t want to lose customers. It is always a good idea to post new images regularly so that people come back to see what new photos you have posted.

If you can find a photographer, you can quickly sell your photos. Many photographers and businesses are willing to pay for exclusive rights to their photos.

In fact, it is quite common for these businesses to pay for an exclusive agreement that lasts for two or three years. Once the agreement has expired, you can continue to sell your photos independently.

Use paid advertising on Instagram.

According to a study by the U.K.-based Social Media Research Foundation, there are over 1 billion active users on Instagram, the photo and video-sharing social media platform.

While many users are active on the site to share photos with friends and family, others are looking for ways to drive more business.

To do that, marketers can target users who are engaged with your brand on Instagram with ads that are designed to drive leads.

This could mean targeting users who are following you or have liked or commented on your posts. Paid ads on Instagram can also be used to increase brand recognition.

How to use paid advertising on Instagram

As a travel photographer, one of the best ways to increase exposure and generate revenue is to use paid advertising on Instagram. You can reach a larger audience with your photos and significantly boost your income by targeting specific hashtags, locations, and users. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to get started.

1. Choose your target audience.

Before you start creating your ads, it’s essential to identify your target audience. Who do you want to reach with your photos? What are their interests? What locations are they most likely to be interested in? By answering these questions, you can create more targeted and effective ads.

2. Set up your ad account.

To create ads on Instagram, you’ll need to set up a business account and connect it to your Facebook Ads account. Once you’ve done that, you’ll be able to create your ads using the Instagram Ads Manager.

3. Create your ad.

Now it’s time to create your ad. Start by choosing a photo or video that will grab attention and accurately represent your brand. Then, write a compelling headline and description that will entice users to click through to your website or profile.

4. Select your ad format.

There are a few different ad formats you can choose from on Instagram, including single image, video, and carousel ads. Select the format that best fits your goals and budget.

5. Set your budget and schedule.

Once you’ve created your ad, you’ll need to set a budget and schedule. Instagram offers two different pricing models: cost per thousand impressions (CPM) and cost per click (CPC). CPM is best for ads that focus on brand awareness, while CPC is better for ads that focus on generating leads or sales.

6. Monitor your results.

Once your ad is live, it’s important to monitor your results. How many people are seeing your ad? How many are clicking through to your website? Are you seeing an increase in sales or website traffic? You can adjust your ad strategy as needed by monitoring your results to ensure you’re getting the most bang for your buck.

Sell photo books on Instagram.

If you’re a travel photographer, one of the best ways to make money is to sell photo books on Instagram. Using the right hashtags and keywords, you can reach a large audience of potential buyers interested in your work.

To sell photo books on Instagram, start by creating a well-designed page with a strong call to action.

Make sure to include a link to your website or online store in your bio so potential customers can easily find your work. Then, use relevant hashtags and keywords to promote your photo books in your posts.

Post-high-quality photos that showcase your work in the best light possible.

When promoting your photo books on Instagram, it’s also important to offer discounts and special offers to encourage people to buy.

You can use Instagram’s Stories feature to highlight special deals and offer coupon codes to your followers. You’ll be more likely to make sales and earn money from your travel photography by providing incentives.

Sell photo prints on Instagram.

If you’re a travel photographer, one of the best ways to make money is to sell photo prints on Instagram. By making your photos available for purchase, you can earn a commission on each sale.

And, since Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms, there’s a good chance that you can reach a wide audience of potential buyers.

Here are a few tips for selling photo prints on Instagram:

1. Use high-quality images: This is a no-brainer, but it’s important to use high-quality images if you want to sell prints. People are more likely to buy prints that are well-crafted and look professional.

2. Use hashtags: Hashtags are a great way to reach new audiences on Instagram. Use relevant hashtags when posting your photos to ensure that your images are seen by people interested in purchasing prints.

3. Promote your photos: In addition to using hashtags, you can also promote your photos through Instagram ads. This is a great way to reach potential customers who might not be following you already.

4. Use a call-to-action: When posting your photos, be sure to include a call-to-action in the caption. This will let people know that they can purchase prints of your photos.

5. Offer discounts: Offering discounts is a great way to boost sales. You can offer discounts on your prints through Instagram stories or by running a promotion.

By following these tips, you can start selling photo prints on Instagram and earn money from your travel photography.

Sell your Instagram photos as stock photos.

If you’re a travel blogger, there’s a good chance you’ve considered turning your Instagram photos into stock photos to make some extra money.

And it makes sense – after all, your photos are already out there on the internet, so why not try to monetize them?

Turning your Instagram photos into stock photos is actually pretty easy, and there are a few different ways you can go about it.

The first thing you need to do is sign up for a stock photo agency. There are a few different agencies out there, but we recommend Shutterstock, Getty Images, and Adobe Stock. Once you’ve signed up, you can start uploading your photos.

When uploading your photos, make sure to use keywords that people are likely to search for. For example, if you have a photo of the Eiffel Tower, you can use the keywords “Eiffel Tower” and “Paris” to help people find your photo.

Once your photos are uploaded, people can start buying them. Shutterstock pays out a percentage of the sale price to the photographer, so you’ll earn money every time someone buys one of your photos.

If you want to maximize your earnings, you can promote your photos on your website or blog. You can do this by embedding a Shutterstock widget on your site or by sharing links to your pictures on social media.

So there you have it – with a little effort, you can start making money from your Instagram photos. So what are you waiting for? Start uploading today!

Work with a professional photographer.

If you’re a professional photographer, chances are you’re always looking for new and creative ways to make money. And what better way to do that than working with a professional photographer on Instagram?

By teaming up with a professional photographer, you can make money from your photos and get your work seen by a wider audience. And who doesn’t want that?

So, how do you go about finding a professional photographer to work with on Instagram? Here are a few tips:

Find someone who is already a successful travel photographer on Instagram. See what kind of photos they take, what hashtags they use, how often they post, etc.
Reach out to them and ask if they would be willing to collaborate with you. Be clear about your goals and what you hope to get out of the collaboration.
If they agree, start planning your trip! Make sure to take some amazing photos that will capture your followers’ attention.
Once you have some great photos, start posting them on Instagram using the same hashtags that the photographer you collaborated with uses.
Make sure to tag the photographer in each photo, and mention in the caption that the image is from your collaboration.
If you start gaining a lot of traction and your photos start getting noticed, reach out to brands and see if they would be interested in sponsoring your posts.
If you can get brands to sponsor your posts, you can start earning money from your Instagram account!

Sell Travel Writing Services on Instagram

Aspiring travel writers can make a bit of money on the side by selling their writing services to friends and family on Instagram. Here are a few tips for getting started:

Start by creating a portfolio of your work, whether that be through a blog or Instagram account. This will give potential clients a sense of your style and your capabilities.

Make sure to price your services accordingly. Generally, travel writing costs more than other types of writing due to the research involved. Be sure to factor in your time and equipment costs as well.

When negotiating rates with clients, be sure to keep in mind that you’re providing a service that is unique and not easily replicated. Charging too little could devalue your work while overcharging could scare potential clients away.

Conclusion

Selling your travel photos on Instagram can be a great way to make some extra money. By following the tips in this article, you can increase your chances of success. So get out there and start snapping some pictures!